Orphaned Land - 'The Never Ending Way Of Orwarrior'

Orphaned Land's latest CD The Never Ending Way Of Orwarrior has been six years in the making. The Israeli's band's fourth full-length is an 80 minute opus featuring keyboards and production work from Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson. The album's concept is based on the warrior of light, with lyrical topics drawn from modern life, including the conflict and strife in the band's native country.

The songs on The Never Ending Way Of Orwarrior are complex and layered, painstakingly constructed and diverse. There are elements of traditional metal blended with a lot of progressive parts and some Middle Eastern flavor. The 15 tracks on the album are weaved together to form a cohesive musical tapestry. If you deconstruct that tapestry, you'll find a multitude of tempos, intensities, textures and emotions.

Right off the bat, “Sapari” introduces female vocals to the mix along with Kobi Farhi's singing and growling. “From Broken Vessels” is a seven minute plus song that combines heavy riffs and harsh vocals with lengthy instrumental sections, folky parts and catchy melodies. “Bereft In The Abyss” is a mellow acoustic song with melodic singing, while “The Warrior” has a more epic and cinematic feel. One of the many highlights of the album is “Disciples Of The Sacred Oath II,” the longest track on The Way Of Orwarrior that encapsulates all the varied elements Orphaned Land brings to the table in one song.

Releasing an 80 minute album is asking a lot of the listener, especially when albums in the 50 to 60 minute range are the norm. Although there is a bit of filler and some lulls from time to time, Orphaned Land does an excellent job keeping the listener engaged thanks to songs that are both intricate and compelling. The Way Of Orwarrior is enjoyable the first time around, but is one of those CDs you can keep coming back to and always hear something new and fresh.

(released February 9, 2010 on Century Media Records)

Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.