Seek Irony

"The Metal Ring"/ Ynet Entertainment News
There and Back/ by Or Barnea

These days, the 5 band members of Seek Irony are day by day meeting together at their impressive recording studios in southern Tel Aviv, writing and recording songs one after the other. The band that is known for integrating electronica music in their Metal and Rock sounds, is continuing to work on its first official album, that has already gone through several cycles of life.
On the 1st of March, the band will play a concert at the Kultura Club in Tel Aviv and for the event; "The Metal Ring" presents an exclusive kick ass performance of "Everything We Are", the song that was originally co-recorded with Rab, the singer of Lebanese band "Blood Ink".
Since the reformation of the band, 4 years ago, the band can count several major achievements. One of which is this song, and we at Ynet were the first to bring you the story behind the Israeli – Lebanese cooperation that has begun not too long after the Israel Lebanese second war. 2 months ago, the song was also released as a single and nowadays it is starring on college radios in the USA - In Louisiana for example the song had already climbed to #11 in the charts this week.
A few years ago, the band decided to fly to the US to give their luck a shot. "We wanted to see how things really work over there" explains the band's lead singer Kfir Gov: "We wanted to get a feel of the American music scene on our own flesh, to verify if it is really the right music scene for our music. We were told New York would be the best scene for us and in New York we haven't found much of a scene for our music. Others have said Los Angeles's music scene would fit us best, but Los Angeles is the toughest and most competitive scene out there.
At the end of it, the first major breakthrough for the band happened in Texas, out of all places, where a local band manager decided to take them on and introduced the band to some radio folks. From there he introduced the band to a record label under Sony: "Once we realized they were more into cocaine than writing and recording music", remembers Gov, "We decided to move on and said thanks but no thanks."
When the band returned to Israel, they got a phone call from that manager saying that American Multi Platinum producer – Sylvia Massy – got their materials and is inviting them back to states to record an album in her studios in California. Massy that fell in love with the band's music, had produced in the past historical artists such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash, Tool, System of a down, Prince, Tom Petty and more.
In the end, an official album was still not released.
"We've passed the album around through industry professionals' hands in the states, and were under the impression that there were a few really strong songs on this album that show great potential, but the band's sound is still not consolidated or cohesive enough", explains Gov, "We're perfectionists, we want everything to sound just right, and we believe that first and for most the music Is what's most important. So we had decided, together with our managers, not to release this album and put it aside, and to keep the best songs on it so together with new and better songs we'll release an album that won't be a "good" album, but would be a great album and we're working on it full force."
Reporter: "Isn't it really frustrating and tiring throwing out all the songs after so much work?"
Kfir: " Being a band from Israel that is trying to break through into the American and global market is frustrating and hard enough as it is regardless. The challenge is making the right decisions and giving the most of ourselves into the first album, because nowadays, whoever isn't able to reach through to its audience with their first record, doesn't really survive in the music industry.
Reporter: "But don't you miss the life in the USA?"
Kfir: "I'm sure it'll come soon enough. We just have to be patient and do it the right way. We now also have really good business mentors and we have to trust in their advice, do what we have to do, and all the fun will come later on."
- Ynet Entertainment News

