“We are an Israeli band being followed by a huge amount of Arabs and Muslims,” says Kobi Farhi, lead singer of the Israeli heavy-metal band Orphaned Land. “This is without any political agenda. … It’s the power of music.”

Long popular in Turkey, the band members have now applied for Turkish citizenship, which will allow Orphaned Land entrée to perform in Arab countries.

“As a Turkish man, I will be able to come to Syria, Egypt, Lebanon and Iran, to meet our fans,” Farhi explains in this video. “Our music has no nation and no religion.”