Xandria – ‘Eclipse’

(Napalm Records)

There are certain albums that simply demand to be played loud. Albums where the volume knob becomes less of a control and more of a suggestion, because anything less than a decent blast of noise simply doesn't do the music justice. Xandria's Eclipse is very much one of those albums. Dark, dramatic, cinematic and gloriously expansive, this is symphonic metal that understands the importance of spectacle without allowing the spectacle to completely overshadow the songs.

Eclipse arrives as the second album from the current Xandria line-up, following 2023's The Wonders Still Awaiting. If that record represented a rebirth, Eclipse feels like the point where the new incarnation of the band has truly found its feet. Xandria themselves describe it as their most diverse work yet, and that's certainly an accurate description.

What immediately strikes me is just how cinematic this album sounds. Xandria have never been strangers to orchestral grandeur, but here the arrangements feel even more ambitious. The Sofia Session Orchestra & Choir add considerable weight, while the influence of film composers such as Hans Zimmer and John Williams is particularly evident in the way the music builds atmosphere and tension. This isn't simply metal with an orchestra bolted onto the side. The orchestration is woven into the fabric of the songs, creating something that feels much closer to a genuine soundtrack to some enormous, as-yet-unmade fantasy epic.

And yet, for all that grandeur, Eclipse is surprisingly muscular. The guitars aren't content to sit politely underneath the orchestra. There are plenty of chunky, modern riffs, alongside flashes of classic Eighties metal influence, giving the album considerably more bite than some of the more delicate examples of the symphonic genre. That combination of old-school metal muscle and modern production works exceptionally well.

It's also an album of contrasts. Beautiful melodies can suddenly give way to darker passages, atmospheric keyboards rub shoulders with heavier guitar work, and Celtic folk touches occasionally emerge from the orchestral landscape. There are even darker electronic elements and moments where the band step outside the traditional symphonic-metal template altogether. The result is an album that refuses to sit comfortably in one particular box.

At the heart of it all is Ambre Vourvahis, and what a performance she delivers. Her voice is one of the album's greatest strengths because she isn't restricted to a single style. There are moments of delicacy and vulnerability, soaring melodic passages, powerful rock vocals, darker growls and full-blown operatic drama. Rather than using different vocal techniques simply for the sake of showing off, Xandria use them as another instrument in the overall arrangement. The range is genuinely impressive.

There is also a greater sense of purpose behind Eclipse. This isn't merely an album about dragons, fantasy worlds and escapism, although there's certainly enough cinematic atmosphere to satisfy anyone looking for those things. The lyrical themes are considerably more direct, dealing with the state of modern civilisation, reason, empathy and democracy. There is anger here, but also a sense of urgency and defiance. Xandria have something to say, and they're saying it with considerably more confidence than before.

I particularly like the way the album manages to balance the grandiose with the intimate. Symphonic metal can sometimes fall into the trap of believing that bigger automatically means better. More orchestra. More choir. More bombast. More everything. Eclipse certainly isn't shy in the bombast department, but there is enough restraint within the arrangements to make the climaxes feel genuinely earned.

The musicianship is excellent throughout. Marco Heubaum handles guitars, keyboards and songwriting, with Robert Klawonn adding guitar firepower and Dimitrios Gatsios providing the thunderous rhythmic backbone. Heubaum's production approach also deserves credit. The album sounds huge without becoming an indistinct wall of sound, while Jacob Hansen's mixing and mastering give everything plenty of clarity and punch.

The Celtic elements are another particularly welcome touch. Tin and low whistles bring an earthy, almost ancient quality to parts of the record, contrasting beautifully with the modern metal production. These touches give Eclipse a sense of identity beyond simply being another symphonic metal release.

‘Eclipse’, the title track is a magnificent showcase for everything Xandria are about. Huge orchestration, muscular guitars and dramatic melodies provide the backdrop for Ambre Vourvahis, who delivers an astonishingly versatile vocal performance. Soft and emotional one moment, powerful and operatic the next, she even throws some darker growls into the mix. Epic doesn't begin to cover it.

One of the more immediate songs on the album, ‘Colours’ combines a strong melodic hook with cinematic grandeur and some excellent guitar work. There's a wonderfully uplifting quality beneath the darker atmosphere, while the orchestration gives everything an enormous sense of scale. A real ear-catcher.

‘The Shannon's Home’, beautifully atmospheric and slightly mysterious, this is Xandria at their most enchanting. Celtic folk touches, dreamy melodies and orchestral flourishes create a fairytale atmosphere, while Ambre's vocals bring both intimacy and power. There's something wonderfully timeless about this one.

Things get considerably heavier on ‘The Grand Delusion’, with chunky guitars providing plenty of bite beneath the orchestral arrangements. The song has a darker, more confrontational edge, but Xandria never lose sight of melody. Dramatic, powerful and impressively bombastic.

Another cinematic adventure, ‘Wave Of Tanis’ ebbs and flows beautifully between atmospheric passages and heavier sections. There's a sense of movement throughout, with the orchestration constantly adding new layers. A richly textured piece that rewards repeated listens.

‘Northstar’ is absolutely gorgeous. This is one of those songs where the combination of folk influences, soaring vocals and symphonic grandeur simply works. The Celtic touches add something wonderfully distinctive, while the chorus has the sort of epic quality that should sound fantastic in a live setting.

Dark, theatrical and slightly sinister, ‘Masquerade’ brings a different shade to the album. The arrangements have plenty of drama, while the guitars provide enough heaviness to keep things firmly rooted in metal. Ambre again proves she can shift effortlessly between styles.

‘The Last Generation’ is a hugely ambitious piece with an almost film-score quality. The piano and children's choir add another emotional dimension, while the heavier sections provide plenty of contrast. Lyrically more direct and defiant, it's one of the album's most striking moments.

‘The Poetry Of The Real World’, is more intimate and reflective, this provides a welcome change of pace. There's still plenty of symphonic colour, but the songwriting takes centre stage. Beautiful melodies and another excellent vocal performance make this one of the album's quieter highlights.

What better way to finish than with an eight-and-a-half-minute epic? ‘Lore’ brings together so many of the album's ingredients: orchestration, metal, Celtic instrumentation, violin and Ambre's remarkable vocals. It feels like the closing chapter of a cinematic journey, gradually building towards a suitably grand finale. An excellent ending to an excellent album.

Ultimately, Eclipse is Xandria sounding confident, ambitious and unafraid to experiment. It is dark without being relentlessly miserable, melodic without becoming sugary, heavy without sacrificing atmosphere and cinematic without disappearing up its own orchestral backside.

For me, that's the real achievement here. Xandria have made an album that feels enormous while still remembering that underneath all the orchestras, choirs, keyboards, guitars and dramatic vocal performances, the songs themselves have to work.

And they do.

Eclipse is symphonic metal with imagination, muscle and plenty of heart. It's an album that rewards repeated listens because there is always another layer waiting to reveal itself. If you're a fan of epic, cinematic metal but still want guitars with some serious weight behind them, this deserves your attention.

Dark, dramatic and gloriously cinematic. Xandria have found their eclipse and it's a very impressive one.

9/10

Essential Track – ‘The Shannon’s Home’

Review by Woody