Betzefer is an Israeli groove metal band that was formed in 1998. It also was the first Israeli metal band to get signed to a major record label (Roadrunner Records), witch is pretty impressive considering it was actually a band that got together for a one time event back in school.
Anyway the band sticked together and played more and bigger shows, even as main support for bands likes Soulfly and Lamb of God on their European tours. Their immediate success with the new foreign crowds quickly put them on the main stages of the big summer festivals. Back in Israel, the band grew even stronger and started crossing into mainstream awareness, headlining the rock stages of the biggest Israeli festivals and constantly earning more and more attention from the local media.
So this is actually a cool success story. Witch led them to their latest record (witch was released last month). Witch turned out to be a groove metal album witch is heavily inspired by bands as Pantera and Down. Although there is a lot of resemblance, they succeed in retaining their own sound although to be honest it lacks some heaviness from time to time. So overall a good record but not 100% original, but still fairly good.