Betzefer-Freedom to the slavemakers

AFM
2011

Israeli metal act Betzefer have been around for about a decade. They play a straight up style of metal that's inspired by the likes of Pantera and not far off from more recent acts like Five Finger Death punch. Let's get to the positives first about this album. The production is well above average with every part sounding loud and in your face. Too many bands playing this style frequently get a production that is very loud, but not thick yet the production here really tries hard to bring everything to the surface and it's very consistent. The band themselves as a whole are very tight and to the point. They don't waste time with slow build-ups, but get right at it. The energy level is strong and I can really tell they are into what they are doing. Now for the downside. Many bands who were playing this style a decade ago or even less have moved on or tried to advance their sound in some way. Betzefer live and die by a one two punch and while I think you get away with that for a few songs you can't do a whole album on such a limited approach and expect to have a great appeal. At least not to these ears. Almost every song has it's most powerful moment in the first thirty seconds of the track and after that we get a great deal of repitition and not a whole else. They sell it better than some bands because of just tight their riffs are and it's good, but nothing new and certainly not an album that you will remember much about a few weeks after you hear it.