Desert (Israeli band)

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This article is about the power metal band from Israel. For the electronic/house duo from England, see Desert (English band).

Desert
Vocalist Alexei Raymar in concert in 2016, with former bassist Sergei Dmitrik in the background
Background information
Origin	Be'er Sheva, Israel
Genres	Power metal
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Irond, Raven Music, Sleaszy Rider Records, A&M Releases, Independent
Website	desertband.bandcamp.com
Members	Alexei Raymar Oleg Aryutkin Assaf Markowitz Sascha Latman
Past members	Maxim Shafransky Den Kovalev Alexei Surpin Rem Kozlov "Anna" Max Balagula Vadim Shulman Zohar Telor Sergei Nemichnitzer Sergei Dmitrik

Desert (Hebrew: מדבר) is an Israeli power metal band from Be'er Sheva, founded in 2002 by guitarist Maxim Shafransky. Max states that he chose the name "Desert" for the band because when he looked out the window he saw desert, as he was living in southern Israel at the time. Since they're located in the "middle of biblical sands where Moses has led his people to the Promised Land," the name stuck.

The band is often referred to as "war metal" or "dark epic metal," which keyboardist Oleg Aryutkin describes as "epic metal with deep male vocals, heavy, yet melodic with a lot of keyboards," and with simple song structures. Since their music is a "huge mix of all the influences of each member," they don't like to call themselves a "power metal as it is" band. They are known for their very energetic and visual concerts and are often compared to Sabaton. They have also been described as theatrical "melodic metal," or a fusion of "power metal and doom."

All of the members have had Russian or Ukrainian origins and speak Russian, except for drummers Zohar Telor, Assaf Markowitz, and Sascha Latman who are Israeli-born citizens, the former-most of whom has Slovak heritage.

History

Formation and initial line-up

For two years, the band existed as an amateur power metal project consisting of immigrants from the Commonwealth of Independent States. The original lineup consisted of guitarist Maxim, drummer Den Kovalev, bassist Alexei "Kid" Surpin, guitarist Rem Kozlov, and female vocalist "Anna." They covered mostly Edguy, Stratovarius, Manowar, and Dragonforce songs, "really generic stuff."

Alexei Raymar, vocalist

The band members went different directions, and Anna and Kozlov were fired. In 2004, were replaced by vocalist Alexei Raymar and 16 year-old keyboardist Oleg Aryutkin, whose arrivals led to a qualitative and professional transformation for the band. They began creating their own unique style of music, based on traditional heavy power metal, with darker overtones. This is how their "dark epic metal" sound "was born" - taking influences from hard rock, melodic death, doom, "dark, goth and even death metal." In 2005, Kovalev was replaced by drummer Max Balagula and Surpin was replaced by local thrash metal band Ground Zero bassist Vadim Shulman. Balagula was then replaced by drummer Zohar Telor in 2007. In 2009, Surpin was replaced by bassist Sergei Dmitrik, and in 2010 guitarist Sergei "Metalheart" Nemichnitzer joined Desert. In 2011, Telor left the band and drummer Assaf Markowitz joined.

Releases, tours, and further line-up changes

In 2004, Desert independently released their debut demo EP, The Way To Honor, and in November 2006 released a fully-produced EP, Prophecy of the Madman through A&M Releases. One song from 2004, "More Than My Life," made it to the top five of European Goth Metal Radio's song competition, and Greek record label Sleaszy Rider Records made the releases available for purchase in the European Union.

Oleg Aryutkin, keyboardist, with Yotam 'Defiler' Avni of Prey for Nothing, and Alex Zvulun, touring guitarist

In 2009, the band recorded their first full-length album, Star of Delusive Hopes in Vicenza, Italy and features vocals from Sabaton singer Joakim Brodén. This album mixed by King Diamond guitarist Andy LaRocque and was released in 2011 by Sleaszy Rider Records and received mostly positive reviews.

On March 30 2015, Desert released their second album, Never Regret, recorded in Tel Aviv, Israel, through Raven Music. This album features vocals from Ralf Scheepers of Primal Fear, Israeli singer Infy Snow, the guitarist Alex Zvulun of Israeli band The Fading, and violinist Merry-Ann Genin, and the album was produced by Zvulun. Some of these musicians participated in live performances with the band. This album also received positive reviews. To support the release of the album, on March 26 (before the album's release), Desert played a live show featuring Grave Digger vocalist Chris Boltendahl, guitarist Yossi Sassi of Orphaned Land, growler Yotam "Defiler" Avni of Prey for Nothing, vocalist Lior Stein of Israeli heavy metal band Switchblade, as well as Infy, Ralf, Alex, and Merry, as listed above, among others. In October, the band announced that founder, guitarist Maxim Shafransky, had left the band for personal reasons and Zvulun replaced him at the band's live shows and session recordings.

