Israeli prog metal outfit Orphaned Land lose their touch on All is One

All is takes is a few good listens to All is One to realize this isn't the same old Orphaned Land we've grown to know and love. Part of the change is literal, following last year's departure of guitarist Matti Svatizky. But it's also clear the band have truncated their tunes, eschewing their typical long, winding, progressive song structures in favor of more condensed tunes that are much shorter on average. This can often be a winning approach if a band is able to cut out the fat and streamline their sound, but there is also the risk of losing what makes a band stand out. The songs on All is One may be shorter, but it hasn't helped their focus. And to make matters worse, these cuts lack punch.

The first two tracks on their previous album, The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR, showcased perfectly how to forge a short, hard hitting blast of heavy metal, and then transition it into a more extended, progressive piece full of atmosphere and great instrumentation. All is One, however, discards that sense of variety, and is instead clogged with sterile five to six minute tracks that start off strong but lose their moxie as they progress. And to make matters worse, the album presents one of the most half baked and cliched representations of the Middle East in possibly ever. The first half of the album is hilariously over-reliant on delivering a Middle Eastern/Egyptian sound, even in comparison with their earlier works.

It seems as if their goal is to make damn well sure you know they're from the Middle East. Album opener "All is One" leads in with overly dramatic choir vocals, setting up vocalist Kobi Fahrl to make reference to the blazing desert sands in the album's very first line. In most cases, allowing your environment to color your music can be a positive, but here it very quickly begins to sound artificial. The only saving grace is that guitarist Yossi Sassi Sa'aron can typically be depended on to deliver a dazzling solo whenever the music gets stale.

Musically, this album is probably the most accessible of Orphaned Land's career and seems focused on moving away from many of the band's traditional elements. This may disappoint metal purists, but it really isn't a bad thing. At least in the context of this album, it's not where the real problem lies. Many of the songs are bolstered by a prominent orchestral sound, along with plenty of acoustic folk elements. "Let the Truce Be Known" is accented by mellow flute and a martial drum line, while the acoustic stylings of warm hearted power ballad "Brother" sounds like the band's take on Opeth's "Harvest."

"Fail" is easily the most metal song on the disc, with Kobi Fahrl's deep death vocals. He pulls them off very well considering that he usually sticks to clean vocals, but the material itself is dripping in cheese. An overabundance of spoken word vocal sections lose their initial impact quickly, but at least the guitar parts are melodic enough to keep things interesting.

The latter half of the disc tends to falter somewhat. Instrumental "Freedom" starts off strong out of the gate but loses quickly loses steam. Its attempt to marry heavy metal guitar with Latin infused acoustic rhythms is a well conceived design, but the song suffers from lack of distinctive riffs outside of the opening. This is the general problem with many of the later songs on All is One. Many of them open with powerful, distinctive riffing but become more generic as it goes along. The gypsy beat of "Shama'im" can't save it from mediocrity, while "Ya Benye" suffers from awkward vocals and doesn't accomplish much of anything from the first note to the last.
All things considered, All is One is certainly a listenable record with a pleasing overall sound, but that should be a matter of course for a band as accomplished as Orphaned Land. The biggest sin still comes down to just how cheesy the entire affiar is. They miss a golden opportunity here. If, say, Orphaned Land were a metal band who just so happened to be from Israel, interpreting the contours of today's metal scene through the lenses of guys who grew up in one of the most volatile areas of the world it could be genius. And for the most part, that's what we got out of the early part of their career.  

Sahara fascinated with its dune blasted black metal, and for once gave us a black metal record that wasn't inspired by some permanently frozen forest in Finland or Norway. But on All is One, Orphaned Land push the Middle Eastern tropes to such an extent that it almost comes across as caricature; nearly every song on the record sounds like it could be on the soundtrack to a Mummy movie starring Bela Lugosi. The biggest shame of it all is that it obscures the fact that Fahrl rightly brings up some very pertinent and serious issues that have historically plagued his native Israel. And this is, in fact, the biggest failing of All is One; it takes a sound influenced by one of mankind's cradle of civilizations, and distills it down to little more than a gimmick.

