Matan Cohen (born February 8, 1982) is an

Israeli Israeli may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the State of Israel * Israelis, citizens or permanent residents of the State of Israel * Modern Hebrew, a language * ''Israeli'' (newspaper), published from 2006 to 2008 * Guni Israeli ...

musician best known for his work as the

guitarist A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselv ...

for successful

groove Groove or Grooves may refer to: Music * Groove (music) * Groove (drumming) * The Groove (band), an Australian rock/pop band of the 1960s * The Groove (Sirius XM), a US radio station * Groove 101.7FM, a former Perth, Australia, radio station * ...

metalcore Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...

band

Betzefer Betzefer ( he, בצפר) is an Israeli groove metal band originating from the community settlement Maccabim-Re'ut. The band was formed up in 1998 and was signed to Roadrunner Records from 2005 to 2007. Betzefer is notable for becoming Israel's ...

and the recently reunited

melodic death metal Melodic death metal (also referred to as melodeath) is a subgenre of death metal that employs highly melodic guitar riffs, often borrowing from traditional heavy metal (including New Wave of British Heavy Metal). The genre features the heavines ...

band

Nail Within Nail or Nails may refer to: In biology * Nail (anatomy), toughened protective protein-keratin (known as alpha-keratin, also found in hair) at the end of an animal digit, such as fingernail * Nail (beak), a plate of hard horny tissue at the tip ...

. Cohen is also a frequent collaborator of

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

punk rock act Bo La'Bar featuring his

co-members Evil Haim, and

Useless ID Useless ID ( he, יוסלס איי.די) is an Israeli punk rock band, formed in Haifa, Israel in 1994. Known as one of the most successful Middle Eastern punk bands worldwide. History Useless ID was founded in 1994 as a four-piece: Guy Carmel - ...

members Ishay Berger and Jonathan Harpak.

Musical career

Betzefer (1998–present)

Matan Cohen formed

along with vocalist

Avital Tamir Avital Tamir ( he, אביטל תמיר) is an Israeli musician best known for his work as the lead singer for successful metal band Betzefer and for his experimental pop trio On Shoulders of Giants. He was also briefly a member of fellow Betz ...

and drummer Roey Berman as a one-off band for a high school gig in 1998.
What started as a high school gig became a big part of the lives of the band members and since then the band started working, first as a cover band (

Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...

, etc.) and later they started recording their own material, releasing '' Pitz Aachbar'' in 2000, '' Some Tits, But No Bush'' in 2001 and '' New Hate'' in 2003.
In 2005, the band released its first full-length album '' Down Low'' and currently is working on its second.
Matan (who is also known as Tim Young outside

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

) appeared on all of the band's releases and is a part of the band from its formation until today. He is also noted for always using a custom black

Gibson SG The Gibson SG is a solid-body electric guitar model introduced by Gibson in 1961 as the Gibson Les Paul SG. It remains in production today in many variations of the initial design. The SG (where "SG" refers to Solid-Body Guitar) Standard is Gib ...

guitar.

Nail Within (2001-2003, 2007)

In 2001, Matan joined former

Azazel In the Bible, the name Azazel (; he, עֲזָאזֵל ''ʿAzāʾzēl''; ar, عزازيل, ʿAzāzīl) appears in association with the scapegoat rite; the name represents a desolate place where a scapegoat bearing the sins of the Jews during Y ...

and Betrayer members to form a new

project by the name of

. Cohen served as a second guitarist in the band and while on hiatus from

, he left to

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

to record the band's first self-titled album.
He was a member of the band through all of its short-lived first incarnation and even suggested Betzefer vocalist

as vocalist after vocalist Yishay Swearts left. Tamir performed with the band for one show.
Recently rejoined the band as all of its members reunited in November 2007 for a one-off reunion show along with plans to record a new album in the future. Cohen will work with the band on its next album when he will finish prior commitments with

.MySpace.com - Nail Within - - Metal - www.myspace.com/nailwithin
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Discography

Betzefer

*'' Pitz Aachbar'' (2000) *'' Some Tits, But No Bush'' (2001) *'' New Hate'' (2003) *'' Down Low'' (2005) *'' Freedom to The Slave Makers'' (2011)

Nail Within

*''

'' (2003)

References

External links

Matan Cohen's band (Betzefer) official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cohen, Matan 1982 births Living people Israeli rock guitarists 21st-century guitarists