“Israeli progressive metal.” There’s a term you don’t see a lot these days. Yet four albums in, Subterranean Masquerade is making some of the world’s most engaging metal music. With roots dating back to 1997—but no consistent lineup until recently—Subterranean Masquerade now boasts seven members handpicked by founder and guitarist Tomer Pink, and Mountain Fever finds the band scaling new heights and embracing musical diversity.
Challenging arrangements tempered by monstrous hooks are infused with African and Balkan brass sections; Arabic violins; bouzouki, oud and louta; and a smattering of harsh vocals. There’s even an atmospheric riff rocker sung in Hebrew. Sometimes the English lyrics don’t make a lot of sense (“It’s a defecated light”), but Mountain Fever is about the entire listening experience, not individual elements. Here’s to global success.