Score: 71/100
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Related posts:

Orphaned Land - Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR album review
Orphaned Land live at The Masquerade, Atlanta
Interview with Orphaned Land guitarist Yossi Sassi Sa'aron

Totally Unauthorized's Most Anticipated Albums of 2013

As satisfying as it is to close the page on another year, it's never too soon to start surveying what the new year will bring us. This year doesn't boast as impressive a list as the one we had at this time last year, but there are still more than a few heavy hitters primed to get music fans salivating. In no particular order:

Arcade Fire - TBA

Montreal indie rockers Arcade Fire can lay claim to having released one of the most revered albums of the previous decade with 2004's Funeral. But their contributions to the current decade are none too shabby either. 2010's The Suburbs was one of those rare albums that bridged the gap between the Pitchforky indie world and that of the mainstream, having snagged the coveted album of the year award at the Grammys in what was a colossal breakthrough for the entire independent universe. Few details have been unveiled about its encore, except that the band is aiming for a end of year release. It would be no surprise if it was an album that once again redefines the status quo.

Atoms for Peace - Amok
February 26

Radiohead's Thom Yorke has never been one to sit idly by. Following the mixed reception of 2011's King of Limbs, he's gotten back to work with a new side band, Atoms for Peace. But he's hardly the only heavy hitter involved in the project, which also includes Chili Peppers' bassist Flea and producer Nigel Goodrich. "Default," the album's lead single, indicates a very chill electronic vibe (not surprisingly), but its B-side, "Watch What the Eyeballs Did" exposes a bit more experimentation with a wall of brass horns providing a subtle mood and coloring, while an infectious bassline roars beneath. With this exotic lineup, Atoms for Peace seems primed to deliver one of the first big blows of 2013.

Nine Inch Nails  - TBA

Among the many accomplishments Nine Inch Nails's Trent Reznor can point to is that he popularized an entire genre of music and brought it to the mainstream with with a series of releases beginning in 1989 and culminating a decade later with The Fragile. He hasn't confined himself to Nine Inch Nails however. With his quality work with various side projects, as well as the praise he's garnered for his film score work, Reznor has established himself as a one of a kind mind in the music industry and cementing a place for himself within its annals. Now, it appears more NIN work is headed our way, possibly sometime around summer. It will be a point of great interest to see what direction Reznor's creative juices will flow following the band's hiatus that occurred after their supposed final tour in 2009.

My Bloody Valentine - TBA
Pretty much any day now

Remember Loveless by My Bloody Valentine? Remember how influential it was at the time, how dizzying it all was? How it summed up not just a genre, but an entire subset of a generation as a whole? Remember how they never followed it up? There's a good chance you don't. Many of today's hip youngsters weren't even born when that disc was released in 1991, but now the band is on the cusp of finally releasing new studio material. They've been deliberately opaque about an actual date or details, but perhaps that's fitting for a band that's been shrouded in the mist of history and expectations as My Bloody Valentine have been. The mastering stage is apparently complete, so it shouldn't be long before the band breaks its silence.

Steven Wilson - The Raven that Refused to Sing (and other Stories)
February 25

It takes no small level of trust to insert Mr. Wilson on this list, given that the last several releases he's been involved with are somewhat spotty, but he must be given his due. The announcement of the oddly titled "The Raven that Refused to Sing (and Other Stories)" came as a bit of a surprise given that his last solo album, Grace For Drowning hit shelves just over a year ago. "The Raven that Refused to Sing (and Other Stories)" will mark his third solo release in five years, and is said to focus on supernatural themes and lyrics. The 12 minute lead single "Luminol" is largely instrumental and is bolstered by a flowing infectious bassline, while offering a heavy helping of solos on almost every instrument imaginable. 

Bad Religion - True North
January 22

As a band that's been around since the Reagan era, Bad Religion have long ago cemented their principles. They helped reign in the era of pop punk that dominated the 90s and have stuck around long enough that most people aren't sure what constitutes punk today, or if it even still exists. What is certain is that the band's 2010 album, The Dissent of Man, was a tasty concoction consisting of driving melodic rock and roll complemented by politically conscious lyrics. The title song of True North has been issued as its lead single and promises more of the same.

Earl Sweatshirt - Doris
TBA

When they aren't grabbing critical acclaim they're at least grabbing headlines, and Odd Future isn't looking to let up in 2013. Since there's no telling when Tyler will deliver Wolf, or if it will be worth the wait, Earl Sweatshirt has positioned himself as Odd Future's best hope going forward. The 18-year-old rapper certainly has a lot on his mind, as evidenced by the introspective lead single "Chum." Earl's emergence has signified an infusion of new blood into hip hop, and his ideas are already shaking up the scene.