"The Metal Ring"/ Ynet Entertainment News
There and Back/ by Or Barnea

These days, the 5 band members of Seek Irony are day by day meeting together at their impressive recording studios in southern Tel Aviv, writing and recording songs one after the other. The band that is known for integrating electronica music in their Metal and Rock sounds, is continuing to work on its first official album, that has already gone through several cycles of life.
On the 1st of March, the band will play a concert at the Kultura Club in Tel Aviv and for the event; "The Metal Ring" presents an exclusive kick ass performance of "Everything We Are", the song that was originally co-recorded with Rab, the singer of Lebanese band "Blood Ink".
Since the reformation of the band, 4 years ago, the band can count several major achievements. One of which is this song, and we at Ynet were the first to bring you the story behind the Israeli – Lebanese cooperation that has begun not too long after the Israel Lebanese second war. 2 months ago, the song was also released as a single and nowadays it is starring on college radios in the USA - In Louisiana for example the song had already climbed to #11 in the charts this week.
A few years ago, the band decided to fly to the US to give their luck a shot. "We wanted to see how things really work over there" explains the band's lead singer Kfir Gov: "We wanted to get a feel of the American music scene on our own flesh, to verify if it is really the right music scene for our music. We were told New York would be the best scene for us and in New York we haven't found much of a scene for our music. Others have said Los Angeles's music scene would fit us best, but Los Angeles is the toughest and most competitive scene out there.
At the end of it, the first major breakthrough for the band happened in Texas, out of all places, where a local band manager decided to take them on and introduced the band to some radio folks. From there he introduced the band to a record label under Sony: "Once we realized they were more into cocaine than writing and recording music", remembers Gov, "We decided to move on and said thanks but no thanks."
When the band returned to Israel, they got a phone call from that manager saying that American Multi Platinum producer – Sylvia Massy – got their materials and is inviting them back to states to record an album in her studios in California. Massy that fell in love with the band's music, had produced in the past historical artists such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash, Tool, System of a down, Prince, Tom Petty and more.
In the end, an official album was still not released.
"We've passed the album around through industry professionals' hands in the states, and were under the impression that there were a few really strong songs on this album that show great potential, but the band's sound is still not consolidated or cohesive enough", explains Gov, "We're perfectionists, we want everything to sound just right, and we believe that first and for most the music Is what's most important. So we had decided, together with our managers, not to release this album and put it aside, and to keep the best songs on it so together with new and better songs we'll release an album that won't be a "good" album, but would be a great album and we're working on it full force."
Reporter: "Isn't it really frustrating and tiring throwing out all the songs after so much work?"
Kfir: " Being a band from Israel that is trying to break through into the American and global market is frustrating and hard enough as it is regardless. The challenge is making the right decisions and giving the most of ourselves into the first album, because nowadays, whoever isn't able to reach through to its audience with their first record, doesn't really survive in the music industry.
Reporter: "But don't you miss the life in the USA?"
Kfir: "I'm sure it'll come soon enough. We just have to be patient and do it the right way. We now also have really good business mentors and we have to trust in their advice, do what we have to do, and all the fun will come later on."
- Ynet Entertainment News

No translation available - Shalom L.A. newspaper

No translation available - Shalom L.A. newspaper

Seek and ye shall find
"Hava Nagila" is hardly the biggest-selling Israeli musical product in the world these days. Hard rock is. Meet Seek Irony - a band from Rishon Letzion that is currently putting the final touches on its plans to conquer America.

Kfir Gov is trying to stay calm, but his excitement is evident even in a Skype conversation from the other side of the world. It's not every day that a 25-year-old Israeli rocker gets a chance like this: Gov's band, Seek Irony, a hard-rock quintet from Rishon Letzion, is recording its first full album at Radio Star studios in the northern California town of Weed, under the tutelage of studio owner Sylvia Massy Shivy. Shivy is a well-known record producer in the American music industry who's also worked with some slightly more famous bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tool, System of a Down and Skunk Anansie, not to mention the late Johnny Cash.

"You wouldn't believe what's going on here," gushes Gov. "We're recording in a studio with equipment worth millions. It's in an old theater beneath a snowy mountain and we're staying in a luxury apartment next to the studio that has a fully stocked fridge. They're really excited about what we're doing and they're treating us like kings."


But he hasn't forgotten that the real test still lies ahead: "We're trying to keep our feet on the ground and make sure first of all that the album comes out the best it can. It's very easy to lose your head here and we're trying to be as professional as possible, because this is our big opportunity that will determine what happens to us in the coming years. We're not letting ourselves get carried away, but we definitely appreciate the situation."

Massy Shivy started out in the music industry in the early 1980s when, while working as a deejay at her college radio station, she began recording and producing demo tapes for bands she knew. It wasn't long before she was working at the big production studios in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Over the past 25 years she's been involved in hundreds of projects from a wide range of genres, though most of her prize achievements have come in the field of hard rock. In 2001, she moved to the small town of Weed, purchased an old theater and converted it into Radio Star Studios, where she has since groomed many young bands and has continued working for bigger name performers. Massy Shivy has pledged to find Seek Irony a contract once the recording session is complete, and says she's confident she knows what she's doing. She feels certain that the band is on the threshold of a flourishing career. "They do have have the qualities needed to land a record deal," she says. "A modern sound, great looks, great stage presence, radio songs. They have excellent chances of success."

Apart from Kfir Gov, the lead singer and lyricist, the other members of Seek Irony are Eran Muntner (guitar), Daniel Strosberg (bass), Jove Volansky (keyboards and electronics) and Kfir's younger brother Rom Gov (percussion). The band was formed in 2000 from the remnants of the Gov brothers' group from high school, which was called Sick Irony. In the past few years, the group, which started out playing long, complex hard-metal songs, has hit most of the familiar way stations for a budding Israeli rock band: gigs at Tel Aviv clubs like Barby, Heineken-Camelot and so on. They attracted a small and loyal group of fans, independently recording an EP (mini-album) of five songs that sold a few hundred copies and won rave reviews, and they dream of being ever bigger.

