A few weeks before its official release, I had the chance to give to the newest Xandria’s product a first listen. Here are my various thoughts on it (minus the tears):
1ST LISTEN
01.Sacrificium – It starts with a crescendo, that soon takes over and releases its true power. The choir is majestic, sort of reminds Epica’s best works. It feels like a Dreamwork masterpiece is about to start. Then the music gets faster and the amazing voice of the singer breaks out, like some siren calling out from the shadows of the night. As we get to the middle of the song, the atmosphere changes, and seems to slow down a bit. Then an amazing and heartwretching instrumental starts. A speaking voice narrates a tale, followed by more solos and a great display of a very good technique. Last but not least, the finishing minutes are given to the singer alone, in a tears-calling ending.
02.Nightfall– If the first song had started as a little spark, to end up as a big boom, the following track releases and shows its true colours from the first seconds. ”Nightfall” is way more energetic, fast; the guitar heavier and sharper than before. Dianne’s voice doesn’t seem to be an entity separated from the music, quite the opposite: it’s another lay of this piece, perfectly fitting it all.
03.Dreamkeeper – The third track on the album is different from the previous ones: the start is just as awe-inspiring and rich as its predeccessors’, but the verses are more clear, simple, a trait that allows the listener to fully feel Dianne’s voice. The strong guitars come back on the choir and pre-choir, while the intro is given to a keyboard that hints to a very emotional ballad that doesn’t ball into the old clichè.
04.Stardust – It begins with a refreshing guitar riff. The rhythm is way more catchy than in the previous tracks, and the singer’s finally put in the spotlight, giving more space to her amazing vocals. The choir stands out and is quite different from the rest of the piece, offering variety to a great 5+ minutes work.
05.The Undiscovered Land – From the very first seconds, it’s clear that this song is going to be a one-of-a-kind. The celtic elements are effective and very much present, but the typical and unique Xandria style doesn’t go away. The lyrics and Dianne truly take us to another land, painting landscapes free and wild. At around two minutes, the beat starts to grow and the music becomes more melodic and strong, to continue this way until the last few seconds.
06.Betrayer – It takes the title alone to understand that this song is going to be a mean bitch. True to this, it starts off with heavy drums and repetitive sounds, over which Dianne’s voice sounds clear. The guitar’s riffs fuel this pointing-fingers-at-the-enemy atmosphere. The choir, once again, is terribly operatic, but it doesn’t make the lyrics melancholic, as one might think; quite the opposite, the words are underlined and empowered by this particular style.
07.Until The End – Pipes welcome us to this new journey, soon followed by drums and guitars, and everything in between. The instruments are put to rest for short seconds, as the signer’s voice raises. Then, the two elements mix together, in order to create the amazing and cinematic sound that’s become one of Xandria’s strongholds. While racing towards the end, the pipes come back in the background, giving this song an excellent sorta-celtic-but-not-really feeling.
08.Come With Me – We’re introduced yet again into a new dimension, with this somehow-sadness-tinted piece. The start is simple and dream-like, and as time goes by, the music gets heavier and Dianne creeps in, her tone calm and charming, as if she was a siren enchanting us, asking us to go to „a place far away”.
09.Little Red Relish – There’s no denying this is one of the most aggressive songs on the album, musically-speaking: the instrumentals are rich and beastly fierce. The choir’s deliciously catchy, supported by dark riffs and clean drums in the background.
10.Our Neverworld – Piano and a soft background are the companions of Dianne’s voice in this journey. Suddenly, the music increases and guitars come in, just to disappear again and let simplicity take its toll. An old style guitar riff shines at around 2:35 minutes, soon followed by the singer’s voice, operatic once again.
11.Temple Of Hate – Celtic elements and heavy guitars mark a very definite rhythm, that gets faster and then stops, to give in to Dianne’s voice. There are multiple layers: the singer displays an high and operatic, powerful and majestic style in the background, supporting the main vocals, leading and strong. The lyrics are emphasized by this particular choice.
12.Sweet Atonement – Piano and a violin create the right atmosphere for this song, which, from the title, one would expect to be Level A Heartbreaking (and so it is). Dianne’s sweet voice stands out and follow the piano note’s lead, growing but never exceeding, keeping the lullaby-ish style. This ballad will leave your sould empty, because all your emotions will come out with the tears that will automatically flow as you’ll get to the instrumental parts (violins solo!).
By Michela Sereni
