Orphaned Land

The internationally acclaimed Israeli metal band, winner of five peace awards and founder of the Oriental metal genre, will open the 2025 Manofim Festival with a one-time performance after more than a decade since they last performed in Jerusalem! Since its founding in 1991, the band has gained success in over 50 countries and has crossed boundaries of culture, religion, and geography through music that connects the extremes of East and West, past and future, material and spiritual. In their performance at the festival, they will showcase the best from all six of their albums, featuring surprising guests – a musical journey that will resonate far beyond any geographical, religious, and cultural boundaries, accumulating into a universal language.

Orphaned Land combines elements of ethnic Eastern music with progressive metal in a way that has never been heard before. In their illustrious career, the band has collaborated with a variety of musicians from Israel and around the world, including Steven Wilson and Metallica, and they perform all over the world, especially in Middle Eastern countries. The lyrics, which touch on spirituality and the connection between different beliefs, create music that appeals to a global audience, allowing the band to connect diverse cultures through a universal language that operates through sound and emotion beyond words. Rarely has a band managed to build a devoted fan base in Arab countries – a revolutionary achievement in itself, which has become even more charged and relevant in times like these. A deep connection of music, spirit, and unspoken language has created a rare bridge over political walls. As bearers of the title ‘the most successful Israeli metal band in the world,’ their performance in Jerusalem after so long is an event second to none. The spiritual connection, ethnic influences, and unique sound create a pinnacle of Jerusalem grace.