Singing in EnglishHow did they do it? For a start, like many other Israeli bands in recent years, the members of Seek Irony decided to sing in English. For Gov this was a natural choice, since he and his brother spent most of their childhoods in English-speaking schools around the world, as the family moved wherever their diplomat father was posted.

"For me personally it was just easier to write in English - it's the language of rock and roll, and it just doesn't come across the same way in Hebrew," he explains. "The only band that has really managed it in Hebrew is Hayehudim. If it weren't for them, we would still be in the Stone Age."

He admits that there was another reason for the choice of language: the desire to succeed abroad. "I very much admire those who try to break through in Israel and sing in Hebrew, but the market in Israel isn't practical, and that's especially true for hard-rock bands, when practically no radio station in Israel is ready to play any kind of distortion, apart from Jacky's program two hours a week."

"Jacky" is Jacky Shraga, editor and presenter of "The Jack Point" on Radio Tel Aviv, which every Saturday night provides what is practically the only platform for local hard-rock bands singing in Hebrew or English. Shraga, who has been part of the hard-rock scene here for years, was glad to hear about Seek Irony's present success.

"They came to me a few years ago at a pa - Haaretz newspaper - Israel's 3rd Top selling newspaper

Seek and ye shall find
"Hava Nagila" is hardly the biggest-selling Israeli musical product in the world these days. Hard rock is. Meet Seek Irony - a band from Rishon Letzion that is currently putting the final touches on its plans to conquer America.

Kfir Gov is trying to stay calm, but his excitement is evident even in a Skype conversation from the other side of the world. It's not every day that a 25-year-old Israeli rocker gets a chance like this: Gov's band, Seek Irony, a hard-rock quintet from Rishon Letzion, is recording its first full album at Radio Star studios in the northern California town of Weed, under the tutelage of studio owner Sylvia Massy Shivy. Shivy is a well-known record producer in the American music industry who's also worked with some slightly more famous bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tool, System of a Down and Skunk Anansie, not to mention the late Johnny Cash.

"You wouldn't believe what's going on here," gushes Gov. "We're recording in a studio with equipment worth millions. It's in an old theater beneath a snowy mountain and we're staying in a luxury apartment next to the studio that has a fully stocked fridge. They're really excited about what we're doing and they're treating us like kings."


But he hasn't forgotten that the real test still lies ahead: "We're trying to keep our feet on the ground and make sure first of all that the album comes out the best it can. It's very easy to lose your head here and we're trying to be as professional as possible, because this is our big opportunity that will determine what happens to us in the coming years. We're not letting ourselves get carried away, but we definitely appreciate the situation."

Massy Shivy started out in the music industry in the early 1980s when, while working as a deejay at her college radio station, she began recording and producing demo tapes for bands she knew. It wasn't long before she was working at the big production studios in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Over the past 25 years she's been involved in hundreds of projects from a wide range of genres, though most of her prize achievements have come in the field of hard rock. In 2001, she moved to the small town of Weed, purchased an old theater and converted it into Radio Star Studios, where she has since groomed many young bands and has continued working for bigger name performers. Massy Shivy has pledged to find Seek Irony a contract once the recording session is complete, and says she's confident she knows what she's doing. She feels certain that the band is on the threshold of a flourishing career. "They do have have the qualities needed to land a record deal," she says. "A modern sound, great looks, great stage presence, radio songs. They have excellent chances of success."

Apart from Kfir Gov, the lead singer and lyricist, the other members of Seek Irony are Eran Muntner (guitar), Daniel Strosberg (bass), Jove Volansky (keyboards and electronics) and Kfir's younger brother Rom Gov (percussion). The band was formed in 2000 from the remnants of the Gov brothers' group from high school, which was called Sick Irony. In the past few years, the group, which started out playing long, complex hard-metal songs, has hit most of the familiar way stations for a budding Israeli rock band: gigs at Tel Aviv clubs like Barby, Heineken-Camelot and so on. They attracted a small and loyal group of fans, independently recording an EP (mini-album) of five songs that sold a few hundred copies and won rave reviews, and they dream of being ever bigger.

Singing in EnglishHow did they do it? For a start, like many other Israeli bands in recent years, the members of Seek Irony decided to sing in English. For Gov this was a natural choice, since he and his brother spent most of their childhoods in English-speaking schools around the world, as the family moved wherever their diplomat father was posted.

"For me personally it was just easier to write in English - it's the language of rock and roll, and it just doesn't come across the same way in Hebrew," he explains. "The only band that has really managed it in Hebrew is Hayehudim. If it weren't for them, we would still be in the Stone Age."

