Down Low

‘Down Low,’ by Israel’s most polished and professional metal act Betzefer, will not exactly transform your perceptions on modern metal – if it did, the band might be a little bit concerned that they’re being held in an unhealthy level of esteem. ‘Down Low’ is also a record rife with elements that many a metalhead would rather soak themselves in someone else’s vomit than engage with - the Israeli bruisers are a band of miscreants owing more than a debt to Pantera at their finest, and trading with reckless abandon in songwriting that requires you think not of paradigm-shifting musical constructs, but only on starting one hell of a nasty bout of moshing.

It should be noted, for those who view groove metal as they would something burrowing into their brain with the intent to lay eggs there, that ‘Down Low’ is an album positively dripping in the stuff. By and large, the speed that many a groove band such as Pantera or Exhorder enjoy indulging in is absent throughout, with a mid-paced tempo favoured throughout which, while hardly mellow, will bore those seeking a thrashing feast.
But once you’ve heard the likes of ‘Fucking Rock ‘N Roll,’ ‘Under’ and ‘Brix’ it’s highly unlikely you’ll give a monkey’s toss. Because Betzefer are very good at what they do, openly revelling in the fact that their music is devoid of pretence, and through lyrics such as “whiskey's fucking scotch/And beer's fucking lager/And Reign in Blood is the best/damn fucking album ever”, it’s obvious the band know that such pretence will never work for them. What the songs here lack in technical skill they make up for in the headbanging factor – Betzefer’s work is simple, easy to remember, and best enjoyed with a beer in the hand.

Of course, the diminished instrumental ability of the band is bound to turn many a listener off. Roey Berman’s drum work, besides a few ventures into faster waters, sticks resolutely to basic, hardcore influenced beats, with fills, rolls or any kind of audacity almost entirely removed, and it all becomes a tad unimaginative. The same goes for Rotem Inbar’s bass, which is unlikely to captivate the attention due to it adhering to the guitar patterns like they’ve been bolted together – both these presences are competent, but not quite worthy of favourable note.
Vocalist Avital Tamir and guitarist Matan Cohen, however, more than provide the saving graces. Cohen delivers some monstrously heavy and rocking riffs and solos all the way through the album, showcasing a fine ability for getting the heads bangin’ and the feet tappin’, all the while beefing up his performance with a guitar sound so meaty you could sink your teeth into it. Tamir, despite his borderline hero-worship of a certain P. Anselmo, comes into his own with a voice that’s aggressive, gritty, throaty and a hundred times more distinctive than one may imagine from these meagre descriptions (one eventually runs out of adjectives, unfortunately).

As mentioned, the album’s pace will end up being a sticking point, for many won’t take kindly to the band’s love for taking things a bit slower than the average modern groovers and thrashers. Certainly a little more variety in the tempo department would not go amiss, with the risk of boring the listener being run just a bit too often. However, the band do fire on all cylinders more than a few times – the aforementioned ‘Fucking Rock ‘N Roll’ is a groove-tastic feast of pit-inciting mayhem, while ‘Running Against’, the lone ‘thrasher’ of the album will not only assault the ears, it will stick in the brain with its rabble-rousing lyrical odes to underground metallers everywhere.

‘Down Low’ may not be the most revelatory experience offered in metal today, but that doesn’t impede it from being a record of consummate, pounding force – a highly enjoyable record that will win no prizes but will guarantee a bloodied nose and a strained neck. If that is what you seek, Betzefer shall do you no wrong.

I ain't a big fonder of metalcore, honestly. But 'Betzefer' are one of these bands that really surprised me. No whinny emo core vocals or dull generic riffage (such as 'protest the zero'). Here the vocalist just kills, absolutely kills! 'Avital Tamir' has a powerful growl and incredible heat, he makes the lyrics sound energetic and fits it perfectly (maybe because he also wrote all the lyrics he can deliver it better). The riffing is also quite catchy and heavy, with a bit of thrash metal feeling and a lot of groove and distortion within, it sounds quite solid and heavy. It also down tuned to C# so it fits well with the growling.

Some of the highlights here are 'Down Low', quite catchy main riff and solid bass lines. 'Fuckin' Rock 'N' Roll' which has badass main riff and 'oldschool' lead guitar solo. 'Under' which flows pretty well and has straightforward feeling and 'Running Against' which is the shortest and most aggressive track here.

Overall, all the tracks here are overwhelming, no weak spots at all and no fillers. 'Betzefer' are surely one of the biggest metal acts from israel, and I'm curious to listen for future material of this kickass band. They have all the right necessary stuff they need to keep growing, and I hope someday they will have their own breakthrough. You can't miss this band, "this if fuckin' rock n' roll!"