We’re off to Israel today to discuss prog metallers, Amaseffer.

Erez Yohanan is the drummer, composer, producer, and creative mastermind behind this cinematic prog metal outfit.

The band were conceived in 2004, and Yohanen wanted to create a trilogy based around the Book of Exodus. An 18-year hiatus appeared to have put paid to that, but they are back with the second chapter, When the Lions Leave Their Den, which is released 8th October.

The album covers a long period, from the day of the exodus up until Moses climbing Mount Sinai to accept the Ten Commandments.

One of the first thoughts I had when listening to the album was the reaction of Moses to being played a thundering progressive metal noise based upon his writings. I wonder what he would make of it all?

The band has recruited two new lead vocalists, Lukky Sparxx and Jessica Mercy, the latter producing a sumptuous performance describing the story of Miriam, Moses’ sister, the prophetess. This features some great acoustic guitar work as well as the crashing riffs, an emotional electric guitar solo, as good as any you will hear in 2026, and soaring synths, one of my favourite tracks of the year.

There are ten tracks of over 72 minutes of music.

There are some Hebrew lyrics, but it’s mostly in English, with themes instantly recognisable to anyone with a basic biblical knowledge. From the outset, it is operatic, cinematic, sweeping, utilising in full the deep musical heritage not only of Israel itself, but also the wider Lavant region. Indeed, music to bring cultures together, although I say this with more hope than expectation.

The male & female vocals work very well together, and the harmonies and contrasts come together terrifically on the epic piece, Pathway to the Promised Land, ranging from lush balladic to forceful narrative. This track also has some impressive programming, and more of this would have been welcome to me.

It all sounds magnificent. The album was produced by Yohanan, but mixed and mastered by Markus Teske at Bazement Studio, Germany.

There is nothing blindingly original here, but what they do, they do very well, especially the symphonic metal overlays of sound. Yadin Moyal shows some seriously impressive chops on the lead guitar, and Yohanan himself is a very good drummer. Sharon Cohen adds some very nice violins and woodwinds – I love her work on A Silvered Mist of the Sacred Veil, adding a beautiful sense of mystery to the piece.

Exodus itself is, of course, the celebration of a people’s freedom from slavery, and set the scene via Moses for texts which retain their importance to human history and culture thousands of years after they were conceived and written, and it would be impossible for any band to do justice in that sense to the story, but Amaseffer have a very fine old go at it, and certainly fans of the Dream Theater & Pain of Salvation school of progressive metal will find a great deal to enjoy here, with the added delight of middle eastern infused creativity and the operatic virtue of Ayreon. Witness the stunning Stardust Harvesters, packing a huge amount into just short of seven minutes, a lush track featuring all that is good about this band.

The band have released three singles ahead of the album launch, the title track which I played on a recent radio show, Lady of Slaughter, and A Flame Unbidden. All are embedded at the foot of this review.

The title track is about the perfect introduction to the saga. Just short of the epic length, vocal chanting, atmospheric, crashing drums introducing the desert infused music, the riffs thumping and the whole thing telling a class narrative.

Lady of Slaughter is crunching in its riffs, choral noises, blistering rhythm section, a hell of a noise. The lyrics are interesting in their references to Egyptian mythology as well as discussing the world’s first planned genocide. There is a Growling warning here for those of a nervous disposition, courtesy of Yotam Avni. I am not a fan of the growly personally, and I don’t think it adds any value, but there is so little of it on the album, it doesn’t really detract from my enjoyment, and he returns only briefly on Valley of the Standing Sun and Moon.

A Flame Unbidden concentrates on the Pillar of Fire which protected the Hebrews as they fled at nighttime. There are some lush acoustic soundscapes here as well as some soundscapes which rise tremendously representing the conflict between good and evil, of course represented by the respective nations, and this timeless story is still being interpreted and related to modern conflicts.

If you like your prog metal to tell a story in grand symphonic fashion, loud, proud, but with the added bonus of wider world music infusing its core, then When the Lions Leave Their Den is highly recommended, and another wonderful referral to me from the altogether lovely Anne-Claire Rallo of Bad Dog Promotions.

You can purchase this album at https://amaseffer.bandcamp.com/album/when-the-lions-leave-their-den

The core lineup of the band for this album is:

Lukky Sparxx - Lead & Backing Vocals

Jessica Mercy - Lead & Backing Vocals

Erez Yohanan - Drums, Percussion, Programming, Voices

Yadin Moyal - All Guitars & Bass Guitar

Sharon Cohen provides Oriental Violins & Woodwinds

The Narrator is Phillip Freeman

The CD contains full details of all guest musicians.

You can see my video review of this album by clicking on the YouTube link below.