Salem - Necessary Evil

Today I bring you one of Salem's newer albums, the one they made the switch from their mid-period style to the new one.

This sounds more like modern death metal. This version of Salem seems to have lost those charming Doomi-ish undertones... which is not to say this is bad; just different. But indeed, many people don't like different.
I guess it's not their best album, but it's not half bad in my opinion.

Regardless, I'd recommend this to anyone that likes Salem, modern death metal or the so-called oriental metal movement.


Salem - Necessary Evil

Tracklist:

1. Blood
2. Amona
3. Idle Worship
4. Mindless
5. Hypatia
6. Strife
7. Resentment
8. Making A Difference
9. More Blood
10. Once Upon A Lifetime (Part 1)
11. Once Upon A Lifetime (Part 2)
12. Once Upon A Lifetime (Part 3)
13. Once Upon A Lifetime (Part 4)
14. Once Upon A Lifetime (Part 5)

Salem - Collective Demise

Today I thought I'd post another Salem album.
As I said before, Salem is the first Israeli extreme metal band, and pioneers of the Oriental Metal movement.
As such, they have a historic significance of sorts, especially with the rise to fame of many bands whose way was paved by this one, such as Orphaned Land and Melechesh.
But unlike many bands that are historically significant, I think this band is fucking awesome!

This is their third album, where they seem to return to their brutal roots a little.
It's considerably heavier than the previous effort, A Moment of Silence. Musically, it's faster and it has a thicker, crushing, dissonant sound.
Lyrically, it's also heavier. While the album before dealt much with grief, sorrow, regret, suffering, fear, the deaths of loved ones, and other similar topics, this one seems to lean more towards war, destruction, misanthropic hopeslessness, and specifically the second Intifada.

In conclusion, this is a great album in general, but it'll be enjoyed most by those who appreciate slow-paced death metal or the doom-death thing, and especially those who want different lyrics than the usual death metal stuff.

Salem - Collective Demise


Tracklist:

1. Broken Yet United
2. Coming End of Reason
3. Slave
4. Act of Terror
5. Act of War
6. Collective Demise
7. Dead Eyes
8. Feed On Your Grief
9. Decadence In Solitude
10. Recall
11. Al Taster
12. Inhuman Greed

Salem - A Moment of Silence

Today I bring some great Israeli metal, from a friend's request.
This band is Salem, the first extreme metal band from Israel and pioneers of the Oriental Metal movement. They play a form of Doom/Death Metal that features Oriental scales, which sound pretty exotic to us in the West, but it also sounds great in metal.
Definitely check them out if you're into the more well-known Melechesh or Orphaned Land!

Salem formed in 1985, and have released six full-length albums since then. This is their second, and considered by many, including myself, their best album to date (probably the most accessible, too). Then again, I haven't listened to their new album, though the reviews are not favorable so far.
This album has many songs I consider classic, not only for Salem, but songs that should be metal classics. One such song is the title track, without a doubt.

But I'll let you see for yourself and decide...

Salem - A Moment of Silence

Tracklist:

1. A Moment of Silence

2. Winter's Tears

3. Hour Glass

4. Flames

5. Set The Controls

6. In Another Dimension

7. The Worst To Come

8. An Unwanted Guest

9. Symbiosis

10. Eyes to Match A Soul

11. Who Will Comfort Me Now?