While many musicians and bands have had their activities grind to a halt during the age of COVID-19, Israeli progressive rock, metal and world music act Subterranean Masquerade has been extremely active. May 2021 saw the release of their latest album Mountain Fever, and the band saw tremendous recognition and buzz, in Israel and abroad. After years of a mostly international career, performing to audiences of hundreds and thousands of people, the shutdown of the international music industry allowed the band to focus their effort inwards, making them a household name in the local rock music scene, regularly selling out their concerts. 

 

Led by guitarist and producer Tomer Pink, the band is signed with Sensory Records, the US label debuting metal giants such as Riverside, Haken and Diablo Swing Orchestra. The new album presents a more refined version of the band’s style, bringing to center stage the atmosphere of their live experience - colorful yet driving tracks, full of sing-alongs, and more than ever fusing arena rock with the spicy flavors it is famous for. Among others, the album reached top spots in many lists worldwide, including Top 10 most selling albums of Amazon UK’s Metal and Hard Rock list in May of 2021.

 

During 2021 the band has been lauded in world’s the biggest music magazines, and its name keeps popping in US and European outlets such as Loudwire, Metal Hammer, Prog Classic Rock ,Rock Hard ,New Noise, Metal Injection, Horns Up France, Loud TV France ,Rock Hard Italy ,This is Rock Spain ,Eclipsed Fireworks UK ,Iasi TV Romania and many others. Locally, the band reached the Calcalist newspaper and Kan 11’s prime time TV. The band is increasingly gaining popularity and many see it as Israel’s next emissary in the metal world. Combining Metal, Hasidic, Indian and Balkan influences, its live concerts are sizzling, flavorful and attract a loyal following of hundreds of people. 

In September of 2021, the band represented Israel in the prestigious Maximum Rock Romania festival, after previously performing in ProgPower Europe 2017 and touring internationally in support of acts such as Orphaned Land, Therion and Sons of Apollo, among others. Vocalist Davidavi Dolev was cast to voice the head villain in the metal video game Of Bird & Cage along with Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (ex-Guns and Roses) and members of bands such as Evanescence and Within Temptation. As of late 2022, the band is working on their next studio album, yet untitled.