Progtopia Archives

"Oriental metal" is a term that has become more widely-applied in recent years as bands from the Middle East have gained prominence, but perhaps no band personifies the style more than the pioneers of the genre, Israel's Orphaned Land. For two decades, the quintet has combined the aggression of metal, the intricate nature of progressive rock, and the melodies and languages of their region into a sound that both defies easy description and brings people from many different cultures and religions together, even in countries where their music is considered subversive and is banned. Always highly political in their message, Orphaned Land (Chen Balbus [guitar], Uri Zelha [bass], Kobi Farhi [vocals], Yossi Sassi [guitar], and Matan Shmuely [drums]) has recently released their album All Is One on Century Media, with tracks designed to make you consider what it is that separates you from your fellow human beings and why those differences ultimately don't matter. Host Mark Ashby spoke with Farhi about the band's stance on religion and politics, the concepts behind their albums, how Orphaned Land has become an underground code among fans, and the effort by those fans to nominate the band for the Nobel Peace Prize. Find them on the Internet at www.orphaned-land.com.

Featured tracks/excerpts:
"Ya Benaye"
"A Call to Awake"
"The Simple Man"
"Our Own Messiah"
"Fail"

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Originally 12 July 2013

Direct download: Progtopia_034_For_Orphaned_Land_All_Is_One.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:19pm EDT