ORPHANED LAND: New Album Artwork Unveiled

Israel's progressive folk metal masters ORPHANED LAND will release their highly anticipated fourth studio opus, "The Never Ending Way Of ORwarriOR", in Europe on January 25, 2010 and in the U.S. on February 9 via Century Media Records. Mixed by Steven Wilson (PORCUPINE TREE, OPETH),who is also responsible for several keyboard parts on the new CD, the effort is a sophisticated concept album which takes ORPHANED LAND's unique brand of exotic, heavy music to soaring new heights in terms of complexity and catchiness.

Check out the "The Never Ending Way Of ORwarriOR" artwork (by Zen Two and Native) below.

Commented vocalist Kobi Farhi: "Even in the album’s artwork we combined Hebrew and Arabic, regardless of the fight between Jews and Muslims. I found a Jordanian guy, specialized in calligraphic artwork. He took letters from Hebrew and Arabic and moulded them in his art to create a symbol of peace. The whole artwork is mainly hand made as we are tired and a bit sick of too much Photoshop in many works. I truly believe that the work these guys did for us is something really special and we are very lucky to have it. You will soon see that simply every page of the album's booklet is a masterpiece!"

A brand-new webisode featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the photo shoot for the band's new album can be viewed below.

Added Farhi: "It's been two weeks since we launched our very controversial band photo [see below]. Most reactions were simply great and I've noticed more than a few discussions on it all over the Net. However, I also noticed that some people found it offensive or they just didn't like the idea.

"I must tell you this — this is the best band photo we have ever done. Finally our concept and music also was reflected visually. We will never offend any culture and our main thing is to unite people who are different, to let them realize that we are all the same, all one. Please think about the place we come from, then look at the photo again — this is ORPHANED LAND."

"The Never Ending Way Of ORwarriOR" track listing:

Part I: Godfrey's Cordial – An ORphan's Life

01. Sapari
02. From Broken Vessels
03. Bereft In The Abyss
04. The Path Part 1 – Treading Through Darkness
05. The Path Part 2 – The Pilgrimage To Or Shalem
06. Olat Ha'tamid

Part II: Lips Acquire stains – The WarriOR Awakens

07. The Warrior
08. His Leaf Shall Not Wither
09. Disciples Of The Sacred Oath II
10. New Jerusalem
11. Vayehi Or
12. M I ?

Part III: Barakah – Enlightening The Cimmerian

13. Barakah
14. Codeword: uprising
15. In Thy Never Ending Way (Epilogue)

Farhi previously stated about the upcoming CD: "As people that were born into the tragedy of our region, we have always been devoted to creating harmony between conflicts, a musical heaven on earth, a tango between God and Satan. Even in the album's artwork we combined Hebrew and Arabic, regardless of the fight between Jews and Muslims. I found a Jordanian guy, specialized in calligraphic artwork. He took letters from Hebrew and Arabic and moulded them in his art to create a symbol of peace. Same goes for our band photo, where we portrayed a synergy between the three monotheistic religions that believe in the same God and yet ridiculously have been killing each other for centuries 'in the name of God' and turned the holy land into an orphaned land. Naturally, we continued this idea of union on a musical level as well and the result is as always crazy, it's a miracle — in our concerts: our Jewish fans sing in Arabic and our Muslim fans sing in Hebrew, brave friendships have spawned and our Middle Eastern metal music destroys all this political witchcraft we have been trapped in for so long. This is a musical journey of hope in lands of war, creating heaven on earth, building a new Jerusalem."