Viral Israeli sensations Father of Peace have been hard to ignore throughout 2026, and even harder to avoid. Their new 8-track mini-album ‘The Mystery Century’ arrived on 25th September 2026, packaged together with 2024’s ‘The Year of Madness’ in order to make a full-length record. So…does it live up to the hype? And how does it work as an album?
If you love System of a Down, Twenty One Pilots, The Cat Empire and Presidents of the USA, read on..!
Whatever your personal thoughts on Father of Peace, it is impossible not to applaud their enthusiasm. Life as a member of this band looks like relentless fun. Social media has been awash with multiple short videos of Avshalom Ariel (vocals & guitar), May Alpert (bass) and Tom Bollig (drums) goofing around, with and without instruments, often to the same snippets from ‘The Chaos’, ‘Bluish’, ‘Of Course’ and ‘Enemy’. They ooze sex appeal. They are the epitome of what it means to be viral stars in 2026, and either these guys have stumbled on the magic formula to turn having fun into an art form, or they have one hell of a marketing team behind them. Somehow, everything seems so spontaneous and quirky, and yet there is clearly a lot of care and thought that has gone into the tease. Given that Avshalom Ariel is the partner and songwriting collaborator of Netta Barzilai (who won the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest for Israel with the catchy ‘Toy’), it is fair to assume that nothing about Father of Peace has happened by accident.
So, what of Father of Peace’s music itself?
Well, in short, there are several moments in this record where Father of Peace sound like one of the most exciting, inventive bands to have emerged this decade, even if the album as a whole is something of a mess.
Inspired by the pop sensibilities and effortless cool of Twenty One Pilots, the unhinged abandon of System of a Down, the quirkiness of Presidents of the USA, the funk of Red Hot Chili Peppers and the diversity of The Cat Empire, Father of Peace have created a sound that is fresh, exciting, organic and unmistakably their own - a rare thing in 2026.
‘The Year of Madness & The Mystery Century’ has been packaged as a double album, and it is essentially a playlist of every song that Father of Peace have made in their first two years as a band. Their entire recorded output totals 45 minutes, and they make every second count. Pick any 30-second snippet from this collection and you will hear a TikTok-worthy earworm, which is generally (though not always) a good thing.
Let’s start with tracks 9-16, namely ‘The Year of Madness’, which was originally released in 2024 and was recorded with original bassist April Mandil. Opening with a pleasant but unspectacular indie-rock verse, ‘Business State of Mind’ wastes little time kicking into a PUSA-esque riot of thick guitars, tight drums and unhinged yells of “I just want a coffee, coffee, coffee!”. ‘Advice’ follows a similar structure, with masterful harmonies and inventive melodies over a garage rock stomp.
Best of the bunch is ‘The Land of Foreign Suns’ - all rubbery basslines, slinky guitar licks and multi-layered vocals, and a clever segue into the brilliant, slower-paced title track. ‘I’m a Unicorn’ and ‘Trapeze’ are comparative weak points, but it still shows a sonic boldness that isn’t unlike The Mars Volta’s more recent releases. And it is clear to hear why ‘Enemy’ is such a live favourite, the way it builds tension that explodes with a System of a Down-esque chorus, and outstanding guitar work in the mid-section, taking inspiration from traditional Israeli melodies.
Now, on to ‘The Mystery Century’, a collection of 8 newer songs. Comparing the two mini-albums, if ‘The Year of Madness’ took its cues from indie-rock, then ‘The Mystery Century’ seems more inspired by mainstream metal. The stunning 7-string riff of opener ‘The Chaos’ is worthy of Muse at their heaviest and catchiest. ‘Of Course’ doubles down on the SOAD influence, via 100 Gecs - a short, sharp burst of exuberant metal, with unpredictable twists and turns throughout its short run time.
‘Bluish’ is a brilliant, up-tempo funk tune that may have to be surgically removed from your brain once you have heard it a few times. ‘Persian’ has a darker tone, taking us on a Middle Eastern sonic adventure full of menace and unconventional deviations. ‘mysterycentury’ is arguably the most advanced song here, showcasing the incredible musicianship within this band. Tom Bollig’s drumming really lets loose here. Avshalom’s vocals are stunning, and there is a short burst of singing from May Alpert towards the end which is one of the most vital moments in the whole record, and hopefully we will hear a lot more of this moving forward. If there is any criticism, it is that some of the best moments on this record are too brief.
As an album overall, ‘The Year of Madness & The Mystery Century’ is, honestly, a bit of a mess. Every song has some merit (even the more subdued ‘In the Pond’). However, some tracks work far better as standalone singles, especially the joyous ‘Heaven’ and the gleefully expletive ‘No Complaints’, both of which end abruptly at 2 minutes. The album feels very much like Father of Peace have simply thrown their entire recorded output together, with very little thought given to the tracklisting. With more considered editing and careful sequencing of 11 or 12 tracks from the two mini-albums, this could be one of the best albums of 2026. As it stands, it is a collection of excellent singles.
If the number of sold-out world tour dates is anything to go by, then this is just the beginning, and we are in for a real treat over the next few years.
Standout Tracks: ‘The Land of Foreign Suns’, ‘mysterycentury’, ‘Persian’, ‘Of Course’
Tracklisting, and our rating out of 10 for each track
The Chaos - 9
Of Course - 10
No Complaints - 7
Persian - 10
mysterycentury - 10
In the Pond - 6
Bluish - 9
Heaven - 7
Business State of Mind - 9
Advice - 9
Escapism. - 7
The Land of Foreign Suns - 10
The Year of Madness - 8
I'm a Unicorn - 5
Enemy - 8
Trapeze - 6
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Father of Peace is an Israeli indie rock band consisting of Avshalom Ariel (guitar & vocals), May Alpert (bass), and Tom Bollig (drums). Their first single, ‘Escapism’, was released in May 2024, followed in September by their first full album ‘The Year of Madness’. Avshalom Ariel is the husband of Netta Barzilai (who won the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest for Israel with the catchy ‘Toy’) and is also her main songwriting collaborator.
‘The Mystery Century’ is Father of Peace’s second album (more of a mini-album, really, being 8 tracks and under 20 minutes in length), and was released on 25th September, packaged with the debut as ‘The Year of Madness & The Mystery Century’, under Trade Secret Records. Father of Peace have been hard to miss throughout 2026. Their viral social media campaigns have made them one of the most talked-about new bands of the year.
For more info: www.fatherofpeace.world