He admits that there was another reason for the choice of language: the desire to succeed abroad. "I very much admire those who try to break through in Israel and sing in Hebrew, but the market in Israel isn't practical, and that's especially true for hard-rock bands, when practically no radio station in Israel is ready to play any kind of distortion, apart from Jacky's program two hours a week."

"Jacky" is Jacky Shraga, editor and presenter of "The Jack Point" on Radio Tel Aviv, which every Saturday night provides what is practically the only platform for local hard-rock bands singing in Hebrew or English. Shraga, who has been part of the hard-rock scene here for years, was glad to hear about Seek Irony's present success.

"They came to me a few years ago at a pa - Haaretz newspaper - Israel's 3rd Top selling newspaper

Israel’s Seek Irony has released their video for the track "Tech N' Roll” online, check it below. The band recently released three new singles including "Tech N' Roll," "Low" and "Draggin Me Down" online through all digital retailers, and will release a full-length in 2010 on Chopmark Records.

Rising out of the burgeoning music scene in the Middle East, Israel’s Seek Irony are poised to become among the first Middle Easterners to bring their U.S. influenced brand of rock and roll to the rest of the world. Like their homeland of Israel, the group’s music born out of the many influences and experiences of the individual band members into a cohesive and powerful blend of modern/alternative rock. The band’s potent blend of hard rock caught the ear of producer Sylvia Massey, who took them into the studio to record their first album, which will be released in 2010.

Seek Irony is currently streaming tracks from their new EP online at www.MySpace.com/SeekIrony and is expected to embark on a nationwide U.S. tour in early 2010. - http://www.puregrainaudio.com

Israel’s Seek Irony has released their video for the track "Tech N' Roll” online, check it below. The band recently released three new singles including "Tech N' Roll," "Low" and "Draggin Me Down" online through all digital retailers, and will release a full-length in 2010 on Chopmark Records.

Rising out of the burgeoning music scene in the Middle East, Israel’s Seek Irony are poised to become among the first Middle Easterners to bring their U.S. influenced brand of rock and roll to the rest of the world. Like their homeland of Israel, the group’s music born out of the many influences and experiences of the individual band members into a cohesive and powerful blend of modern/alternative rock. The band’s potent blend of hard rock caught the ear of producer Sylvia Massey, who took them into the studio to record their first album, which will be released in 2010.

Seek Irony is currently streaming tracks from their new EP online at www.MySpace.com/SeekIrony and is expected to embark on a nationwide U.S. tour in early 2010. - http://www.puregrainaudio.com

Limp Bizkit may be coming out with a new album this year, but nu-metal — a genre of rock that melds hip-hop influences and pop-metal — died in America effective October, 2001 (with the debut of the chart-topping indie band The Strokes). Yet, while the death rattle of nu-metal rings here, Israeli nu-metal is vibrant and healthy.
Contrasted to the vulgar, jejune hedonism of American nu-metal, Israeli nu-metal has a decidedly humanistic tinge. Consider Seek Irony, five Israelis who recently finished an album with producer Sylvia Massy Shivy (Tool and System of a Down). Seek Irony’s music is often standard nu-metal fare. The single “Tech’N’Roll” features masculine posturing and vague, absurd declarations about the power of rock ‘n’ roll: “Tech and Roll, expands your mind and saves your soul.” Their recent single “Everything We Are,” though, is both a musical accomplishment for the band (thumping without being ridiculous, moving without recycling vague tropes) and a surprisingly political one. The song is a collaboration between the Israeli group and Rabih Zogheib, the lead singer of Blood Ink — a Lebanese metal band. The two bands met immediately before the Lebanon War in 2006 and kept up a correspondence during the violence.

After the war, Seek Irony and Zogheib cut the single together. According to Seek Irony, which posted a long blog post about the song, Zogheib faced down pressure not to work with an Israeli band. Zogheib and Seek Irony, instead of meeting together, traded vocal tracks online, and the track was mixed at Seek Irony’s home studio in Tel Aviv. The song, as Zogheib describes it, is a non-partisan protest against the war. The chorus, an elongated, desperate vocal cry, goes, “Taking everything we are and everything we could be/Tearing us apart.”
The single may lack subtlety, but here the most significant gesture was the one the led to the song’s creation. At times the context surrounding a song’s production gets ignored, but with “Everything We Are,” that is what infuses it with its emotional core. “Taking everything we are” is a set of words that rings far more sincere when imagined as one band singing to another across war-torn borders.
Listen to “Tech’N’Roll,” “Everything We Are” and other songs on Seek Irony’s MySpace page.

