Israeli progressive folk metal masters Orphaned Land will release their new studio album, “Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs”, on January 26, 2018 via Century Media. Jens Bogren once again took over mixing and mastering duties of what turned out to be the band’s best and biggest production so far.
“Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs” features a guest appearance of guitar virtuoso Steve Hackett as well as guest vocal appearances by no other than Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian) and Tomas Lindberg (At The GatesS). The great album artwork was created by Valnoir.
The official video for the new song ‘Like Orpheus’, featuring guest vocals by Kürsch, can be seen below.
Kürsch comments: “What a marvelous song. I heard it and fell in love with it immediately. What keeps me so thrilled about it is this perfect blend of different musical cultures and the constant wave of emotions these guys have woven together in a stroke of genius. This song, as all their works, is a strong statement for humanity. I am really proud to be a part of such a fantastic family. All is one!”
Orphaned Land‘s Kobi Farhi adds: “It is a little bit hard for us sometimes to release only one song, especially as there is a whole concept album to follow. But if we have to choose one song to start with, it’ll be ‘Like Orpheus’.
“In Greek mythology, it is told that Orpheus‘s singing was so beautiful, that even the stones and the earth fell in love with his voice, to a point that the earth was open and that’s how he ended up going down straight to hell. At the chronology of the concept of our story, this is the story where the hero leaves Plato‘s cave for the first time, and it is the first time he exposed to the light, to the new truth of all the shadows he considered to be the truth before. Being overwhelmed from this revelation, he describes the world and his feeling with singing, and his singing is so beautiful that he is like Orpheus himself in a way.
“We are so happy to feature one of the most humble gentlemen on the planet, a real rock star and a simple beautiful soul — Hansi Kürsch from Blind Guardian. Hansi is such a singer, he and his singing is literally like Orpheus.
“The story of the cave of Plato and the use of Orpheus are just allegories. In this video clip, we chose to tell the true story of some metalheads from the Middle East. Their daily lives is some sort of a cave, their culture, the way they dress and their customs may give an impression that they are utterly different, while the truth is that they escape to the same world, the world of metal, while they never met each other and cannot start to imagine how similar and one they are.
“On a personal note: Metal today is still considered as Satanism in many societies and countries, especially in the Middle East and it is still banned in many countries from our region. Metal is one of the best co-existing communities we ever get to know, so all of you metalheads out
there — think about those metal heads from the Middle East, cause they are here to stay!”
‘Like Orpheus’ is available as a digital single on all download and streaming platforms and also as instant-grat track on iTunes and Amazon. All physical formats of the new album “Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs” are also available for preorder now.
The release of “Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs” will be followed by an extensive European tour in early 2018. There will also be a U.S. tour already in September 2017.
“Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs”
Track listing:
01. The Cave
02. We Do Not Resist
03. In Propaganda
04. All Knowing Eye
05. Yedidi
06. Chains Fall To Gravity
07. Like Orpheus
08. Poets Of Prophetic Messianism
09. Left Behind
10. My Brother’s Keeper
11. Take My Hand
12. Only The Dead Have Seen The End Of War
13. The Manifest – Epilogue
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Orphaned Land’s latest album “All Is One” was released in North America on June 25th 2013 [one day earlier internationally] via Century Media Records. The cover artwork for the follow-up to 2010’s “The Never Ending Way Of ORwarriOR” was created by the French artist Metastazis [Paradise Lost, As I Lay Dying, Sonne Adam, Watain] by perfectly incorporating the three biggest religious symbols into one piece of art.
“All Is One” was mixed by Jens Bogren [James Labrie, Devin Townsend Project, Opeth] and was recorded in three different countries: Israel, Turkey and Sweden. Ironically, these countries are Jewish, Muslim and Christian, respectively, which strengthens the Orphaned Land message of unity through music. Over 40 musicians were used to flesh out the sound of “All Is One”, including 25 choir singers and eight classical violin, viola and cello players from Turkey.
To read our review for “All Is One”, click here.
The current line-up consist of: Kobi Farhi – Vocals, Chen Balbus – Guitars, Idan Amsalem – Guitars, Uri Zelcha – Bass, Matan Shmuely – Drums.
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Video for ‘Like Orpheus’ feat. Hansi Kürsch
Video below “Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs” (Album Teaser #2)
Video below “Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs” (Album Teaser #1)