Autechre - Exai
March 4

Out of all their IDM contemporaries, Autechre have always been the most experimental, dissonant, and challenging. Often described as being heavily influenced by computers and technology, Autechre's output has often sounded like something you would physically have to be a computer to enjoy. However, the British duo have typically found a way to extract method from the madness, and the crackling cacophony tends to morph itself into something beautiful. There is no other artist on earth who does anything quite like Autechre and they'll be doing plenty of it in 2013, given the announcement that Exai will clock in at an astounding 2 hours.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - TBA
Spring 2013

Yeah Yeah Yeahs have been through quite an evolution. They started off with a very grimy, low key indie rock sound with an obvious Brooklyn flair, before morphing into the shimmering electro-pop found on 2009's It's Blitz! Not may details are known about their upcoming fourth full length album, but if Karen O is successfully able to work her magic once again it will be an extravaganza you won't be able to take your eyes off of.

A$AP Rocky - Long Live A$AP
January 15

The hype for A$AP Rocky has been building since his high profile signing with RCA in 2011, and has been riding the mixtape circuit while his fame and fanbase increases every day. He possesses a veteran presence and savvy on the mic that belies his youth, and his debut LP features plenty of today's best and brightest stars. Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Skrillex, and Big K.R.I.T. are but a few guest stars he's brought along. Add to that the hype Long Live A$AP has already garnered, including a best new music tag from Pitchfork, and it appears certain that this will be the first key release of 2013.

Orphaned Land - TBA
TBA

For Orphaned Land, it's been a long journey from their dusty black metal roots to progressive metal. For their fans, it's usually a long journey from one record to the next, as the acclaimed Israeli metal outfit usually takes about five or six years between albums. This time around, though, they appear to be bucking the trend, as recording has already commenced on the followup to 2010's The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR. That album snagged this site's album of the year award that year. The new album will be the first since the departure of guitarist Matti Svatizky, who left last year for what he termed as personal and professional reasons. Orphaned Land is aiming for a midyear release.

Totally Unauthorized: 2010 Album of the Year Awards

Alright, so 2010 is now in the books, what a great year it was, yadda yadda yadda. The closing of a year means it's now time for my 2010 albums of the year segment.

Well, in all seriousness, it was a pretty great year for music. As always, the indie scene had tons of great stuff coming out. I guess with the diversity of everything that could be considered indie, that's pretty much the norm. Bands like Vampire Weekend, Spoon, Gorillaz, and Deerhunter had traffic stopping releases this year, but will it be enough for them to claim a coveted award here or will some young up and comer snatch it away?

Rap also had a pretty solid year. Nas and Damian Marley treated us with some reggae infused hip hop with Distant Relatives, and new personalities like Drake and Nicki Minaj got their first big shot on the major stage. But the rap year in 2010 will likely be known as the year of the comeback, as Eminem and Kanye West made big returns from slightly disappointing previous releases, and Big Boi made his emergence as a solo artist.

And in country music, it was also the year heralded duo Brooks & Dunn broke up. Also huge was a string of concerts by a certain country legend known as Garth Brooks, that took place toward the year's end.

But now, seriously this time, here are my picks...

Folk Album of the Year

The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt

The indie folk scene is well known for producing great music. We've gotten such great artists as Bright Eyes, Bon Iver, Iron & Wine, and even the legendary Jeff Magnum. But this year none were able to top the Dylan-esque stylings of Kristian Matsson, better known as The Tallest Man on Earth. 

His guitar is crisp and clean, and much of his playing has a wonderful made-for-NPR type of sound. His vocals are a little rough, but in time you'll come to love them. But what really astounds is his lyrical content. 

The title track, which has been on heavy rotation on my IPod for months, delivers a poetic message that you can't be afraid of life or death and you just gotta take it as it comes. Kudos to you, Kristian.

Runner up: Phil Selway - Familial

Jazz Album of the Year

 

Brian Culbertson - XII

2010 was a solid year for jazz. Guitarist Pat Metheny, a legend in the field, released a great digitized jazz album with Orchestrion, Vijay Iyer showed off his piano virtuosity with Solo, while Paul Motian's Lost in a Dream and Brad Mendelau's Highway Rider also lit up audiences this year. 

