Orphaned Land: Mabool - The Story of the Three Sons of Seven

CD, Century Media 2004

Track list: Birth of the Three (The Unification) - Ocean Land (The Revelation) - The Kiss of Babylon (The Sins) - A'salk - Halo Dies (The Wrath of God) - A Call to Awake (The Quest) - Building the Ark - Nora El Nora (Entering the Ark) - The Calm Before the Flood - Mabool (The Flood) - The Storm Still Rages Inside - Rainbow (The Resurrection)

Orphaned Land hails from Israel and are actually the first Israeli metal band I've come across. One can hear their origins in the music, too. Their progressive death metal is spiced with Middle-Eastern and Arabic influences - they call it "Middle-Eastern Metal" themselves. The result is rather fresh and interesting. The album has a biblical theme, it tells the story of the Flood. Their songs certainly have narrative elements, so listening to the whole album in correct order is the recommended way to enjoy Mabool. ****