Desert is a Power Metal band founded in 2002 by guitarist Max Shafranski in one of Israel’s industrial and cultural centers, the city of Beer-Sheva. The band’s name was chosen for a reason – it was located in the middle of biblical sands where Moses has led his people to the Promised Land ages ago.
Their debut album, entitled ‘Star of Delusive Hopes’, was released in late 2010 through Greek label Sleaszy Rider Records. The album tells stories of great men and women who lived and gave their for freedom and beliefs, stories of lost hopes and betrayal. The lyrics describe great deeds by Giordano Bruno, Joan of Arc, heroes of Massada siedge, and unknown soldiers who fought and died in the fields of Russia.
Line up of the band:
Alexei Raymar – Vocals
Max Shafranski – Guitar
Sergei Metalheart – Guitar
Sergei Dmitrik – Bass
Oleg Aryutkin – Keyboards
Assaf Markowitz – Drums
The band has recently made the following announcement on their Facebook Page:
“Oh yeah, it is officially ON!
Desert has entered an intensive process of preparing the next album.
We want it to be as good as it gets, so we though some help will be good for us!
To cut the bulls balls, Desert will be fully collaborating with Erez Yohanan, who will act as a producer of the entire album.
Erez is best known on the metal scene as the mastermind behind the excellent Amaseffer the oriental-prog metal band with great sound and awesome songs, and his works with bands like Orphaned Land, Xenolith and many others.
We are working closely, sharing ideas, working out arrangements, ideas, cool things to add, together.
Star of Delusive Hopes was fully produced abroad, in Italy/Sweden, since we found no way to achieve that modern European metal sound and feel without flying few thousand km north.
This time, we can safely say it is not necessary anymore! The album will be recorded and mixed in Israel, in best studios around, together with Erez, whose skills as a composer, drummer, engineer, producer, will allow us to recreate those insane ideas we have in our heads!
Some of the songs are 90% done, and we like what we hear!
Album mastering will take place at Bazement Studios (Germany) by Marcus Teske (worked with Vanden Plas, Firewind, Amaseffer, Mob Rules, Flower Kings, Ian Parry Consortium Project, Red Circuit, Neal Morse Testimony, Patrick Rondat and many other great acts).
So get ready to hear something you didn’t even dare to expect from Desert! It’s not gonna be a long wait for you and it sure is worth it!
Stay inspired,
Desert.”