Mordechai Shinefield has written about music for Rolling Stone, The Village Voice and the New York Press.
- The Jewish Daily Forward Newspaper

Limp Bizkit may be coming out with a new album this year, but nu-metal — a genre of rock that melds hip-hop influences and pop-metal — died in America effective October, 2001 (with the debut of the chart-topping indie band The Strokes). Yet, while the death rattle of nu-metal rings here, Israeli nu-metal is vibrant and healthy.
Contrasted to the vulgar, jejune hedonism of American nu-metal, Israeli nu-metal has a decidedly humanistic tinge. Consider Seek Irony, five Israelis who recently finished an album with producer Sylvia Massy Shivy (Tool and System of a Down). Seek Irony’s music is often standard nu-metal fare. The single “Tech’N’Roll” features masculine posturing and vague, absurd declarations about the power of rock ‘n’ roll: “Tech and Roll, expands your mind and saves your soul.” Their recent single “Everything We Are,” though, is both a musical accomplishment for the band (thumping without being ridiculous, moving without recycling vague tropes) and a surprisingly political one. The song is a collaboration between the Israeli group and Rabih Zogheib, the lead singer of Blood Ink — a Lebanese metal band. The two bands met immediately before the Lebanon War in 2006 and kept up a correspondence during the violence.

After the war, Seek Irony and Zogheib cut the single together. According to Seek Irony, which posted a long blog post about the song, Zogheib faced down pressure not to work with an Israeli band. Zogheib and Seek Irony, instead of meeting together, traded vocal tracks online, and the track was mixed at Seek Irony’s home studio in Tel Aviv. The song, as Zogheib describes it, is a non-partisan protest against the war. The chorus, an elongated, desperate vocal cry, goes, “Taking everything we are and everything we could be/Tearing us apart.”
The single may lack subtlety, but here the most significant gesture was the one the led to the song’s creation. At times the context surrounding a song’s production gets ignored, but with “Everything We Are,” that is what infuses it with its emotional core. “Taking everything we are” is a set of words that rings far more sincere when imagined as one band singing to another across war-torn borders.
Listen to “Tech’N’Roll,” “Everything We Are” and other songs on Seek Irony’s MySpace page.

Mordechai Shinefield has written about music for Rolling Stone, The Village Voice and the New York Press.
- The Jewish Daily Forward Newspaper

http://www.seekirony.com/he/articles/image006.jpg
(no translation available) - Sabah Daily (Major muslim newspaper in Turkey)

http://www.seekirony.com/he/articles/image006.jpg
(no translation available) - Sabah Daily (Major muslim newspaper in Turkey)

he single “Everything We Are” from the Israeli rock band Seek Irony featuring Ralph “Rab” Zogheib of the Lebanese rock band Blood Ink is an epic rock track that will give you chills. The music has firm, robust rhythmic stomps from bassist Daniel Strosberg and drummer Rom Gov with gristles of fiery guitar licks by Eran Muntner, wicking flints akin to Rammstein. The opulent keyboard tiers performed by Yoav Vollansky and vocal arches from Rab and Seek Irony’s singer Kfir Gov soar massively while powered by bone-shaking conviction. The song is intense with a positive charge circuiting the lyrics, “Silence, silence of the lambs – marching the march of pain / They who follow those who live for dying / Are the only to blame / Now, now we collide, here come the rain again.” The words are inspired by the continued fighting between the governments of Israel and Lebanon and the sacrificing of lives on both sides. The music conveys what it’s like to feel shattered and still have the persistence of a strong will to pull out of the carnage.

The front cover shows the shadow of two little boys reaching out to each other as debris are littered around them. The surreal image is reflective of Kfir and Rab’s friendship. They contacted each other through myspace and began collaborating on music together. Originally “Everything We Are” was to be recorded by both Blood Ink and Seek Irony, but Rab’s bandmates pulled out of the collaboration. Rab held steadfast and recorded vocals for the track, which Kfir then mixed for the final version.

What I’ve heard from Middle Eastern bands is very ethnic sounding, but this collaboration takes hard rock/nu metal into the world music arena. Released by Aksel Records, the single has rock pockets as deep as Opeth and as stimulating as Rammstein, but the soul pervading in the track’s conviction is all Seek Irony and Rab. It is a really fine piece that I was surprised to hear coming from Middle Eastern musicians and songwriters. I wish they had done more.
- http://absolutepunk.net

he single “Everything We Are” from the Israeli rock band Seek Irony featuring Ralph “Rab” Zogheib of the Lebanese rock band Blood Ink is an epic rock track that will give you chills. The music has firm, robust rhythmic stomps from bassist Daniel Strosberg and drummer Rom Gov with gristles of fiery guitar licks by Eran Muntner, wicking flints akin to Rammstein. The opulent keyboard tiers performed by Yoav Vollansky and vocal arches from Rab and Seek Irony’s singer Kfir Gov soar massively while powered by bone-shaking conviction. The song is intense with a positive charge circuiting the lyrics, “Silence, silence of the lambs – marching the march of pain / They who follow those who live for dying / Are the only to blame / Now, now we collide, here come the rain again.” The words are inspired by the continued fighting between the governments of Israel and Lebanon and the sacrificing of lives on both sides. The music conveys what it’s like to feel shattered and still have the persistence of a strong will to pull out of the carnage.

