סטלה מאריס - Stella Maris

Stella Maris are considered as the first Israeli metal band- although there was a growing scene at that time, this band is the first to not feature any sort of extremeness in their music- and of despite of that fact, they were very welcome at that time and they are now considered one of the best Israeli rock bands of all time.

Musically, this album doesn't disappoint at all. The guitar player, Nick Miller, is a hell of a talented player and can deliver very oriental-based powerful riffs (such as the one in "לשרוד" (which is actually the first speed metal song in Hebrew) and "שגיאה", along with haunting acoustic passages and melodic solos that enhance the musicianship of the album as a whole. The keyboards and the bass also contribute to the album's sound- but are a bit blurred as a result of the production.

The most notable thing of this album, aside from its tight musicianship and overall catchiness, is Pablo Rosenberg's voice, which is similar to something between Bruce Dickinson and the late Guy Speranza of Riot. He has a huge vocal range, and can heard using many styles of singing during the album and even screaming at times- which makes him one of the most successful and well-known rock singers in Israel. Another notable thing is the structure of the songs- consisting of great intros, very catchy sing-along choruses and flashy solos- a thing which is featured in most songs of the album, including the quasi-ballads "קללת הפרעונים" and "אישתר". The lyrics aren't very notable, as they were made very radio-friendly, cheesy and focus mainly on love-related subjects, but don't degrade the album's quality and keep its place as one of the best Israeli metal/rock records of all times.