ALL IS ONE

Orphaned Land is back with a new album. On the first couple of listens I was somewhat disappointed, but the album quickly started to grown on me and soon I realized that it is just as satisfying as the previous The Never Ending Way Of ORwarriOR. Though the band's masterpiece is the brilliant Mabool - The Story Of The Three Sons Of Seven. We get a high quality and very appealing blend of Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal, and Prog Metal. I am occasionally reminded of Kamelot, occasionally of Dream Theater, and (in a special kind of indirect way) Cruachan. While Cruachan brings Celtic and Irish Folk music into a varied Metal context, Orphaned Land is doing something very similar with Jewish and Middle Eastern Folk music. Both bands also include some extreme Metal elements and mixes clean vocals (male and female) with occasional growls. They utilise a plethora of "traditional" instruments painting a rich and exotic tapestry of sound.

With All Is One I feel that the band has streamlined its style somewhat compared to earlier efforts, but without losing any of its originality or poignancy. Prog fans are bound to notice the generally shorter tracks lengths, but don't let this mislead you into thinking that they have abandoned their progressive side. The material is strong throughout and they keep it varied enough to retain the listener's interest throughout. I find the album thoroughly enjoyable and inviting repeated listens.

Overall, All Is One is an excellent addition to any collection that already includes the band's previous two albums