Lior Golan releases debut EP

Guitarist, producer and rock artist Lior Golan creates music from a place where pain, determination and pure emotion all collide. His work is not built around escaping difficult experiences, but confronting them head-on, transforming personal battles into powerful expressions of strength. Drawing from a life shaped by struggle, loss and recovery, Lior’s music carries the context of real life experience while maintaining a sense of hope, offering an uncompromising vision of rock that feels at once profoudnly personal and widely relatable.

Golan’s artistic path has been paved by a belief in music as a form of healing, as having faced PTSD following his military service, substance abuse and the devastating loss of his sister at the NOVA party, he’s used songwriting as a way to process trauma and rebuild. His songs become a space where difficult emotions can be exposed and examined, turning moments of darkness into something that can connect with others.

His musical partnership with guitarist Gabriel Lefelman has been an important factor throughout this journey. Beginning with chance encounters on the streets of Tel Aviv, the pair have spent fifteen years developing their creative connection through constant change and adversity. Their story has been influenced by lineup changes, financial difficulties and mental health challenges but their dedication to music has remained intact. That persistence forms the pillars of Lior’s sound, resulting in music created through endurance, patience and a steadfast desire to express something real.

Sonically, he draws from the heavy and atmospheric traditions of classic rock, taking inspiration from artists including Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd. His sound combines crushing energy, expressive guitar work and emotional intensity, creating songs that balance aggression with poignant reflection. While there’s readily apparent confrontation within his music, there’s also contemplation, creating a sound where torment and passion exist together.

Now, Lior Golan introduces Midnight Trains, his debut EP and the first professionally recorded release to fully showcase his artistic vision. The recordings originally sat on his laptop for four years while he battled personal demons and worked toward sobriety and focus, waiting for the moment when they could finally be brought into the world. Recorded at the renowned Shardo Studio in Israel, using the studio’s impressive SSL console, Midnight Trains captures the energy of a live performance, with bass and drums recorded simultaneously to maintain the natural chemistry of the performances.

Kicked off with “Cruel Wind,” the EP starts with the breezy tones of laid back guitar rhythms as bright organ tones rings out above. With Gabe’s expressive vocals entering, he spins bouncy melodic lines above the grooving arrangement before the track erupts with splashing drums and Lior’s gritty guitar riffs, resulting in a thrilling slice of bluesy rock music. “Midnight Train” arrives with the roll of pattering drums as the crunch of guitar ushers in twanging leads while Gabe’s gravelly voice floats above the energising instrumentation to serve up an epic rock jam that’s memorable and exhilarating in equal measure.

The cover of “Keep Me Hanging On” slows things down with the mellow shuffle of drums and buzzy instrumental textures as alluring female vocals carry the familiar melodic lines above the pop of bass and atmospheric soundscape, offering a superb interpretation of the beloved classic. “1991” jumps into a dirty blues rock scene where slick guitar riffs and steady rhythmic punch combine as belted vocals soar to offer a gripping musical moment from start to finish.

Closing the EP with “You Tried Your Best,” the delicate plucks of clean guitar notes gently swirl as tender vocals and tapped percussion add to the intimate setting. With the stutter of distorted guitar, the track shifts as it launches into a riff-driven rock outing packed full of lively energy, anthemic instrumental flourishes and compelling vocal performance, offering an incredible conclusion to Lior Golan’s superb debut EP.

Listen to Midnight Trains below