Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Ephrat
Label: Inside Out Records
Release: 2008
Rating: 4/5
Ephrat are a new and very promising progressive rock band from Israel, a country that doesn’t exactly boast a rich tradition in the genre. “No One’s Words” is their debut, a convincing and ambitious fusion of traditional and modern progressive rock elements. Surprise at the huge compositional and technical chops of this young band, who’ve put together such a seriously impressive record so early on, one that will wow anyone who closely follows the evolution of prog rock in the 21st century, shouldn’t be overblown, though, considering they’ve got strong international backing from some long-established names in prog rock and prog metal.
Ephrat’s first supporter is Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree, No-Man, Blackfield), a great patron of everything good in modern prog rock and a keen champion of the Israeli prog rock scene. He also helped shape the sound of this album. The list of big names is rounded out by Daniel Gildenlöw (Pain Of Salvation, ex-The Flower Kings) and Petronella Nettermalm (Paatos), who appear as guest vocalists.
On “No One’s Words,” Ephrat serve up an interesting blend of traditional European prog rock and prog metal influences, spiced with a palette of atmospheric Oriental motifs from their home turf. That’s enough for a sound of their own, one that sets them miles apart from the Scandinavian and American prog revivalists, and a solid launchpad for the future.
The mastermind, guitarist, flutist, keyboardist and main songwriter of this quartet is Omer Ephrat. He described his creation as “sophisticated progressive rock music driven by a rock’n’roll feel.” Judging by what we hear, his main influences are Wilson’s Porcupine Tree, 70s prog rock bands like King Crimson, Yes, Rush and Pink Floyd, 80s and 90s metal acts like Metallica, Megadeth and Dream Theater, and, to a lesser extent, traditional Oriental and Mediterranean music tied to Israeli folk heritage. It’s precisely these ethnic elements that give their music the freshness, individuality and thrill it needs to stand apart from the legion of prog rock bands devoted to a similar musical ethos. Ephrat keep their distinctly Israeli character throughout, with Mediterranean melos and fiery Oriental scales creating a deeply passionate atmosphere and warmth that Scandinavians and Americans usually find completely foreign. Besides Omer Ephrat, the lineup is completed by bassist Gili Rosenberg, singer Lior Seker and drummer Tomer Z. Genre connoisseurs have known the latter for a while from his work with Blackfield.
“No One’s Words” is an incredibly colorful record, and its thrilling atmosphere and wildly diverse motifs, ranging from prog rock, metal, hard rock and electronic music (in the style of early Porcupine Tree) to pop rock, ethnic music and even jazz, keep you hooked from start to finish, so much so that it never feels like a debut. You can already catch that eclecticism on the opening “The Show,” where spacey electronic samples, razor-sharp, metal-salted guitar passages, ethnic flourishes and very good vocal harmonies from singer Lior Seker mix between the individual motifs.
Petronella Nettermalm’s more melancholic, one-of-a-kind vocal approach on “Haze” is also a real hit and creates a great contrast between the various motifs. The album’s atmosphere constantly shifts between heavier, darker and brighter, lighter sonic palettes. Daniel Gildenlöw steps up as lead vocalist on the nearly 10-minute “The Sum Of Damage Done.” With his recognizable style, he gives their music a whole other dimension, which only heightens the contrast between the motifs and the intense atmosphere. The cherry on top is the closing epic “Real,” over 18 minutes long, where the Rush influence comes through above all in the opening prog metal finesse, before the track takes on lighter and more melancholic shades. That’s mainly thanks to another collaboration with Nettermalm, who once again does a stellar job.
Judging by such a strong debut, Ephrat have a very exciting future ahead of them. This is without a doubt a band whose development is well worth following with high hopes, especially for anyone who likes to stress that they don’t live in the past and enjoys 21st-century prog rock just as much as the stuff from the late 60s and 70s. Steven Wilson has once again proven he’s got a remarkable knack for spotting young, promising prog rock bands that represent the future of this ever-evolving genre. Omer Ephrat and his up-and-coming bandmates prove that the future will be bright indeed, since they understand perfectly how to combine top-notch songwriting and technical know-how in a unique way while creating plenty of powerful, seductive atmospheres rooted in the traditions of the Middle East.
Lineup
Lior Seker – vocals
Omer Ephrat – guitar, keyboards, flute
Gili Rosenberg – bass guitar
Tomer Z – drums
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Daniel Gildenlow (Pain Of Salvation) – vocals (5)
Petronella Nettermalm (Paatos) – vocals (2, 6)
Production
Omer Ephrat
Track list
1. The Show
2. Haze
3. Better Than Anything
4. Blocked
5. The Sum Of Damage Done
6. Real
Album length: 59:38
