PoM.dk - I am pretty sure most of our readers do not know your background, so could you start by telling us a bit about you and your musical background… Ephrat – Well I'm Omer Ephrat, the founder of the band and well as the one who wrote most of the material and produced the new album, No One's Words.
I've been playing flute, keyboards and especially guitar over the years but was interested and more attracted to writing and composing. Ideas or inspiration comes to me from nowhere and I find myself sometimes in the studio for hours and the next thing you know there's a song. PoM.dk – The album has been out a few weeks now, what kind of expectations do you have for it? Ephrat – This is a first album so I hope it will make as big impression as it can, for fans to get to know and love the music for us to be able to make new albums and new music. That’s all actually. The propose is always to make new music, that's the first priority. PoM.dk – How has the response been so far? Ephrat – You know it's funny, in some reviews I am a genius and in some this whole album is a hoax. So I guess you can say that the responses are varied.
All in this album made a big impact and everybody in the genre knows about it and has an opinion about it (most of them very good opinions) and that's the most important thing. PoM.dk – What would you tell a total stranger, if he asks what kind of music you play? Ephrat – That's simple: Sophisticated prog metal with a warm rock n' roll feel. PoM.dk - Who has produced the album? How does the final result compare to the idea you had going into the studio? Ephrat – I'm the one who produced the album and everything was very clear to me. I knew what I wanted and I didn't rest until I got it and that's how one should work. PoM.dk – Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) has mixed the album, how did you swing that one? Ephrat – I didn't swing anything actually. When I first met Steven he's the one who offered himself as the one who'll mix and master the album. It’s not that I asked him and tried to convince him. When we first talked about the possibility of an album one of the first things that he suggested is that he will do the mix and I of course didn't decline. PoM.dk – Daniel Gildenlöw (Pain of Salvation) helps out as well and gives the song “The Sun of Damage done” a touch of his own. How did you hook up with him, and how do you feel about the song now? Ephrat – Logistically it wasn't a big deal. We and POS are signed at the same label and that's how I approached Daniel and asked him if he can sing and write the lyrics for "The Sum of Damage Done". He said yes and we were on our way. Easy isn't it? I think he did a tremendous job in that song and giving 110% of him into it. I'm proud of the work we did on this song and it's one of the best in the album in my opinion. PoM.dk – You, Ephrat has written the entire lot, has given the band its name. Any reason you chose to use your sir-name for the band name? Ephrat – Well it concerns how the band was formed. I was signed at Insideout as a solo artist and even wrote the album before there was a band. When the decision to make it a band and not a solo project was made the name of the band was settled as simply 'Ephrat'. PoM.dk - What’s the ambition for the band on a longer term? Ephrat - I try not to plan ahead too much because it's a bit silly, you gotta live the moment and enjoy it and I want to give this album the honour it deserves. What we're doing now is working on an act to be able to tour soon enough. PoM.dk - Tell us a bit about artwork… Ephrat – First of all, I need to explain that in the album there are several lyrics writers to the songs (I, Lior Seker, Petronella and Daniel) and common sense can suggest that most chances are that the songs will be different from one another. But that was not the case here, everything fell into place and you can say that every song is about (one way or another) about extreme situation or people in extreme situations who (metaphorically) write a letter about their situation, a letter that reaches no one.
And that's what the cover symbolizes, and each of the booklet pages is taking each and every one of the songs and displaying him as a letter that someone has written in one way or another. PoM.dk - What are the best and worst trends in music today? Ephrat – The best trend in my opinion is the fact that the borders are slowly disappearing – the lines between prog metal and metal are a bit blurry and you it's harder to say what genre is this band or another. That means that there's music progression and we're not stepping in one place but evolving.
The worst trend I think is the occupation of bands beyond the music. There are a great number of bands that seems to be successful because anything but the music: how cool they look, how fast the guitar player is playing and etc. and it's the worst thing that can happen. Look inside the box and not at the box, you know what I mean? PoM.dk – I have been blown away by two bands from Israel this year – yours and Amaseffer. Is there more to come from you, or is this it? How is the scene in Israel right now? Ephrat – Yes there are more great bands here.
I think that in Tel Aviv there are more musicians than fans. The amount of creativity and variety is so abundant. I think that the mixture of cultures here in Israel must have caused this burst of creativity in this small country.
but the result of it being a small country makes it hard for musicians, if you're not in the mainstream you're not gonna make it, that's why we see the Israeli bands try more and more to brake out overseas in the begin with instead of trying their luck here. PoM.dk – You are told that you are going to take part in an experiment where you have to live seclude for a month, and are allowed to take either 5 books or 5 albums with you. What do you choose and what would you have taken along with you and why? Ephrat -
Albums: Yes – Closer to the Edge
When I heard it in the beginning I didn't understand what the hell is going on there. Almost every little sound and melody I felt I've never heard anything like it in my life. Rush – Moving Pictures
First time I've felt that someone is aiming my direction. A perfect combination between clever writing with a rock and roll feel. Genesis – Selling England by the Pound
A work of art. So unique. So special. Genesis at their best. Metallica - Master of Puppets
This is the album that taught me the love for music, nothing less. Led-zeppelin – Houses of the Holy
One of Led Zeppelin's best albums, though it's hard to choose which of the albums I'll take… I might regret that and wish I had taken another Led Zeppelin album… Books: Well I have ADHD so it's hard for me to read books or long paragraphs, so I'll stick to the music. PoM.dk - Thank you very much for answering my questions. Do you have any last rants for our readers? Ephrat - Nope, I think we've covered everything. Thank you very much.
Interviewed by: Kenn Jensen | 
