When I hear the words "Israeli Metal", I think of bands such as ORPHANED LAND, FERIUM, DESERT and DISTORTED HARMONY; never would I expect dirty, chunky Death/Doom from Tel-Aviv deathdealers SEPARATION ANXIETY. Formed in 2009, with an EP out in 2010, 2015 marks the release for the band's first studio full-length album, "Winds Of Apocalypse".

Weaved into the riffs of the new album, I can spot influences from old SEPTIC FLESH and AT THE GATES gems, and even some atmospheric vibes from DEMILICH (take away the ridiculous burps from the latter; you might hear it). Having said that, it's surely packed full of epic melodies; the trebly tone of the lead guitar tracks shining through immediately in the solo during "Revelation of John"; something I wasn't expecting, given the gritty and immersive chunking of the domineering rhythm section. Whatever was done during the production phase, I commend them; the riffs on this album are exceptionally heavy, courtesy of an incredibly powerful kick drum mix and a reverberating low end.

Not chock-full of blast-beats, this album promises to offer truly 'interesting' Death Metal, with an atmospheric and theatrical flair capable of such bands such as "Ophidian Wheel"~ era SEPTICFLESH and even VESANIA. Such vibes especially come to light in "Dawn Of The Sunset"; executed with less brash aggression in mind and more of a decisive, deadly cadence, carried by heavy and precise grooves, the track crushes you with a heaviness brought to bear more so by the weight of the riffs, rather than the speed in which they are executed. However, if I have any negatives to offer so far, it would be something in the sound that has been bugging me during the odd verse; the snare drum. It might just be me, but in the faster sections of the album, either the skins were pulled extremely tight or the treble is through the roof, they stick out like sore thumbs above the rest of the timbre. Like I said, it might just be me; I might be the only one that thinks this. Clearly, the band was happy with the finished product; and you know what? We should be too, because even for me, it doesn't do much to detract.

For instance, "Winds Of The Apocalypse"; one of the album's more impressive arrangements. It begins with a crushing and immersive introductory riff, and spirals down through a series of bombastic and darkly verses, embellished with devilish licks and fleshed out with more chunky grooves. My favourite track on the album is soon to follow in the headbanging monster of a piece, "Black Rose (Plague)". Perhaps one of the more accessible songs on the album, its riffs actually come off as catchy, infectiously so. I harken lovingly back to BEHEMOTH's "Chant For Eschaton 2000". "Brutal Clash (The Arrival Of Death)", for me, had quite an intriguing arrangement, seeming coming around in a full circle, going through a revolving phase of wistful and atmospheric melody, brutal and powerful riffs, and back to the former. The album's closing piece, "White Noise", is arguably the album's slowest track, and easily the most Doom-influenced; the lumbering riffs gives a chance for Slava Fedorov's powerful voice to echo, adding yet another dynamic to the mix.

It's always a good sign for a band when their debut album is an absolute monster; my personal feelings about the snare sound aside, it's a commendable effort, and they have certainly set themselves a high standard that they should be proud of.