Assaf Markowitz, drummer

On July 7 2019, the band released the album Fortune Favors the Brave, also recorded in Tel Aviv. The album was an independent release worldwide, except in Russia where it was licensed through Irond Records. This album, which was very well received, featured Boltendahl, as well as Serenity vocalists Georg Neuhauser and Fabio D'Amore, and the cover was designed by Peter Sallai, who is known for his previous work with Sabaton, HammerFall, Annihilator, Powerwolf, and Civil War. On this album, producer Zvulun decided to give the album a more modern and energetic sound. The band wrote 30 songs for this release, but only 10 were ultimately included on the album. This release was also supported by a live performance, this time with Cypriot power metal band Winter's Verge. On December 30, the band announced that guitarist Sergei Namichnitzer and bassist Sergei Dmitrik had left the band. On August 27, 2020, Sascha Latman of Israeli black metal band Winterhorde joined the band as its bassist.

On May 16, 2021, they released a single, A Cry from the Deep, featuring Catharsis singer Oleg Zhilyakov, written by Alex Zvulun.

Over the years, Desert has played various concerts both in Israel and abroad, performing with Sabaton, Stratovarius, Eluveitie, Civil War, Serenity, Catharsis, Blind Guardian, and Elvenking, among many others.

Musical Themes

The band's lyrical themes deal heavily with history and legend/mythology, as well as fiction and alternate history. They also often include themes from literature and video games.

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Desert on tour with singer Infy Snow in 2017

A non-comprehensive list of historical/legendary subjects they've referenced:

• Simon bar Kokhba and the Bar Kochba Revolt
• the Siege of Masada during the First Jewish-Roman War
• the French Invasion of Russia
• Joan of Arc
• Giordano Bruno
• the Flying Dutchman
• World War II
• the White Movement
• Operation Entebbe
• Order No. 227 and the "unknown soldiers who fought and died in the fields of Russia"

The song "The Road to You," from Never Regret, is written for the widow of Ehud Goldwasser.

The eponymous song from Fortune Favors the Brave is about gender equality.

Literary influences include, among others, The Master and Margarita, The White Guard, as well as fantasy book series the Witcher.

The cover art of Never Regret, as well as the song "Assasin's Fate," were inspired by the Assassins Creed series.

Influences

Desert's influences include, but are not limited to, Manowar, Grave Digger, Helloween, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Ozzy Osbourne, Testament, Iced Earth and progressive metal in general.

Line-up

Current members

• Alexei Raymar - Vocals (2004–present)
• Oleg Aryutkin− Keyboards (2004–present)
• Assaf Markowitz− Drums (2011-present)
• Sascha Latman- Bass (2020-present)

Touring/Session members

• Alex Zvulun - Guitars (2015–present)

Former members

• Maxim Shafrasky − Guitars (2002–2015)
• Den Kovalev - Drums (2002- 2005)
• Alexei "Kid" Surpin - Bass (2002-2005)
• Rem Kozlov - Guitars (2002-2004)
• Anna - Vocals (2002-2004)
• Max Balagula - Drums (2005-2007)
• Vadim Shulman - Bass (2005-2009)
• Zohar Telor - Drums (2007-2011)
• Sergei "Metalheart" Namichnitzer − Guitars (2009–2019)
• Sergei Dmitrik − Bass (2010–2019)

Timeline

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bar:Alexei text:"Alexei Raymar"
bar:Oleg text:"Oleg Aryutkin"
bar:Max text:"Max Balagula"
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bar:Zohar text:"Zohar Telor"
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Discography

Studio albums

• Star of Delusive Hopes (2011)
• Never Regret (2015)
• Fortune Favors the Brave (2019)

EPs

• The Way to Honor (2004)
• Prophecy of the Madman

Singles

• "Lament for the Soldier's Glory" (2010)
• "Assassin's Fate" (2014)
• "Never Regret" (2015)
• "Son of a Star" (2015)
• "Operation Thunderbolt" (2019)
• "A Cry from the Deep" (2021)

External links

• Desert's Bandcamp

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