But I'm going in a little bit of different direction with my pick. I love jazz, but I also love groove, and I think a lot of other people do too. Enter Brian Culbertson, a jazz pianist with some definitely funky stylings. 

His piano work is accessible but still respectable, and XII features jaw dropping guest appearances from Faith Evans, Brian McKnight, and Avant, among others.

Runner up: Pat Metheny - Orchestrion

Country Album of the Year

 Jamey Johnson - The Guitar Song

It may be lonely at the top, but it's a bitch at the bottom. After cutting his teeth for the last four years (which included being dropped by his label, BMA, in 2006) it's safe to say things aren't a bitch for Johnson anymore. His double album, The Guitar Song, is easily one of the statements of the year.

In a time when the country music industry is brimming in music that is brimming with corporate manufactured sheen, Johnson delivers something that feels true and organic.

At times the line tends to blur between rock and country, as there is some great guitar playing to be heard here. And Johnson's deep, rugged voice spins a message that just won't let you go.

Runner up: The Secret Sisters - The Secret Sisters

 

Biggest Disappointment 

of 2010

M.I.A. - /\/\ /\ Y /\

Coming off the release of her stunning Kala album three years ago, 2010 was shaping up to be a defining year in the career of Maya Arupugilism. But the wheels started to fall off before the album even released.

Maya was caught up in ugly battles with the pres and had her credibility undermined, but had a chance to make up for it. But for the first time in her career Maya simply fell flat. The personality and creativity that made her first two albums stand out so much was nowhere to be seen here.

It all degenerated into loops of electronic garbles coupled with a blatant attempt to to appeal to the party/hip hop/club scene. After finally cracking the mainstream, it looks like Maya tried to cash in on it. Unfortunately, she missed the mark here.

Runner up: Vampire Weekend - Contra

Most Out There Album of 2010

Avey Tare - Down There

No surprises here. The mad genius who helped engineer Merriweather Post Pavillion returned in 2010 with his own solo LP, and it becomes very obvious where the main influence in Animal Collective lies. 

Tare has once again assembled what essentially is the soundtrack to an acid trip, but there are some departures from MPP's formula. Down There has a much murkier vibe, with an ever-present water theme providing a unique coloring to the album. 

Complete with twisted vocals, bizarre lyrical imagery, and beats that can only come from a mind like Tare's, it's harder to get much more out there this year than Down There.

Runner up: Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz

 Most Overrated Album

Big Boi - Sir Luscious Left Foot... Son of Chico Dusty

Critics and fans alike raved about the debut solo album from the other half of the dynamic Outkast duo. Virtually everyone I've heard from says this album is the second coming of Biggie or something, but you'll have to color me unimpressed. 

My main turn off is the super sleek pop sound presented on this record. It doesn't sound like anything currently being played on MTV, but it sounds like something that could be. I also found this record a bit over the top at times. And it's hard to deny that Big Boi's lyricism is nowhere near what it was during his Outkast heights.

Runner up: Vampire Weekend - Contra

 Best New Artist

Best Coast

I've got to admit I was on a Bethany Cosentio trip for quite awhile. Nevermind Katy Perry; if you've ever had a fantasy about the perfect indie chick, Cosentio is your dream girl.

She's the perfect combination of rocker/hipster/stoner all wrapped up into one babe. Oh yeah, and then there's also the music. With their debut Crazy for You, Best Coast presents a lo-fi brand of sunny California surf rock that sports a retro vibe.

It all floats by like a breezy summer day and its hard not to get caught up in Bethany's sugary melodies. I wish they all could be California girls...

Best Live Show

Paul McCartney at the Bridgestone 

 

Well, obviously. How is anyone supposed to outdo Hey Jude, Blackbird, Let it Be, Yesterday, Pepper's Theme, The End, and the list goes on. But it's all just more reasons why I can't deny that Mr. McCartney put on the best show I saw this year.

Paul brought his band to Nashville for the first time this summer and did his best to convince us that he's an "up and coming artist," but that's about the only thing he wasn't able to succeed at. Other highlights included his performance of Something as a tribute to George Harrison.

Toward the end, he even allowed a pair of fans up on the stage to get autographs and to rock out. It's hard to get much classier - or better - than Sir McCartney

 

Electronic Album of the Year

Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles

 

Crystal Castles began carving out their niche two years ago with their self titled debut. It was big on electronic pyrotechnics and video game/arcade sounds, but here the Edinburgh duo opted for a slightly different approach.

