Gevolt
Israeli band that pioneered Yiddish metal.
Gevolt is an Israeli metal band founded in 2001, known as the pioneers of Yiddish metal. They were the first band to combine traditional Yiddish music with metal, and their 2011 album AlefBase was the first metal album fully with Yiddish lyrics.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- Tel Aviv, Israel
- Genre
- Folk/Industrial Metal / Yiddish metal
- Years Active
- 2001–present
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Gevolt was formed in Israel in 2001 by Anatholy Bonder (vocals), Yevgeny Kushnir (guitars), Oleg Szumski (drums), and Max Mann (bass guitars). In 2005, Marina Klionski joined on violin. The band self-released their debut full-length album Sidur in the Russian language in 2006. After that release, Oleg Szumski left and was replaced by Vadim Weinstein, and Dmitry Lifshitz joined on synths. The band began recording their second album in 2005 and released the 2-track promo single 'Yiddish Metal' in 2007, marking a shift to singing in Yiddish and covering classic Yiddish songs. In 2008, Sidur had a US/Canadian re-release by Renaissance Records/Koch Entertainment Distribution. Around that time, Marina Klionski left, and the band had two violinists, Anna Agre and Eva Yefremov; Anna Agre left after a year. In 2009, Yevgeny Kushnir left and was replaced by Michael Gimmervert. In 2010, Max Mann left and was replaced by Mark Lekhovitser. In February 2011, Gevolt released their second full-length album, AlefBase, to positive reception and media coverage in Die Welt, Jerusalem Post, and The Forward. In 2012, Mark Lekhovitser left. In 2013, Michael Gimmervert left, and new guitar and bass players Vadim Raitses and Anton Skorohodov joined. That year, the band performed at Folk-Fest Israel on one stage with Korpiklaani and Týr. In March 2015, Gevolt released a Nu Klezmer Metal single 'Khokhotshet'. Vadim Raitses and Anton Skorohodov left after that single. In 2016, Gevolt had a mini tour in China, performing at Taihu Midi Festival and Dream Sonic Festival, with a new lineup including the return of Michael Gimmervert, Alex Zvulun on bass, Marianne Tur on violin, and Dror Goldstein on drums.
Reader's Guide
Gevolt's significance lies in their role as pioneers of Yiddish metal, being the first band to fuse traditional Yiddish music with metal. Their 2011 album AlefBase, the first metal album fully with Yiddish lyrics, received positive reception and international media coverage, highlighting their cultural and musical innovation. The band's history reflects frequent lineup changes, yet they maintained a consistent core identity through founder Anatholy Bonder. Their 2016 tour in China, performing at major festivals, demonstrates their reach beyond Israel. Gevolt's legacy is as a niche but influential act that expanded the boundaries of metal by incorporating Yiddish language and klezmer elements, contributing to the broader genre of folk metal.
From the Ground Up: Forming an Unlikely Sound
Gevolt emerged from the Israeli music scene in 2001, when vocalist Anatholy Bonder, guitarist Yevgeny Kushnir, drummer Oleg Szumski, and bassist Max Mann came together with a shared passion for heavy music. What set them apart was their cultural positioning in a region where metal was far from the dominant force. Their early sound was anchored in the Russian language, a choice reflected in their 2006 self-released debut album, Sidur. The band handled production and distribution independently, a testament to their DIY ethos in a market offering little infrastructure for niche metal acts. The group's early lineup was not static. In 2005, violinist Marina Klionski added a string instrument dimension that would become a signature element of their sound. The following year, after Sidur's release, drummer Oleg Szumski departed and was succeeded by Vadim Weinstein, while synth player Dmitry Lifshitz rounded out the ensemble. These early shifts established a pattern of evolution that would define the band's next decade, yet the core vision of fusing Eastern European musical heritage with aggressive guitar work remained constant from the very beginning.
