After a seven-year break, the storm called ORPHANED LAND rages again and it's grown stronger and more versatile than ever before.
Its first gust was felt when the band was formed in 1991, then still under the moniker Resurrection. In 1992 they changed their name to ORPHANED LAND and their musical direction developed into an unique sound exploring the various shades of metal mixed with the band's Middle Eastern roots. Their oriental style were a breeze of fresh air in the metal scene, so that it was not surprising that they got signed to the French label Holy Records soon after the recording of their demo The Beloved's Cry in 1993 (which was re-issued in 1999). Both of their first two albums Sahara (1994) and El Norra Alila (1996) were praised by media as well as fans and soon classified cult underground albums. In 1997 ORPHANED LAND fell into hibernation when the individual band-members had to deal with the harsh reality in their homeland of Israel. What helped to keep their dream alive, though, was their strong fan-base in Arab countries. "Maybe because ORPHANED LAND's music reflects harmony and unity between East and West, light and darkness, Judaism and Islam", explains bandleader Kobi Farhi. "After all these years of silence the band members felt that the way to come back was starting with three shows under the motto 'The Calm Before The Flood'. The first took place in Turkey - together with people from Israel and Arab countries headbanging side by side."
Second was a show in Tel Aviv and the last one an acoustic set that was recorded and will be added as 5-track bonus-CD to the first pressing of Mabool. The vocals on this album were sung in five languages, English, Hebrew, Arabic, Yemen and Latin as well as a form of gibberish (a language ORPHANED LAND created themselves). They were partly sung by female and male classic as well as oriental choirs. Aside from the five band members, more then 30 guests appear on the album. Among them is a percussionist who plays more then 10 different instruments. Also, a lot of oriental instruments such as Oud, Saz and Buzuki are used besides violins, cello, piano and classic/acoustic guitars. "Our music style is a mixture of all kinds of metal, from progressive to black metal. In general I would call it Middle Eastern metal", says Kobi. Asked on their musical influences he reveals more about the unusual recording of Mabool: "We are influenced by all kinds music, from Indian music to Jazz. I! even recorded musicians in the streets of India."
The official recording of Mabool took place between July and October 2003 in Zaza Studios for drums, piano, cello, violin, some of the choirs as well as the majority of the mix (by Simon Vinestock who also worked as additional engineer) whereas the rest was taken care of in Bardo Studio. In a song like "Halo Dies", ORPHANED LAND's experimental and progressive side is shown when they include polyrhythmic noise effects in the middle of the song.
They lyrical content of the album is as complex as it's music: Mabool (= the flood) - The Story Of The Three Sons Of Seven (= the heroes) is a concept album with every song reflecting another part of the story. It is starting with the birth of the three heroes, then describes their whole journey including all their adventures and finally ends with the flood which fills, covers and destroys the sinful Orphaned Land by a raging storm. The three heroes are the Snake, the Eagle and the Lion (check their sign, the triangle of the three which will be included in the artwork of the album) and they are described as the sons of Seven. They are the sons of the three monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) and despite the war of beliefs running in today's reality the heroes to prevent more bloodshed. Sadly their mission fails and thus they have to face the flood.
Welcome to the ark of ORPHANED LAND, welcome to a journey around the world!
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Style: Black Metal Progressive Death Me Black / Death Metal Black metal Death atmospheric black Melodic Black Metal Death / Doom Metal black-grind raw black atmospheric black Power / Progressive trash metal war black avantgarde death; sympho black black progressive rock Black Metal Black Metal / Pagan Metal Melodic Death Metal Black / Death Melodic Doom Death Metal Progressive Metal Black Metal / Death Metal Black Metal Melodic Metal Power Metal Black Metal Heavy Metal Sympho Black Metal Black Metal Black Metal Viking BlackThrash Metal Black / Death Metal Celtic Pagan Black Metal Black Metal Brutal Death / Black Metal Black Metal Black Metal Black / Thrash Metal Black / Doom / Death Metal Hardcore Heavy Metal Black Metal Black / Doom / Gothic metal Black Metal Black metal Speed / Power / Heavy Metal Black / Thrash Metal Black / Death Metal Black / Death Metal Grindcore / Death Black / Death Metal Thrash Metal Black Metal Death Metal Progressive Black Metal Power Metal Doom / Gothic / Progressive Brutal Death Metal Death Metal Death / Grind Black Metal Death Metal Melodic Death Metal Heavy / Power Metalcore Ambient Black Pagan Metal Progressive Metal Brutal Death / Gore Metal Black Metal Melodic Black Metal doom Doom / Stoner Metal Black / Death Metal Blues / Heavy Metal Black Metal Gothic Metal folk metal Black Technical death / grind Sympho Black Progressive Death Melodic death Black Black Thrash Black Metal Black Melodic Death Melodic Death Gothic Metal Black Metal Black Metal Grindcore Melodic Death Metal Hard Rock Death Black Death Black Melodic Death / Folk Metal Sympho Black Metal Heavy, Power Gore Death Metal Black Metal Avantgarde Doom Black / Thrash Metal Progressive Metal Power Viking Metal Melodic Black / Death Metal Black Heroic-Folk-Metal Black / viking metal Funeral Doom Heavy / Black / Death Doom Thrash Symphonic Death / Black Metal Heavy Power metal Viking Death / Industrial Folk / Black Metal fast black Anglo-Saxon pagan-black Sympho Power Metal Black / Doom Metal Power Black Metal Black Metal Power / Speed Metal Black Metal Industrial / Death / Grindcore Black Metal Black Metal Progressive Metal / Rock Heavy / Trash Doom / Sympho Black Metal Death / Grind Nu Metal heavy / power metal Brutal Death Metal Pagan Black Metal Power Heavy Black Metal Brutal Death Metal Brutal death metal Brutal Death Power / Thrash Metal Melodic Black Death / Black Death / Black Metal Black / Death Metal Grindcore / Death Folk Metal Melodic Death Metal Heavy Gothic Rock / Doom Metal Black Metal Heavy Symphonic progressive rock Melodic Death Metal Power / Progressive Death Metal Doom / Death / Suicide Rock Symphonic progressive rock Heavy / Black Hard Rock Progressive Power Metal Thrash Metal Hard `n` Heavy Gothic / Doom Metal Gothic Gothic Gothic Metal Groove metal / Metalcore Hard Rock Black Metal Sympho Black Metal Progressive Rock / Metal Death / Thrash Metal Black Metal Heavy / Thrash / Industrial AOR Ebmient / Industrial Death Metal Black Metal Thrash / Death / Grind Metal Black / Gothic Metal Harsh Grind / Death Thrash Metal Atmospheric Dark Metal Melodic Death / Gothic Black Metal Melodic Black Metal Progressive / Neoclassical Folk / Celtic Metal Heavy Metal Melodic Death Metal Industrial Power Metal Black Metal Thrash / Speed Metal Black / Doom / Thrash Metal Melodic Death / Black Metal Black Metal Viking / Folk Metal Grind-Noise Black / Folk Metal Gothic Doom Death Doom-Death Black Metal Death Metal ambient / darkwave / gothic Heavy metal Death / Doom / Gothic Doom Gothic Metal Thrash Black Black Metal Death / Melodic Black Metal Grindcore / Brutal Death Black Black Black / Grind / Death / Trash death metal Death Death / Thrash Power metal Sympho black-death / dark Black Thrash Metal melodic death Progressive Death / Doom Raw Black Metal Doom Death