Ethan Kath displayed a brilliance in composing dreamy soundscapes that I haven't seen in years; truly no one can quite arrange .midi files quite like this guy. And Alice Glass made major strides forward in being an anything goes vocalist with mind boggling assortments of different vocal effects from song to song.

Tracks like Intimate make it easy to get your rave on, Doe Deer will make you think you had a bad trip, but perhaps the most interesting experiment comes with the Sigur Ros sample on Year of Silence.

And even though the remixed version wasn't included on the album, the duo's collaboration with Robert Smith on We Are Not in Love captured headlines all over the musical world.

Runner up: Yeasayer - Odd Blood 

Rap Album of the Year

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

The word for Kanye this year was rebound. 808s and Heartbreak, quite frankly, wasn't that great, and Kanye had taken several hits to his image after sloughing through numerous PR failures. 

But that all came to an end with his Good Fridays series and the release of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, an effort that is being lauded by practically everyone everywhere. Some even argue that Kanye is redefining rap. 

But however you look at it, it's hard to deny the creativity and ingenuity displayed here. And it isn't just Kanye who lights it up here. Everyone from Rihanna, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, and Pusha T came out in full force to make this album a stunner. 

Masterful use of samples, undeniable rhythm and flow, and brilliantly selected guest spots enable Fantasy to shine with the brightest of 2010.

Runner up: Nas & Damian Marley - Distant Relatives

Rock Album of the Year

 Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

Finally, Arcade Fire will be known for something other than Funeral.

Their previous effort, Neon Bible, may have been considered something of a step backward but the Canadian septet made it all right with The Suburbs. It's more of a rocking, Springsteen-esque album that focuses on the inevitably of growing up and getting stuck in a routine.

It's easy to hear the frustration and tension in Win Butler's voice as he imagines being stuck in a boring white picket fence 9-to-5 type of life.

Musically, the album moves around from the driving rock of Empty Room and Month of May to the electro pop of Half Light II (No Celebration) to more relaxed mellow rockers like Ready to Start and Deep Blue.

And let's not forget the bouncy 80s pop vibe of the unforgettable Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains). With The Suburbs, the Canadian septet has painted a breathtaking portrait of the world growing up, and Arcade Fire is growing up along with it.

Runner up: Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest

Metal Album of the Year

Orphaned Land - The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR

It's hard to deny that 2010 was a pretty lackluster year for metal. Iron Maiden flamed out spectacularly, and not much else really notable came to the forefront. Still, Orphaned Land was a bright spot.

The Never Ending Way of the ORwarriOR was the long awaited and anticpated follow up to Mabool, released all the way back in 2004. It was a long wait, but Orphaned Land's tale of good vs. evil, of light against darkness was well worth it.

The prog metallers from Israel combine death metal and progressive metal with folk elements into a dazzling array of Middle Eastern flavored folk/metal. About the only band capable of pulling that vibe off better is Opeth, which is no small praise.

Runner up: Blind Guardian - At the Edge of Time

Song of the Year

 Kanye West feat. Pusha T - Runaway

2nd Place: Arcade Fire - Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)

3rd Place - The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt

Runaway is an obvious pick for song of the year. It's tough to think of a song that emboides so many elements, and pulls them all off so well. 

You have catchy hooks, impassioned R&B singing, well placed samples, solid rapping, and a very outside the box vocoder piece that even fuses a bit of electronica into the mix. 

Granted, the vocoder part runs on a little long, and with all the quiality competition out this year that was almost enough to knock it from the top spot. But in the end, Kayne's toast to the douchebags runs away with Best Song of 2010 award.

Album of the Year  

Orphaned Land - The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR

2nd Place: Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

3rd Place: Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

On my short list you have two albums that are trendy picks to win this category. I decided to go in a slightly different direction.

I found Orphaned Land to be slightly more consistent here; The Suburbs had a few sleepy tracks and as big of a fan as I was of Kanye, there were a couple of tracks I could live without.

That's not to say that every track on the ORwarriOR is necessarily perfect, but with this album Orphaned Land takes you through a mystical oddesy that weaves so many different elements together. It's just enough to lift Never Ending Way of the ORwarriOR into this year's top spot. 

