One of the problems of the Israeli scene is that it cannibalizes its own best artists. Whether they leave for other bands, proving just how incestous this scene is, or simply get crushed by the overwhelming, daily reality of the cost of living, many of them shine bright for a short time and then break up. Eatliz shone longer than others but no less bright. Their brand of alternative progressive metal blended rhythm breaks with jazz, alt rock, opera and more. While they are no longer active, after releasing a disappointing last album, the height of their career is something well worth remembering. Head on down below for your first, bittersweet taste.
“Whore” contains all the elements which make Eatliz so good. Vocalist Lee Trifon had (and still has) an amazing vocal range, often utilized on the brilliant Violently Delicate. On the verses she softly croons, her tone underplayed like on many different parts of the album. However, her screams on the chorus are almighty. The rest of the instruments play backing roles to her talent but these too often display a great penchant for the sweet intonations of alt-metal. Tracks like “Mountain Top”, “Big Fish” or the single “Hey”, display the writing prowess of the band and their ability to craft catchy, yet convincing tracks.
The later albums in the band’s career, whose name means “butcher shop” in Hebrew, couldn’t quite recapture the strength and raw emotion present on their debut. Something about the interplay between relatively familiar instrumentation and Trifon’s avant-garde sensibilities rocketed these guys into small prominence over here. Their latest album, All of It, is their best effort to hark back to what originally moved them, but falls just short.
As one of the bands that first introduced me to alt metal, a genre I very much enjoy until this day, I will always miss Eatliz.Their live shows were also magnificent, translating this energy to the stage. However, if you’re fans of Deftones, Garbage, Soundgarden or any other iteration of alternative into metal, Violently Delicate still has plenty in store for you.