I will be honest: I never have taken time into exploring MELECHESH's music in the past. I mean I knew them as a name, I knew their history and of course I was deeply amazed that they hail from a country like Israel who is not so famous for its metal scene, with a few exceptions of course. And these exceptions however do make a difference nowadays. Anyhow, when I was said that I could do the review for the new MELECHESH album entitled "The Epigenesis" at first I really thought about it but then I decided to go for it. MELECHESH music is not something like "Plug in the headphones and hit the Play button!" It is something beyond that. Trust me, when you are about to listen to this album eliminate any source of light from your room and focus on the only thing that matters in our occasion, their music. I did that (accidentally at the beginning but then by wanting it). It is then when you will understand the music more and its inner goal, to explore the dark and mystical paths of Mesopotamia.

What we deal with here is the fifth studio album of MELECHESH. Consisted of 11 tracks, "The Epigenesis" is a record of true Mesopotamian metal as their music was once described in the past. Grabbing elements from the second wave of black metal, along with some folk influences and the use of non-metal instruments (Indian sitar, Persian santur, Azeri tar, yayli tandur, baglama saz) we truly do deal with a unique record here. 12-string guitars can also be found here as well as some parts where you would say that the band more or less jammed on them in the middle of the recordings. Which by the way did not take place in the U.S. or Scandinavian countries but they preferred to stay around their area. The whole atmosphere and music throughout the record brings you in mind the lands of Mesopotamia and the great city of Istanbul with its dark secrtes, a city which always has been a crossroad for cultures both east and west.

We cannot actually mention bands that have influenced MELECHESH as they have been pioneers in what they do. If you are a fan of the band you sure know what to expect plus some more if you ask me! The band has achieved something quite difficult as a task: to draw elements from many kinds of music (you can even hear some, allow me to say, jazz parts on this records), mix them together without sounding sloppy and besides that keeping their own identity that has made them famous since 1993. You may say that in a way they combine the "ethnic" metal elements of ORPHANED LAND (hey, they hail from the same country) some of the brutality of NILE (no wonder they will tour together) and the dark atmospheric elements of the always mysterious Middle East.

Overall, it is one of those records that truly each and every one out there who is a fan of MELECHESH should definitely check out. It has everything! It is experimental in a way that it does not become boring. It is balanced among all the music mentioned above without making it boring, but a must for every fan! Now all Athenians book a ticket for the Thessaloniki gig along with NILE, now!