Orphaned Land's ORwarriOR crushes all beneath its might

Genre: Progressive Metal
Century Media
Running Time: 78:23

Coming all the way from the dusty dunes of the Middle East, straight from the doorstep of Jerusalem, I give you Orphaned Land, progenitors of Israeli progressive/death metal.

It has been a long wait since thier last album, 2004's Mabool, but Orphaned Land proves the wait was worth it. The Never Ending Way of the ORwarriOR, is an imposing opus that reminds us of everything that's great about progressive death metal, and the method of delivery is probably unlike anything you've been listening to recently.

Orphaned Land works its magic by combining metal guitar riffing with acoustic, middle eastern folk inspired soundscapes. They remind me of a Middle Eastern Opeth. Both bands have folk influences.

Think of Opeth cuts like "Patterns in the Ivy" and you can get a sense of what I mean. And the combination of melodic and death vocals present on ORwarriOR is something else that Mikael Akerfeldt is well known for.

Vocalist Kobi Farhl has one of the best clean singing voices in the genre. The first several tracks on Mabool placed more an emphasis on growled vocals, but ORwarriOR focuses more heavily on actual singing. As a death growler, Farhl doesn't sound like a natural but he's adequate.

What he does possess is a truly epic, inspiring, and uplifting voice. He unleashes the full majestic quality of his voice on songs like New Jerusalem and Bereft in the Abyss, but whether he's singing, chanting, or shrieking, Farhl is guaranteed to astound you.

Also integral to the Orphaned Land mix is guitarist Yossi Sassi Sa'aron. Primarily, he's a beautiful melodic guitarist, but is also capable of delivering deafening blasts of metal riffery to deliver a shock to your senses. For proof, check out "From Broken Vessels" or "Barakah."

Sa'aron also proves himself capable of delivering spectacular guitar solos. The extended guitar outro on "The Warrior" is a wonderful example, but his solo on "Disciples of the Sacred Oath 2" is in another league. The aura delivered by the notes ringing from Sa'aron's guitar sears through the atmosphere like a heat wave rolling out of the Arabian deserts.

The female vocals delivered by Shiomit Levi provides another magical facet to the Orphaned Land recipe. She's used sparingly, but the contributions she makes on "Sapari" and "New Jerusalem" help take those tracks to the next level.

The Never Ending Way of the ORwarriOR is an epic journey, meant to be listened to as a whole, but if there's one standout track I'd recommend you listen to it would be Sapari. "Sapari" features Levi's alluring vocals followed by Arabian-sounding chants while Yossi Sassi Saron's guitar cuts through everything like a knife. The two vocalists do an expert job of playing off each other.

There are many subtle things that Orphaned Land do that make all the difference in their music, and this "Sapari" exemplifies that as well as any other. There's a great octave shift that occurs later in the song, which provides the song with a whole new level of intensity.

What I also liked is there's a refrain where the guitar riff always stops. It serves as an epic buildup to the final refrain at the 3 minute mark where the guitar just continues straight on through. It's a small touch, but it makes all the difference.

Lyric writing also proves to be another of Orphaned Land's strong suits. They tell of an epic struggle between light and darkness, and of the journey to confront evil. The lyrics also pull verses from the Bible and the Koran to provide a more authentic feel.

As with any progressive metal album, there are some moments where the album tends to drag a little bit but Orphaned Land do a good job of staying grounded and never sound too over the top. The drumming is good but I feel that it takes a backseat to the rest of the instruments and that the drummer gets forgotten about some of the time.

It's not a major complaint but I think the album would be even more amazing if the drums took a more central role some of the time. I also feel like Sa'aron's guitar solos were slightly better on Mabool, but Orphaned Land fans won't be disappointed with what he comes up with here.

All that aside, though, Orphaned Land have really outdone themselves this time and are almost a lock for metal album of the year. The Never Ending Way of the ORwarriOR is deeper than the secrets of the Nile and grander than the halls of King David. This album is a mandatory listen in 2010.

Score: 93/100

Interview with Yossi Sassi Sa'aron from Orphaned Land

I caught up with Yossi Sassi Sa'aron, guitarist from Orphaned Land, after their show at the Masquerade on Oct. 5. I chatted with him about Iron Maiden, and his favorite concert venue, among other things. My friend Josh Rogers starts the interview, then I take over at about 5 minutes in.

Katatonia brings taste of Swedish Metal to the Masquerade

There’s something about a metal concert that words just can’t quite capture.

