Orphaned Land

The Profile

Orphaned Land is an Israeli metal band formed in 1991, widely credited with pioneering oriental metal by blending Middle Eastern and North African folk elements with progressive, death and doom metal. Known for concept-driven albums and themes of spirituality and coexistence, their catalog includes Mabool and The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR.

Formed in Israel in 1991 (initially as Resurrection) and active to the present, Orphaned Land blend Middle Eastern folk instrumentation with progressive and death/doom metal. They are associated with Century Media and have released albums including Sahara (1994), El Norra Alila (1996), Mabool (2004), The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR (2010), All Is One (2013) and Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs (2018). Core members include vocalist Kobi Farhi and bassist Uri Zelcha. The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR was mixed by Steven Wilson.

Reviews hail Orphaned Land’s fusion of Middle Eastern folk with progressive, death, and doom metal, spotlighting concept albums like Mabool and ORwarriOR. Instrumentation (oud, saz, bouzouki, qanun), multilingual lyrics, and spiritual themes stand out. Production and arrangements are praised as monumental and meticulously crafted. Vocals range from fierce growls to majestic cleans, earning strong acclaim.