The front cover shows the shadow of two little boys reaching out to each other as debris are littered around them. The surreal image is reflective of Kfir and Rab’s friendship. They contacted each other through myspace and began collaborating on music together. Originally “Everything We Are” was to be recorded by both Blood Ink and Seek Irony, but Rab’s bandmates pulled out of the collaboration. Rab held steadfast and recorded vocals for the track, which Kfir then mixed for the final version.

What I’ve heard from Middle Eastern bands is very ethnic sounding, but this collaboration takes hard rock/nu metal into the world music arena. Released by Aksel Records, the single has rock pockets as deep as Opeth and as stimulating as Rammstein, but the soul pervading in the track’s conviction is all Seek Irony and Rab. It is a really fine piece that I was surprised to hear coming from Middle Eastern musicians and songwriters. I wish they had done more.
- http://absolutepunk.net

Israel's Seek Irony music has been used by FOX Sports 'Best Damn Sports Show' as the soundtrack to various highlight reels the station has put together. The first highlight reel featuring the song "Tech N' Roll' can be viewed online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaO_maI-IoE&feature=player_embedded.
Rising out of the burgeoning music scene in the Middle East, Israel's Seek Irony are poised to become among the first Middle Easterners to bring their U.S. influenced brand of rock and roll to the rest of the world. Like their homeland of Israel, the group's music born out of the many influences and experiences of the individual band members into a cohesive and powerful blend of modern/alternative rock.

Seek Irony recently released three new singles including "Tech N Roll," "Low," and "Draggin Me Down" online through all digital retailers, and will release their debut full-length in 2010 on Chopmark Records. The group is currently streaming new tracks online at www.myspace.com/seekirony. - http://top40-charts.com

Israel's Seek Irony music has been used by FOX Sports 'Best Damn Sports Show' as the soundtrack to various highlight reels the station has put together. The first highlight reel featuring the song "Tech N' Roll' can be viewed online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaO_maI-IoE&feature=player_embedded.
Rising out of the burgeoning music scene in the Middle East, Israel's Seek Irony are poised to become among the first Middle Easterners to bring their U.S. influenced brand of rock and roll to the rest of the world. Like their homeland of Israel, the group's music born out of the many influences and experiences of the individual band members into a cohesive and powerful blend of modern/alternative rock.

Seek Irony recently released three new singles including "Tech N Roll," "Low," and "Draggin Me Down" online through all digital retailers, and will release their debut full-length in 2010 on Chopmark Records. The group is currently streaming new tracks online at www.myspace.com/seekirony. - http://top40-charts.com

"Captured America"/ by Boaz Arad
Good morning kids, the trance music season is over. You can put your synthesizers back in the closet and run off to the store to buy drums and guitars. As of today, Israel's hottest music export is Hard Rock:
Salem have long ago broken through the road to overseas; Orphaned Land have brought Darbukas (Middle Eastern percussion drums) and Mahawallas (Middle Eastern clothing) to the Global Metal music scene ; Betzefer have signed with one of Europe's biggest music labels ; And now Seek Irony, 5 young 20 and up Rockers from Rishon Le Zion (city in Israel) – no fools – have signed a very lucrative production deal with American Multi Platinum producer (Sylvia Massy Shivy), who on the comfy couches at her recording studios near San Francisco, have grown bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Skunk Anansie, Tool and System of a Down.
According to leader and singer of the group Kfir Gov, the band members have long ago realized what people in Israel still don't understand to this day, that whoever does Rock N Roll music in English has nowhere to progress to in Israel. A year and a half ago, they flew to the USA to try their luck and took on doing an independent tour which they have organized on their own, and when they got to Texas, they've met a local band manager who pushed things through from there.
The album is soon to arrive, but in the meanwhile you can listen to music samples with full blown distortive guitars flavored in electronica bits on the band's official website at www.seekirony.com
Israel Rocks!
- Yediot Achronot (Israel's Top selling newspaper)

