"Peger" is transliterated Hebrew for “corpse” or “carcass,” so you know what you're getting into here. But Barbara, a bass/drum duo, compares themselves to everybody from Lightning Bolt to Today is the Day, and I'll confess that the idea of an Israeli Today is the Day had me curious.
Peger is a bizarre record, alternating between blizzards of distortion and eerie clean breaks, topped off with some endearingly goblin-esque vocals. Despite the reference points, these Fertile Crescent gloom merchants don't really sound like anybody else: they've got a more complex, multi-dimensional sound than Lightning Bolt, but also more weird sonics than your standard-issue Relapse band (although they never sound quite as scary as Today is the Day's armed-to-the-teeth psychosis). Maybe a more heavy metal Geisha?
The problem is that while Peger's got a fresh, interesting aesthetic, it doesn't do much to distinguish itself in particular terms. The songs just sort of drift by, with only the general approach making an impression. But there's still a lot to like here. By tightening their focus and sharpening their songs, Barbara could, like the Israeli Defense Force, become a corps not to be underestimated.
