Prey For Nothing-Kivshan (Independent Release, May 7, 2021)
Prey For Nothing, one of Israel’s longest-running metal bands
Prey For Nothing, one of Israel’s oldest Metal bands, emerged in 2006 from the ashes of the progressive Power Metal band DamnNation, who were mainly known for having played several shows with former Iron Maiden frontman Paul Di’Anno.
Their debut album “Violence Divine”, under the masterful guidance of Jacob Hansen, was released in 2008 on the now defunct Dutch label Rusty Cage Records. In 2010, the band traveled to Poland to record their second album, “Against All Good and Evil”, at Hertz Studios for a 2011 release through Massacre Records. In 2014, fans were treated to the band’s third album, “The Reasoning,” which unfortunately also marked the end of Prey For Nothing’s original lineup. The band took a break to look for replacements and complete the lineup again, which finally returned in full force in 2016 when they were welcomed with open arms by Israel’s extreme metal scene, now with new guitarists Michiel Rutten (Fuelblooded, ex-Tornado) and Dima Kogan (ex-Stormy Atmosphere) in the fold joining founding members vocalist Yotam ‘Defiler’ Avni and drummer Iftah Levy.
After returning to the stage, Prey For Nothing began writing material for what would be their fourth full-length album entitled “Kivshan”. With a new, more advanced and heavier sound, it is the immediate result of a band seeking and reaching new creative heights while staying true to their roots and signature sound at the same time. Masterfully mixed in Germany by Victor Santura (member of the bands Triptykon, Dark Fortress), and featuring cover art by renowned artist Eliran Kantor, “Kivshan” was released digitally on all major platforms on May 7, 2021 and on CD in early August
“Angels Of Atheism” opens the album with razor sharp guitars with raw Death Metal riffing and vocal outbursts in a thunderous guttural register. It has progressive traces but is very catchy and sounds great.
“The Sword Devours” is a more melodic song with a less accelerated tempo that perhaps detracts from its aggressiveness but not its quality.
“Ocean Of Tar” presents another dynamic with outstanding passages from all components in a varied and entertaining composition, at times with masterful touches.
“Each Other’s Throats” explores a dark feeling with a more torn voice that here stands out in a great way, where the music travels an irregular path of excellent technique and musical vision within the melodies and inflections that are property of the band and the style.
“Kivshan” has a very well-crafted epic acoustic beginning and some initial reminiscences to traditional Metal and power, entering in a luminous atmosphere that cuts at the beginning the panorama traveled so far. Then it gives a respite as far as tempo is concerned removing violence to its interpretation, but I have to say that everything contained in this track justifies each of the seven minutes it lasts.
“The Pinnacle, Pt 1: Peshat” is very powerful and very Nordic style in my opinion. A melodious Groove stands out, and although the phrase seems contradictory, maybe when you listen you will understand it… or maybe not. What can’t be denied is that it’s a great track.
“The Pinnacle, Pt 2 Remez” contains an elaborate riff and a fascinating string of melodies that bring texture and nuance to good rhythm, with a combination of clean, choral and rotten vocals, all excellent.
“The Pinnacle, Pt 3 Derash” returns to the path of the trashiest thrash with some shifting guitars and a much worked base. I’m going to praise here the solo interventions and sharp guitar details for their quality in this song but also in the previous ones.
For the ninth and last track of the saga of the last four of the work, “The Pinnacle, Pt 4: Sod”, Prey For Nothing reaffirms the great sound in which everything they musically interpret is understood in a great way. A few good progressive tips, conjugated with the penetrating voice and some of the most complex fragments of the album are expressed here for a great closing, in a work where each note and each composition contributes from different places, yet all very compact and multi-faceted, connecting different emotions that at least I was pleasantly impressed.
“Kivshan” is an intense and deep album with entertaining passages and other dark ones, in a good balance where every sound seems to fit in a dense and pleasant musical puzzle, that stays within the limits of melodic Death almost always, but that can break the barriers of the genre for its quality and why at no time they lose the essence of the most varied influences of Heavy Metal.
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