There’s the thump that you feel in your heart every time the drummer hits the kick pedal. The basslines that you could never seem to make out on the CD become so dynamic and fluid as it pulses through the crowd. And then, there is the decibel factor. When you leave a show, your ears will still be ringing when you wake up in the morning.

I got a chance to witness three great bands perform at The Masquerade in Atlanta Monday night, each with their own distinctive style and background. Progressive Rockers Orphaned Land, hailing from Israel, Finnish Doom metallers Swallow the Sun, and Swedish hard rockers Katatonia. It was an unbelievable night of metal that I won’t soon forget.

Hell Hath no Fury Like a Concert Goer Cramped

First, a little about the venue. The Masquerade consists of two concert arenas; the upper level is called Heaven and down below is Hell. Makes sense, right? Heaven, from what I’m told, is a spacious venue where the major bands play. I got to witness these fine bands straight from the jaws of Hell.

Hell is smaller and much more cramped, but you get a chance to get closer to the bands. If you go up the ramp on the right hand side there’s a seating area to the side of the stage, and there’s literally nothing but a rail separating you from where the band plays. You can slap fives with the band, etc., between songs and sets, and it makes for a great atmosphere.

Everybody jump for Orphaned Land!

The show kicked off with Orphaned Land, whose influences range from Iron Maiden and Depeche Mode to the more traditional Middle Eastern music of their homeland. On their albums, they’re well known for using a diversity of instruments, but here they went with strictly a guitar/drums/bass setup.

They interacted with the crowd very well. The guys looked like they were having a great time on stage, and that energy transferred into the crowd – It was something they could feed off of.  Their vocalist, Kobi Farhl, would instruct the crowd to jump while the band played, trying to get them into it even more.

I also thought it was cool how the drummer really got into it to. He would stand up behind his kit and try to get the audience into it. 

Orphaned Land brings a taste of the Middle East to Atlanta

Swallow the Sun Swallows the Tempo

Next up was Swallow the Sun, a band I had the privilege to see perform at the Muse in Nashville in 2009, and I also met their vocalist, Mikko Kotamäki there. When they took the stage the lights dimmed which made for a more gloomy atmosphere. 

Swallow the Sun slowed down the pace from the frenetic, bouncing around tempo that Orphaned Land established, but it helped set the mood for their style: a much more slow, heavy , doom type metal vibe. They do a fantastic job of creating atmosphere. 

Vocalist Kotamäki is capable of pretty melodic vocals, but can also deliver deep growls – picture Mikael Akerfeldt type growls. And he also pulls off bloodcurdling shrieks. They have great melodic guitar leads and expert arrangements on keyboard . 

Drummer Kai Hahto was also impressive. He was keeping some complex beats on the drum pads while employing lightning fast double bass. 

Myself and Josh Rogers with Juha, Mikko and Aleksi from Swallow the Sun

Chill Out: It’s Time for Katatonia!

The last band of the night was the headliner, Katatonia. What amazed me about them was how they were able to go from having a very mellow, chillout vibe one minute to being heavy as hell the next. I can’t think of many bands who can combine that as well as Katatonia. 

Their sound is based on pretty, melodic guitar leads and flowing bass lines, while still bringing the intensity of a metal band. Katatonia was playing without guitarist Fredrik Norrman and bassist Mattias Norrman, who left in 2009.

Katatonia’s appearance got the crowd even more engaged than before; The audience began  energetically chanting for “Forsaker.”  Somebody threw a bra onstage. And then the moshing broke out. 

The last major metal concert I went to gave me the chance to get my first brush in a mosh pit. It was neat; I got a major scrape right under my chest. The moshing didn’t really get started until Katatonia got into the meat of their setlist, but when it did it became frenetic.

Katatonia brings down the house at the Masquerade Monday night.

After a short encore, Katatonia was done and it was time to head home. I mingled with members of Orphaned Land and Swallow the Sun, who had gathered down by the merchandise table. I also snagged some merchandise, took photos, and got an album signed. The experience put a considerable drain on my bank account, but it was worth it for the great time and memories made.

I said there are things about a metal concert that can’t be put into words, although I guess I tried my best here. The best thing I can say is get out to your local venue and support some bands if you get the chance. You’ll see what all the fuss is about.

Katatonia has officially achieved Rock God status.