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Biography
Infobox musical artist| name = Betzefer| image =| caption = The band's logo.| image_size = 250| background = group_or_band| origin = Maccabim-Re'ut , Israel | genre = Groove metal , thrash metal , alternative metal , metalcore | years_active = 1998& ndash;present| label = AFM Records|AFM , Roadrunner Records|Roadrunner | associated_acts = Nail Within , Whorecore , On Shoulders of Giants , Black Swan (band)|Black Swan | website = http://www.betzefer.com/ Betzefer.com| current_members = Avital Tamir Matan Cohen Rotem Inbar Roey Berman| past_members = Evil Haim Mashy Betzefer (lang-he|????) is an Israel i groove metal band, originating from the Communal settlement (Israel)|communal settlement Maccabim-Re'ut . The band was formed up in 1998 and was signed to Roadrunner Records from 2005 to 2007. Betzefer is notable for becoming Israel's first Heavy metal music|heavy metal band to have released its debut album on a major Heavy metal music|heavy metal label.
Betzefer's biggest influence is Slayer , while Pantera and Sepultura are also credited as being major influences. http://www.gutzy.com/betzefer/biography.php Betzefer - Biography, at the band's official site The band's latest album was produced by Down (band)|Down producer Warren Riker .
History
Early years (1998& ndash;2004)
Betzefer was formed in 1998 for a one-off high school gig. This fact is the origin of the band's name, which is an ad lib translation of the Hebrew term "Beit Sefer", meaning " school ". The original lineup included singer Avital Tamir, guitarist Matan Cohen, drummer Roey Berman and bassist Menashe "Mashy" Hazan. Following the usual gigs as a cover band and several replacements of the bass players, Betzefer started their own songwriting. 1999 saw the release of their first demo followed in 2000 by the EP, Pitz Aachabar ("Pitz the Mouse"), a parody on a popular Hebrew children song. In 2001 they released the EP Some Tits, But No Bush and later in 2003 the EP New Hate EP|New Hate with new bass player Evil Haim (Haim Binyami), all self-financed and self-released.
Not long after the release of the EP, Evil Haim left the band, and stayed only to work as the band's Audio engineering|soundman , additionally for the new band he formed after the departure from Betzefer, Whorecore. Rotem Inbar replaced him as the bassist.
Down Low , signing and departure from Roadrunner (2004& ndash;2007)
In June 2004 the band took off to Belgium to record their first full-length album, Down Low (album)|Down Low , with producer Kris Belaen to whom they were introduced by Sven De Caluwe of Aborted and Whorecore. They eventually recorded the album with Belaen, while the final mixing and mastering was done by Denmark|Danish producer Tue Madsen . During the recordings, the band was offered by Fear Factory to tour with them as their supporting act. During their performances the band was noticed by the major label Roadrunner Records who signed the band to a 4 album contract. After the signing, the band came back to the studio to finish the recording.
On May 19, 2005, Down Low was released independently in Israel, and then on June 6, 2005, it was released internationally by Roadrunner Records|Roadrunner , after which the band toured Europe intensively to promote it.
Beginning March 2007, They toured with Sepultura supporting their Dante XXI tour, supporting Lamb of God (band)|Lamb of God and Soulfly on their German tours and Chimaira on their UK tour, and through 2007 performed in such events as With Full Force festival in Germany and Planet Music in Austria . They were joined by Sepultura guitarist Andreas Kisser a few times for a performance of " Thunderstruck (song)|Thunderstruck " by AC/DC . On July 2, 2007, Betzefer opened for Megadeth at the Hangar 11 in Tel Aviv , Israel .
In December 2007, Betzefer parted ways with Roadrunner Records , stating that the record label doesn't fit anymore for what the band is looking for, although various sources has stated that the band was dropped by the label due to personal issues with the band. At the time, the band also stated they have already written most of the material for the upcoming album, which will not be released by Roadrunner.
On March 10, 2008, Betzefer opened for Machine Head (band)|Machine Head at the Theater Club in Tel Aviv . At the show, the band performed all the songs from their upcoming second album. A few days later, the band entered the studio to start recording the new album.
On May 21, 2008, it was announced that Betzefer's upcoming 2nd studio album won't be mixed and produced by Tue Madsen after all as previously announced, and that it will be instead mixed and produced by Grammy Award winner Warren Riker , who has produced albums for Down (band)|Down , Santana (band)|Santana , Lauryn Hill and more. The band has commented that as much as they liked working with Madsen, they decided to work with Riker instead, since they have the option, because they do not want the new album to sound like the latest one, and they hope Riker will bring the new sound they look for. The band stated that their new songs will combine the old elements of the band's music along with new experimental music|experimental material.
On May 25, 2008, Betzefer finished the recording of their second studio album and announced that the album is in its final mixing stages. They then performed at the Hellelujah Open Air , a donation heavy metal festival in Herzliya , Israel , on May 30, 2008, in which they said they were recording the crowd for a new song called "Doomsday" in which vocalist Tamir stated they needed to have people shouting gang vocals of the word "Day" in the chorus, for the record. At the show the band also played two new songs: "Doomsday" and "Best Seller". It was then announced that the current title for Betzefer's second studio album is Freedom to The Slave Makers and that the album will be released in September 2008 and not July 2008 as it was said before. Yet, since then, the album was delayed once again, this time to an unknown date in 2009.
