Orphaned Land
Mabool

What is the difference between a yellow-catarro spit firmly stuck to the asphalt and a drop of dew sliding down the gentle curves of a leaf? This is exactly the difference between 90% of metal releases in recent years and Mabool: Poetry and Class, that's all.

They hail from Israel, the Orphaned Land, (or the "Terra Orfana", no coincidence..) and they know how to project the fascinating and warm polyphonies of their land into their music. A land scorched by the fires of a thousand conflicts, due to differences and the presence of numerous ethnicities, yet inevitably recalling the fresh breeze of a varied and multicultural country; but also the land that is the cradle (or host) of the three main monotheistic religions. Mabool centers on this, a fascinating concept about the unification of human hopes, in the continuous and exhausting search for ever more distant salvation.

Musically, they remain anchored to the metal continent, however always open to numerous influences and contaminations. Let me explain: Orphaned Land have a bit of heavy, some power hints mixed with ethnic music, flashes of death metal, black accelerations, and much, much more. In short, to put it briefly, let's call it "Prog" (you may have noticed my great sympathy for classifications, but regretfully they exist and serve a purpose). The voice of the frontman Kobi Farhi alternates a typical death growl with clean vocals that, for epicness and timbre, cannot help but remind one of Hansi Kursch, the voice of Blind Guardian. But quickly forget this name. In fact, the sound of Mabool is quite distant from the pomposity and classicism typical of power: on a rhythmic base now tight and typically metal, now tribal and folkloristic, Orphaned Land wisely blend tectonic guitars with oriental and Arab sounds, supported by the use of typical instruments like the sitar and the inclusion of evocative female voices. The alternation between violence and melody and the "Prog" attitude might bring to mind Opeth. Well, forget about them too. If you want to approach the record in question, forget the darkness and gothic decadence typical of the Swedish band of Mikael Akerfeldt.

The music of Mabool also carries with it anger, true, but at the same time it is bright and shining, with a streak of optimism that stands in stark opposition to the current trend imposed by the genre. In short, do a Complete Reset and start again.

"Birth of the Three" begins with a slice of everyday life... children singing with a slight accompaniment of drums that quickly make way for the guitars. The melody is immediate and enters straight into your soul: few can do that anymore. The break of ethnic music is stunning, where the sitar resumes the initial melody, the electric guitar accompanies gently, and a subtle angelic voice completes everything. "Ocean Land" is one of the best songs of the lot, featuring a dramatic yet captivating chorus, supported by an excellent keyboard base. It returns to the tribal with "The Kiss of Babylon (The Sins)." The ending is especially surprising, a sort of union between almost thrash guitars and a vocal litany sung almost like a lullaby with a strong oriental flavor. If "A'salk" is an acoustic interlude with the female voice in the foreground (also very appreciated), "Halo Dies (The Wrath of God)" shows us the more violent side of Orphaned Land, with a central break balancing between symphonic black and death that alone could overshadow half of Deicide's discography (worth noting is the original use of the synthesizer). The title track opens with keyboards that draw directly from the classical, and give way to a riff along the same coordinates: the electric guitars this time are at the forefront, and the drummer proves he can hit hard when needed.

I wouldn't want to bore you with the usual long and exhaustive list of praises and mechanical accolades (I think I've already made too many), so I'll stop here, also because I believe you have now grasped the significance of this work. Forgive the prolixity, but Mabool demanded it, its variety demanded it. What can I say, have you been craving a good trip to the Middle East for years and have never had the opportunity? The opportunity is here, it's called Mabool, and it saves you the cost of a ticket. Make it yours, put it in your player, put on your headphones. Close your eyes. Now you are there.