ORPHANED LAND (Eng.)
– Hi, thanks for your time. What are you currently up to? How is everything doing right now with ORPHANED LAND?
Hello! We are in just less than a week to the release of ‘All Is One’ worldwide, feeling already super anxious towards the release of the album, sharing it with all the world after all this hard work we put to make this album our best album ever. At the moment we are working hard on promoting the album and the message behind it around the globe in any possible way, booking as many shows as possible, tours, trying to reach new places we still haven’t been to. As usual all of us have something else to contribute regarding his specialities to help Orphaned Land grow larger than ever, as we are more focused now with ‘All Is One’.
– You have just released your new album, entitled «All is One». What are your expectations on it? And how are the first reactions being?
So far ‘All Is One’ seems to be our most promising album ever to release, from the singles that we released («Our Own Messiah», «Let The Truce Be Known», «Brother») people already claim it to be our masterpiece. ‘All Is One’ to us is our best album and the strongest album we have ever made. I’m sure it will and it already opens many doors for Orphaned Land. Now those are only the comments on the singles, and yet the are rally amazing! I can’t wait to see what people will think when they will hear the whole album in its entirety. I believe in this album.
– It’s obvious the band’s reputation and success has grown a lot during the last years, due to this I would like to know if you are now more picky with your own material and if you feel more pressure when creating a new opus.
That’s usually the case when making an Orphaned Land album, We always try to top the previous album and do our best to release every time a magnificent masterpiece that will open new doors for us. also now ‘All Is One’ was released much faster than previos album who took 7 years to release between each album, now our goal is to release another masterpiece within a shorter period as well. We feel more than just ambassadors for Israel, we feel like a voice for all of those who live in the reality of the middle-east, of war and hatred by the force of politicians and the media, the voice of those who want to live in peace. with the power of music we sound their voice around the world.
– In fact I personally could say, after giving the record some spins, you have perfect your own sound and trademarks, somehow you have perfected your own recipe blending all your different elements on a superb way. Is something important for you to top over your previous release? I guess musical evolution may be strongly connected to personal evolution too.
It is very easy just to go on some musical direction with each album, but to us it’s boring. As people we always like to explore more and know more, always fascinated by new things, evolving to be better and learn from what we did and how can we produce something much better. it’s very important for us to show that we don’t only do one thing, we won’t release ‘Mabool 2’ for example. if someone wants to hear ‘Mabool’ he can just listen to ‘Mabool’ over and over. each album has to have something unique that you can approach to it whenever you need a certain mood or atmosphere or any kind of message.
– In fact, for what I’ve read, the own band feels this is your best album to date so, is this is somehow the ORPHANED LAND’s climax; where are your musical limits?
I don’t think we have any limits to tell the truth, as a metal band, we showed it is possible to combine so many element from our culture and many different cultures in a significant way that fits perfectly together, creating ‘Oriental Metal’. We will always try to overcome what we did and produce a better album each time and it will always be to how we feel and want it to be, never restricted by anything. Music is about freedom and that’s what we want to show when we produce our music, no boundaries.
– Digging deeper into this new effort; what are some of the main concepts behind it? I guess that is strongly connected to the cover artwork.
‘All Is One’ is the main subject on the album, but ironically the album deals with how we all fail to see that ‘All Is One’. The purpose of ‘All Is One’ is to show that we are all the same – unite all the religions to be as one and not fight each other and encourage hatred between religions. as simple as it is, taken from the lyrics of ‘Our Own Messiah’: «Can’t we see that all we are is one? «. With ‘All Is One’ we wish to show the world there is more than just bad, there is room to make a change towards peace.
– On production terms «All is One» sounds excelent as well so, would you mind to tell us how was the recording and production process like? If I’m not mistaken you recorded the album in three different countries.
‘All Is One’ is definitely the best sounding album we have ever recorded, Other than previous albums, this one is also the first to be recorded abroad while all the previous albums were recorded in Israel. ‘All Is One’ has lots of ‘firsts’ – the first to feature the two new members Matan Shmuely (Drums) & Myself (Guitars, Keyboards), The first to be recorded in three countries: Israel, Turkey & Sweden at Fascination Street Studios, The studio of Jens Bogren (Kreator, Opeth), helping ‘All Is One’ to be the best sounding Orphaned Land album ever. ‘All Is One’ featured over 40 musicians from all sorts of musical directions. Yemenite singers, Arab Female vocals, 8 Turkish Orchestra strings, 20 choir singers. ‘All Is One’ as considered our most tragic album shows in any possible way that all we are is one. You can hear that it is a true Orphaned Land album, but still doesn’t never sound as a previous one.
– Structures are also stronger and in general compositions seem to be better developed. Did the songwriting process change at all this time around? You have always been a band with really diverse and complex sounds so, is the songwriting something organic or more of a conscious effort?
The songwriting process was a focused work of Chen, Kobi & Uri on the material that Orphaned Land gathered through time along with the new compositions that Chen brought to the band. The arrangements were made by Kobi, Chen & Uri on Chen’s home studio, just thinking about the ideas that we want the choirs, orchestra or any other instrument to play on the songs.either recorded them with singing or writing them on midi tracks, then letting the conductors to transpose it to each instrument. Basically until we headed to the studio – we had 15 versions of each song, having a full home-made album, ready to be recorded, each time we find new ways to produce and work faster.
– With time you have left a bit aside your most Metal facet and focused a bit more on atmospheres and your Folk influences. I would like to know if this was a chosen path you took or if this is rather the band’s nature.
At first we were all just teenagers who wanted to make heavy metal music, Until Uri thought we should be more unique and bring our roots and culture into our music. that was probably the best choice ever made for Orphaned Land. From that we learned by each album, tour or what so ever that that’s the right way for Orphaned Land, We always like to explore and know more, not just going straight by how it is in the book. that chosen path made Orphaned Land the unique band it is today. it was of course natural for us to combine all those elements since it’s taken from our everyday lives, our cultures, roots.
– And I would also like to know if the band’s musical influences have been changing or broading throughout the years.
I wouldn’t say ‘changed’, but we have definitely grown and learned to about more music around the world that helped us enhance our musical vocabulary and 
thanks to that, none of our albums sound the same as the other. We are always variated by many elements we learn about through our musical journey.
– All this about «All is One» being said; how could you describe it in just 3 words?
To describe ‘All Is One’ in just 3 words, I would just tell to read the title. as simple as it is – ‘All Is One’ straight forward.
– And finally; what are your near-future plans?
We have the summer festivals coming up soon, a huge release show in Israel, a two month European tour with 50 shows and great support acts that support the idea of ‘All Is One’. Orphaned Land is never resting to expand all over and share our music and message.
– That’s all, thank you once more for answering our questions. If you want to add some final words; feel free to do it.
Always remember that no matter what is our religion or where we are from or what we are, all we are is one. All Is One!