On April 24, 2009, the band played at the 2009 edition of the Hellelujah Open Air in Herzliya , Israel , which was the band's only live performance for 2009. During the performance, the band has announced that the album was once again delayed to an unknown date in 2010 since it was not mastered yet, and performed a new song, entitled "Heavensent", along with Tomer Jones of Whorecore .
In May 2009, it was announced that the album will go into the mastering stage between May 18& ndash;25, 2009, at West West Side Music Studios, in New Windsor, New York by Alan Douches, who previously worked with such bands as Through the Eyes of the Dead , Beneath the Massacre and A Life Once Lost .
On August 27, 2010, the band played their first show of 2010, at the Heavy Metal Tel Aviv as their alter ego band HC/DC which features the band members, with additional guitarist Alex Schuster, though the band played strictly AC/DC covers, and not any songs from Betzefer. Alongside the band played such acts as Sabaton (band)|Sabaton , Tim "Ripper" Owens , Nightmare (French band)|Nightmare and Almana Shchora . http://www.last.fm/festival/1412124+Heavy+Metal+Tel+Aviv
On September 28, 2010, the band performed as part of Ozzfest , taking place in Israel for the first time, alongside Ozzy Osbourne , Ko?n , Soulfly and Almana Shchora . The band has played the whole new album at the show and has also hinted on a possible soon to be announced release date for the long delayed album.
On October 24, 2010, the band has announced on its Facebook page that artwork for the album has been completed. It was done by Shahar Hemo and Nir Doliner, with photography by Gal Hamo. http://www.facebook.com/Betzefer/posts/159474414085249 http://www.facebook.com/Betzefer/posts/159474414085249#!/Betzefer/posts/105700682830134
On November 3, 2010, it was finally announced that the band has signed a new record deal with AFM Records , who will release the band's second album Freedom to the Slave Makers worldwide in February 2011. http://www.facebook.com/Betzefer#!/Betzefer/posts/129888977066425 http://twitter.com/Betzefer666/status/29566572043 http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx? mode=Article& newsitemID=148776 On January 5, 2011, it was confirmed that the album would be released worldwide on February 18, 2011, with a special release show at the Barby club in Tel Aviv , Israel , to follow on March 3, 2011. http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs058.snc6/168886_488650102295_11070832295_5710107_8272275_n.jpg On January 6, 2011, the band revealed the album's artwork and tracklist. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx? mode=Article& newsitemID=151903 On January 10, 2011, it was announced that the album will be released in the US on February 22, 2011, through E1 Music . http://www.facebook.com/#!/Betzefer/posts/117523328320561
On January 20, 2011, the band released the song "Nothing But Opinions", the first single from the upcoming album, for free listening through such Israeli sites as Walla! , http://e.walla.co.il/? w=%2F210%2F1782218Nana 10 http://bidur.nana10.co.il/Article/? ArticleID=774318 and Musicspot. http://www.musicspot.co.il/Betzefer-Nothing-But-Opinions On February 16, 2011, the album was uploaded for free streaming on the band's Facebook and Myspace pages. http://www.facebook.com/Betzefer/posts/164264896957865 http://www.facebook.com/Betzefer? sk=app_178091127385
On June 16, 2011, Betzefer went on their first European tour in support of Freedom to the Slave Makers , and their first international tour since 2007. The tour included some headlining dates as well as supporting slots for Cavalera Conspiracy and GWAR , and a slot on the With Full Force festival, on which the band haven't played since 2005. The tour ended on July 2, 2011. http://www.last.fm/music/Betzefer/+events/2011
Musical style and Influences
Betzefer's musical style is mostly regarded as groove metal and thrash metal , influenced by bands such as Pantera , Slayer and Sepultura , although on an interview with an Israeli extreme sports magazine, vocalist Avital Tamir also stated Guns N' Roses and Metallica , as influences, additionally to Pantera .
They are described by many as metalcore , groove metal , thrash metal , post-thrash and even alternative metal and nu metal , but the band disproves any labeling on their genre and vocalist Avital Tamir stated in an interview that their genre is purely Rock music|rock or alternative rock , http://www.adrenalinmag.co.il/site/Others.asp? CID=14& AID=838 An interview with Betzefer, at Adrenalin magazine (Hebrew) and that they see themselves mostly as part of the Israeli alternative rock scene, and that no one of the band members even saw himself as a Heavy metal subculture|metalhead before, and the connection between the band and Heavy metal music|metal music is simply because the music is fast, heavy and harsh.
In another interview with Avital Tamir and Matan Cohen , they stated AC/DC , Aerosmith and Black Sabbath as their rock music|rock -rooted influences. http://www.musik.terrorverlag.de/interviews.php? id=265& An interview with Betzefer, at Terrorverlag magazine They also mentioned they have influences ranging from hard rock and Heavy metal music|heavy metal , through punk rock|punk and even blues .
Slayer is thought to be the band's biggest influence, since in their biggest hit single "Down Low" the last verse of the song praises Slayer's album Reign in Blood as "the best damn fuckin' album ever". They also play the opening riff of the Slayer song " Raining Blood " in almost every concert, as a finish to their song "Down Low".
http://www.bnrmetal.com/v2/search.php? name=betzefer Betzefer at The BNR Metal Pages
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References
Reflist Betzefer DEFAULTSORT:Betzefer Category:Israeli heavy metal musical groups Category:Musical groups established in 1998 Category:Groove metal musical groups Category:Metalcore musical groups Category:Musical quartets
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