Claiming a Language: The Birth of Yiddish Metal
The band's most consequential artistic decision came when they pivoted from Russian-language material to singing in Yiddish. Beginning the recording process for their second album in 2005, Gevolt released a two-track promotional single titled "Yiddish Metal" in 2007, in which they covered classic Yiddish songs through a heavy metal lens. This was not a minor stylistic tweak; it was a full conceptual reorientation that made them the first act to merge traditional Yiddish music with metal in a meaningful, sustained way. The payoff arrived in February 2011 with AlefBase, widely recognized as the first metal album performed entirely in Yiddish. The record earned positive critical reception and attracted coverage from major outlets including Die Welt, the Jerusalem Post, and The Forward, signaling that the project had crossed from underground curiosity to a recognized cultural statement. By March 2015, the band had further refined their identity with the "Nu Klezmer Metal" single "Khokhotshet," cementing a subgenre label that no one else had claimed before them.
A Band in Constant Motion: Lineup Turnover and Resilience
Few bands in the metal world have cycled through as many personnel changes as Gevolt over the course of more than a decade. After the departure of founding drummer Oleg Szumski in 2006, the group brought in Vadim Weinstein and synth player Dmitry Lifshitz. Violinist Marina Klionski, who had joined in 2005, left in 2008, and the band briefly employed two violinists—Anna Agre and Eva Yefremov—before Agre departed a year later. Guitarist Yevgeny Kushnir, a founding member, exited in 2009 and was replaced by Michael Gimmervert, while bassist Max Mann left in 2010 to be succeeded by Mark Lekhovitser. The churn continued through the early 2010s. Lekhovitser departed in 2012, and Gimmervert followed in 2013, at which point Vadim Raitses on guitar and Anton Skorohodov on bass stepped in. Both left after the 2015 "Khokhotshet" single. Yet through every transition, vocalist Anatholy Bonder, synthist Dmitry Lifshitz, drummer Vadim Weinstein, and violinist Eva Yefremov have remained, forming a stable core around which the band continually rebuilt itself.
Beyond the Borders: Live Performance and International Recognition
While Gevolt's studio work carved out a unique niche, their live career demonstrated that the Yiddish metal concept could translate powerfully on stage across continents. In 2013, the band performed at Folk-Fest Israel alongside Korpiklaani and Týr, a pairing that placed them in the company of well-known acts in the folk-metal space and highlighted how their sound resonated within that broader tradition. Their most ambitious touring venture came in 2016, when Gevolt traveled to China for a mini tour, performing at two major events: the Taihu Midi Festival and the Dream Sonic Festival. For this excursion, the band assembled a fresh lineup that reunited guitarist Michael Gimmervert with new members Alex Zvulun on bass, Marianne Tur on violin, and Dror Goldstein on drums, showing their willingness to reinvent the personnel while keeping the musical identity intact. Earlier, the 2008 US and Canadian re-release of Sidur through Renaissance Records and Koch Entertainment Distribution had already proven that audiences beyond Israel's borders were hungry for the band's blend of old-world melody and modern aggression.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Gevolt?
Gevolt is an Israeli metal band recognized as the group that first fused traditional Yiddish musical traditions with heavy metal. They have been active since the early 2000s and are best known for carving out the Yiddish metal niche.
Why is Gevolt considered important in metal history?
They are credited as the pioneers of Yiddish metal, being the first act to deliberately merge that ethnic musical heritage with the metal genre. Their early experiments set a template that no other band had attempted before them.
What is Gevolt's debut album?
Their first full-length record was Sidur, released in 2006. It marked the band's official arrival on the metal scene after several years of developing their sound following their 2001 formation.
What makes the album AlefBase (2011) stand out?
AlefBase holds the distinction of being the first metal album to feature its entire lyrical content in Yiddish. It cemented Gevolt's reputation as trailblazers by proving that a full-length metal record could be sung exclusively in that language.
When and where was Gevolt formed?
The band was put together in 2001 in Israel. Their early start gave them a clear first-mover advantage, allowing them to establish the Yiddish-metal identity before any other group attempted the combination.
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