ORPHANED LAND guitarist YOSSI SASSI has quit the band, he’s revealed in a statement.

The co-founding member and main composer of the Israeli outfit says he’s turning his attention to a new solo album – but vows he’s not turning his band on his past or his fans.

Sassi reports: “If there’s something stronger than our past it is our future, and our dreams, as we evolve and understand what is right for us in the path ahead.

“I always strive to be creative, innovative, compose the next authentic thing, and devoted my life to fuse and mix together the East and West. Books could be written on what I’ve done for and gone through since founding Orphaned Land. Above all, I’m most proud of my vast compositions, arrangements, production and the musical boundaries explored.”

He describes the band as “a dream turned into reality” but adds: “I feel that now, for all the right reasons, the time has come for new dreams.”

Sassi’s new solo work is to be entitled Desert Butterflies.

He reports: “The best is yet to come… I’m not closing the door on Orphaned Land members, and certainly not on you, my beloved and loyal fans, friends and followers. I’m never leaving you.”

The band released their sixth album, All Is One, last June, with frontman Kobi Farhi saying: “I feel that we took all aspects to a new level: the way we write, arrange, play and produce. We can’t stop listening to it.”

ORPHANED LAND played in Sofia, Bulgaria at a gig promoted by radio TANGRA MEGA ROCK on 11 October 2013.