"Captured America"/ by Boaz Arad
Good morning kids, the trance music season is over. You can put your synthesizers back in the closet and run off to the store to buy drums and guitars. As of today, Israel's hottest music export is Hard Rock:
Salem have long ago broken through the road to overseas; Orphaned Land have brought Darbukas (Middle Eastern percussion drums) and Mahawallas (Middle Eastern clothing) to the Global Metal music scene ; Betzefer have signed with one of Europe's biggest music labels ; And now Seek Irony, 5 young 20 and up Rockers from Rishon Le Zion (city in Israel) – no fools – have signed a very lucrative production deal with American Multi Platinum producer (Sylvia Massy Shivy), who on the comfy couches at her recording studios near San Francisco, have grown bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Skunk Anansie, Tool and System of a Down.
According to leader and singer of the group Kfir Gov, the band members have long ago realized what people in Israel still don't understand to this day, that whoever does Rock N Roll music in English has nowhere to progress to in Israel. A year and a half ago, they flew to the USA to try their luck and took on doing an independent tour which they have organized on their own, and when they got to Texas, they've met a local band manager who pushed things through from there.
The album is soon to arrive, but in the meanwhile you can listen to music samples with full blown distortive guitars flavored in electronica bits on the band's official website at www.seekirony.com
Israel Rocks!
- Yediot Achronot (Israel's Top selling newspaper)

It seems that the first peaceful dialogue to follow the Second Lebanon War comes out of the music scene. Two heavy metal bands, one Israeli and the other Lebanese, met online and joined forces to perform a new song, “Everything We Are”.

"Obviously, the song deals with the last war between Israel and Lebanon, and its implications. It speaks about the silent majority around the world that does nothing while extremists spread their ideals of hatred and violence," Kfir Gov, leader of the Israeli band, “Seek Irony” told Ynet.

Rab, the Lebanese lead vocalist of “Blood Ink”, and his family reside in northern Lebanon in an area that was mostly outside of the range of the fighting.

"I’ve been listening to this music for as long as I can remember," Rab, the 23-year-old Christian singer, told Ynet in an email interview.

"The story my family tells is that my sister, who is a metal fan, used to put the headphones on my ears when I was just a month old. She used to put me to sleep listening to 'The Wall' by Pink Floyd.

“I somehow grew up in this atmosphere, at age 14, I was already listening to the Scorpions and Aerosmith. Then I discovered the harder styles, and it went on,” Rab said.

Neighbors
The relationship between the two bands started before the war broke, on myspace.com.

"They sent us a message saying 'Good Luck, Keep it up! From your neighbors in Lebanon," says Kfir.

"We thought that was really cool of them and we were excited to find out that there was a metal band in Lebanon that sounded really good, so we replied to their message saying, 'Thanks a lot, stay in touch, from your neighbors in Israel.' We stayed in touch and when the war broke out we became close because we used to chat on instant messenger everyday."

Didn't it strike you as odd that a Lebanese band had contacted you?

"At the beginning it was really odd and it really caught us by surprise because we had no clue that there was a metal scene in Lebanon. It was awesome to find out there's a whole underground scene going on there, just like here in Israel, with thousands of kids wearing Metallica and Pantera t-shirts, that simply enjoy the music, and that there are Lebanese bands that really kick ass."

"The metal scene in Lebanon is still insignificant, but many bands are working hard to make it more popular. It is a challenge mainly because of the cultural diversity in Lebanon. This will improve with proper encouragement and big scale projects to promote these underground bands and push small bands to get better," says Rab.

If it would be made possible, would you go on a joint European tour with 'Seek Irony'?

Rab: "Definitely, I’m sure it would make a hell of show."

Kfir: "In fact, when we started this whole thing, the idea was to try and put together a joint show somewhere neutral or maybe have the two bands perform at the same time in each country. Very quickly we found out about the impossible logistics involved in something like this. Only then, we started thinking about the song."

Politics now
"We are simply musicians," says Kfir, "that's why we decided to use music to try and help bring the two sides closer together.

“I think it's ironic that by using a common denominator as simple as music, Rab and I have found a way to create a normal, reasonable dialog across the border, while our leaders, who are actually the ones responsible for finding the solution for this crisis, have failed and are having a hard time doing so themselves.

“Rab and I communicated throughout the war and it was incredible to see the Lebanese' perspective.”

What is the main message you are trying to convey in this song?

Kfir: "I want to make it clear that we're not about turning this song into a "press sensation" – on the contrary, we're actually trying to be very careful because we want our message to come across the way we mean it and not to have other people put words in our mouths.

“We believe that giving politicians sole responsibility is part of the problem, especially the kind of politicians that are leading these countries nowadays. We're calling people on both sides to speak up and express their opinion, because it is our duty.

