About the band
Jerusalem ethnocore band "Shoom" was established in 2000. Each of the musicians has a different musical background. The spectrum varies from Oriental music and jazz to most extreme thrash and grindcore metal influences. The music of the band is mainly based on the folk songs and dances of Caucasus and Mediterranean but the composition and arrangements reflect diversity of our musical backgrounds.
The band's kitchen mixes different exotic dishes which not always can be mixed in one meal - but everything goes with the addition of "shoom" (which means "garlic" in Hebrew). You will find here sad Armenian melodies aside insane jungle beats that probably originate from underground N.Y. or London discotheques - or maybe from Balkan or Black Sea coast. The sounds of authentic folk instruments intermingles with electric guitars. You will suddenly discover a surprising similarity between blues and the songs of "ashiks" – wandering poets of Turkey or find out that roots of rock-n-roll are somewhere in the Caucasian mountains...

Ilia Mazia – duduk, wooden flutes, Turkish saz (lute).
Born in 1972 in St-Petersburg, Russia. BA in Computer sciences, Hebrew university, Jerusalem. Working as a software engineer.
Studied wind instruments at the Centre of Oriental music in Jerusalem , later continued his studies of Caucasian folk music at Erevan, Armenia. In 2001 joined Jerusalem Symphonic Orchestra as a soloist to record a piece by a contemporary Israeli composer B. Yusupov.
Participated in few folk- and rock-projects.

Dima Hayat - percussion.
Born in 1973 in St-Petersburg, Russia.
Participated in numerous rock projects in Russia and in Israel. A member of the Caribbean steel drums band "Jerusalem Steel". Plays with symphonic orchestra "Yad-Harif". In "Shoom" Dima plays different percussion instruments - including Middle-Eastern, Indian and Latin drums.

Sergey Engel - bass, electric guitar.
Born in 1975 in Moscow, Russia.
BA in Architecture, Bezalel Academy of art and design, Jerusalem. Also studied at Rubin Music Academy, Jerusalem. Works as an architect at well-known Jerusalem office. Participated in different experimental rock bands and also recorded a couple of solo projects.

Michael "Drumz" Gorodinsky - drums, percussion.
Born in 1974 in St-Petersburg, Russia.
BA in classic percussion, Rubin Music Academy, Jerusalem. From 1997 works as a freelance musician with Jerusalem Symphonic Orchestra, Rishon-Le-Ziyon Symphonic Orchestra, Haifa Symphonic Orchestra and many others. A member of steel drums' band "Jerusalem Steel" and an IDM project "Rockin' Pony". Also played in numerous rock bands.

Roman Smirnov – classic guitar.
Born in 1965 in Tallinn, Estonia.
BA in classic guitar, Rubin Music Academy, Jerusalem.
Studied in music academy of Kassel, Germany with Wolfgang Lendle. Has performed in Israel, Greece, Germany and Scandinavian countries, took part in international guitar festivals. Worked with Barocco Ensemble of Michael Meltzer (Israel) and chamber choir of Cologne (Germany). Joined "Shoom" in 2001.