Religion, and cultural tradition stemming from religion, is a rich vein for artists of all walks, so it’s always disappointed me somewhat that so much of metal takes the “anti-” approach to religious-based storytelling. Obviously I get it, metal being metal and all, but it does make projects like Amaseffer (“People of the Holy Book”), the Israeli progressive folk metal project of Erez Yohanan, stand out. I’d not heard of Amaseffer before this year; my only context going in comes from my colleague Mystikus Hugebeard, who told me, and I quote, “I loved their first album, and it released back in like fucking 1907.” He was close—Exodus: Slaves for Life, their debut full-length, released in 2008 and tells the story of the Israelite Exodus from Egypt up to the ten plagues and subsequent exile of the Hebrew people. When the Lions Leave Their Den is part two of the trilogy, covering the start of that exile up to Moses’s arrival at Mount Sinai.
After such a hiatus, it is perhaps not surprising that the music of Amaseffer sounds fresh and vibrant. It is indeed a work of folk-infused progressive metal, with long song forms, only a light touch of heaviness, and a clear Middle Eastern influence, especially in the orchestration and instrumentation. Lead singing is split between Lukky Sparxx and Jessica Mercy, but there are also narrations in English and Hebrew from a variety of vocalists, including Kobi Farhi (Orphaned Land), and growls by another three. More than folky, though, When the Lions Leave Their Den is cinematic. Songs act as scenes observing the Exodus from multiple angles: in “Stardust Harvesters” we take a moment to share the faith of the fleeing exiles before a cloud of smoke marks their path in the spectacularly heartfelt “A Sacred Mist of the Sacred Veil.” After that, we switch settings and follow the Egyptian army pursuing the Israelites in “Lady of Slaughter,” a heavy, exciting song that strongly evokes the mad bloodlust of the slighted military. The result feels more like a journey than an album, with frequent acoustic guitars enhancing the storytelling feel.
Of course, it probably helps that I’m already familiar with the story of the Exodus, but apart from familiarity, the religious and cultural story also lends When the Lions Leave Their Den a sense of reverence that feels rare in metal. Like a Jewish Theocracy, the musicians of Amaseffer bring passion and respect for their source material to everything they do. “Miriam” is a beautiful, heartfelt power ballad that Mercy elevates with her beautiful expression of a lost people dreaming of a new home. “Wooden Staff Part II” has a fairly standard construction, with upbeat riffs, piano, and some acoustic moments, but the way Sparxx describes the legendary staff of Moses feels a touch inspired. From another angle, the beautiful “A Flame Unbidden” allows both singers to explore the ineffable nature of faith through gorgeous acoustic, orchestral, and metal melodies, courtesy of Yohanan himself.
Like so much progressive metal, When the Lions Leave Their Den commits absolutely to its ideas, eager to explore each one to its fullest. More specifically, this means the ten-song album runs a staggering seventy-two minutes, so it’s a good thing it sounds so good—the production is clear, modern, and allows each of the many instruments and vocalists to shine. “Pathway to the Promised Land” is the only song to actually reach the ten-minute mark, and while I think it overstays its welcome, it’s also hard to not get swept away by the early orchestral notes, the gradual rise to climax, and sense of mighty wonder as the sea itself parts for God’s people. It’s so good, but ten minutes is a lot even for this pivotal moment. Similarly, “Stardust Harvesters” is a beautiful, moving song, but at seven minutes feels like it’s lingering a bit. This is a common theme: songs are beautifully constructed and performed, but often stick around a touch too long.
I want to stress again that When the Lions Leave Their Den succeeds at feeling like a work of cinematic metal, because I feel that’s an impressive thing to achieve. The passionate performances, strong songwriting, and epic storytelling come together to tell a fantastic tale in an engaging and impressive way. If a handful of songs linger too long on a given idea, well, that happens in movies too. I’m still very excited for part three.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self-release
Websites: amaseffer.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/OfficialAmaseffer
Releases Worldwide: October 8th, 2026
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