“We call on people to stop spreading the extreme preaching of hate and violence. Real open discussion is the only way to resolve the conflict and actualize each of our goals and interests."

Rab: "The main message is clear: 'People, open your eyes! Do not live the lies you’re being told.' To show that we all can live together in peace only if we want to, and the song is the proof."

Has your opinion of each others’ countries changed?

Rab: "It has drastically changed. Since the day I was born, I was told we were enemies; I never thought I could have an Israeli friend. I discovered that we’re not really enemies like I was told."


Kfir: "Through Rab I found out that it is a beautiful little country with incredible beaches on the west and lots of - YNET (Israel's Top online newspaper)

It seems that the first peaceful dialogue to follow the Second Lebanon War comes out of the music scene. Two heavy metal bands, one Israeli and the other Lebanese, met online and joined forces to perform a new song, “Everything We Are”.

"Obviously, the song deals with the last war between Israel and Lebanon, and its implications. It speaks about the silent majority around the world that does nothing while extremists spread their ideals of hatred and violence," Kfir Gov, leader of the Israeli band, “Seek Irony” told Ynet.

Rab, the Lebanese lead vocalist of “Blood Ink”, and his family reside in northern Lebanon in an area that was mostly outside of the range of the fighting.

"I’ve been listening to this music for as long as I can remember," Rab, the 23-year-old Christian singer, told Ynet in an email interview.

"The story my family tells is that my sister, who is a metal fan, used to put the headphones on my ears when I was just a month old. She used to put me to sleep listening to 'The Wall' by Pink Floyd.

“I somehow grew up in this atmosphere, at age 14, I was already listening to the Scorpions and Aerosmith. Then I discovered the harder styles, and it went on,” Rab said.

Neighbors
The relationship between the two bands started before the war broke, on myspace.com.

"They sent us a message saying 'Good Luck, Keep it up! From your neighbors in Lebanon," says Kfir.

"We thought that was really cool of them and we were excited to find out that there was a metal band in Lebanon that sounded really good, so we replied to their message saying, 'Thanks a lot, stay in touch, from your neighbors in Israel.' We stayed in touch and when the war broke out we became close because we used to chat on instant messenger everyday."

Didn't it strike you as odd that a Lebanese band had contacted you?

"At the beginning it was really odd and it really caught us by surprise because we had no clue that there was a metal scene in Lebanon. It was awesome to find out there's a whole underground scene going on there, just like here in Israel, with thousands of kids wearing Metallica and Pantera t-shirts, that simply enjoy the music, and that there are Lebanese bands that really kick ass."

"The metal scene in Lebanon is still insignificant, but many bands are working hard to make it more popular. It is a challenge mainly because of the cultural diversity in Lebanon. This will improve with proper encouragement and big scale projects to promote these underground bands and push small bands to get better," says Rab.

If it would be made possible, would you go on a joint European tour with 'Seek Irony'?

Rab: "Definitely, I’m sure it would make a hell of show."

Kfir: "In fact, when we started this whole thing, the idea was to try and put together a joint show somewhere neutral or maybe have the two bands perform at the same time in each country. Very quickly we found out about the impossible logistics involved in something like this. Only then, we started thinking about the song."

Politics now
"We are simply musicians," says Kfir, "that's why we decided to use music to try and help bring the two sides closer together.

“I think it's ironic that by using a common denominator as simple as music, Rab and I have found a way to create a normal, reasonable dialog across the border, while our leaders, who are actually the ones responsible for finding the solution for this crisis, have failed and are having a hard time doing so themselves.

“Rab and I communicated throughout the war and it was incredible to see the Lebanese' perspective.”

What is the main message you are trying to convey in this song?

Kfir: "I want to make it clear that we're not about turning this song into a "press sensation" – on the contrary, we're actually trying to be very careful because we want our message to come across the way we mean it and not to have other people put words in our mouths.

“We believe that giving politicians sole responsibility is part of the problem, especially the kind of politicians that are leading these countries nowadays. We're calling people on both sides to speak up and express their opinion, because it is our duty.

“We call on people to stop spreading the extreme preaching of hate and violence. Real open discussion is the only way to resolve the conflict and actualize each of our goals and interests."

Rab: "The main message is clear: 'People, open your eyes! Do not live the lies you’re being told.' To show that we all can live together in peace only if we want to, and the song is the proof."

Has your opinion of each others’ countries changed?

Rab: "It has drastically changed. Since the day I was born, I was told we were enemies; I never thought I could have an Israeli friend. I discovered that we’re not really enemies like I was told."


Kfir: "Through Rab I found out that it is a beautiful little country with incredible beaches on the west and lots of - YNET (Israel's Top online newspaper)