"Betzefer" is an Israeli groove metal band, originating from the communal 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 first heavy metal band to have released its debut album on a major heavy metal label. They are described by many as metalcore, groove metal, thrash metal, post-thrash and even alternative metal and nu metal, but the band disproves any labeling on their genre and vocalist Avital Tamir stated in an interview that their genre is purely rock or alternative rock, and that they see themselves mostly as part of the Israeli alternative rock scene, and that no one of the band members even saw himself as a metalhead before, and the connection between the band and metal music is simply because the music is fast, heavy and harsh.