Israel's ORPHANED LAND is probably the only band from this country that has managed to succeed at building up a huge following among Muslims and Arabian people. These fans communicate freely via the band’s social networking pages, some of them even proudly bearing ORPHANED LAND tattoos, even though that puts them at huge risk in their home countries! Unfortunately, the ongoing political and military struggles still prevent ORPHANED LAND from playing in the home countries of its Arabian fans and friends.

As recent movies like “A Headbanger’s Journey” and “Global Metal” (in which ORPHANED LAND was featured) showed: the loudest, heaviest and most controversial music on earth can act as a universal language, bridging between opposites and overcoming all the obstacles that exist in our hearts and minds. The African musician Fela Kuti once said: "music is the weapon of the future" - ORPHANED LAND is the living proof of that!


While so-called "pagan metal" bands seem to be popping up around every corner lately, trying to conform to current trends instead of coming up with ideas of their own, SUIDAKRA have stayed true to the sound that they have become known for. Reaching new heights in their fourteen year history, the German celtic metallers return full steam ahead with their 9th studio album, "Crógacht". Combining fast melodic death metal, Irish folk music, and a torrent of harmonies, they prove yet again the ability blend several different influences into their unique sound. To put a spin on things, new elements are introduced, like traditional instruments (bagpipes, banjo, tin whistles), a sixteen member choir and epic orchestral arrangements.


Founded and based in New York City, GWYNBLEIDD is a band whose four members all hail originally from Poland. It is this experience -- leaving one’s homeland and relocating halfway across the world -- that served as the original inspiration for the band's debut album, Nostalgia. The album showcases Gwynbleidd’s signature style, blending elements of progressive metal, black metal, death metal, and traditional European folk music.