XANDRIA

A breath of oriental magic, a slight touch of disreputableness, and the promise of a secret about to be revealed – these associations are conjured up whenever the dance of the seven veils is mentioned, be it in the title of the new Xandria opus, “Salomé – The Seventh Veil”, in connection with Herodias’ daughter, or with her legendary predecessors. The Persian goddess Ishtar is said to have performed this fabled dance to bring her husband, Tammuz, back from the underworld. Seven veils had to fall before her wish was fulfilled. Isis is also associated with the sevenfold unveiling. And didn’t Xandria’s 2003 debut, “Kill The Sun”, include a track entitled “Isis/Osiris”? The band surrounding vocalist Lisa Middelhauve have obviously always had a penchant for myths with an exotic flair.

When the band from Bielefeld, Germany, made straight for the album charts, carried by a Celtic breeze on the black wings of “Ravenheart”, that mythical element accompanied them. “Ravenheart” stayed in the charts for a whole two months, climbing to no. 36 and entrancing an ever-growing fan community with a fantasy video clip to support the title track. Various tours and festival appearances followed, including a number of shows in South Korea. Xandria had made it into the top league of German gothic acts! But instead of resting on their laurels, relying on their tried and tested recipe for success, the quintet headed for new pastures with their third album release, “India”. Be it on the title track, an orchestral uptempo number in true Nightwish tradition, or, supported by oriental vocals, on their pop-oriented excursions to adjoining stylistic landscapes – the group presented themselves as confident, mature and determined to use their emotive alternatives to mundane everyday life to the full, without exercising any kind of stylistic self-censorship – be it through their collaboration with the Babelsberg film orchestra, which added a considerable measure of quasi-cineastic bombast, or through an increased focus on that rocky guitar sound that marks the quintet’s shows.

“Salomé – The Seventh Veil”, produced under the direction of guitarist Marco Heubaum in collaboration with the other band members, sees Xandria reveal even more surprising facets, without losing sight of the central themes of their previous oeuvre. 

“Sisters Of The Light” with its Middle-Eastern pop leanings is strongly recommended to all oriental dance aficionados. “Vampire” or “Emotional Man”, on the other hand, come through the speakers just as vehemently and seductively, combining between driving guitars and haunting melodies all the strengths of the predecessor albums. The latter (as well as “Only For The Stars In Your Eyes”) is additionally supported by guest vocalist Mika Tauriainen’s (Entwine) vocals. Talking of vocals: Lisa displays an increasing tendency to use the lower register of her voice, which decidedly expands the expressive range of the new Xandria material. The powerful performance enhances tender moments such as the haunting piano ballad, “The Wind And The Ocean” even further through contrasting elements.

At the end of the day, there are not seven but twelve veils that fall song by song on “Salomé – The Seventh Veil”. Each one of them allows a glimpse of the band the way it is. And it is different every time, although the musicians succeed in keeping their secret in the end. The desire to hold another new and outstanding Xandria album in your hands two years after “India”, allowing another escape from familiar routines to enchanting musical worlds, has doubtlessly been fulfilled by the group’s fourth release.

"Salomé - The Seventh Veil" is the last Xandria album released by Drakkar Records.

www.xandria.de

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RELEASES

 

Xandria - Now And Forever (Best Of)

Tracklist:

01. Now & Forever
02. Ravenheart
03. Kill The Sun
04. In Love With The Darkness
05. Eversleeping
06. Only For The Stars In Your Eyes
07. The End Of Every Story
08. The Lioness
09. India
10. Save My Life
11. Ginger
12. Firestorm
13. Some Like It Cold
14. Black Flame
15. Like A Rose On The Grave Of Love
16. Sisters Of The Light
17. Mermaids (Child Of The Blue)
18. Drown In Me
19. One Word
20. Lullaby

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Xandria - Salomé - The Seventh Veil

Tracklist:

01. Save My Life
02. Vampire
03. Beware
04. Emotional Man
05. Salomé
06. Only For The Stars In Your Eyes
07. Firestorm
08. A New Age
09. The Wind And The Ocean
10. Sisters Of The Light
11. Sleeping Dogs Lie
12. On My Way

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Xandria - India

Tracklist:

01. India
02. Now & Forever
03. In Love With The Darkness
04. Fight Me
05. Black And Silver
06. Like A Rose On The Grave Of Love
07. Widescreen
08. The End Of Every Story
09. Who We Are (And What We Want To Be)
10. Dancer
11. Winterhearted
12. Return To India

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Xandria - Ravenheart

Tracklist:

01. Ravenheart
02. The Lioness
03. Back To The River
04. Eversleeping
05. Fire Of Universe
06. Some Like It Cold
07. Answer
08. My Scarlet Name
09. Snow White
10. Black Flame
11. Too Close To Breathe
12. Keep My Secret Well

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Xandria - Kill The Sun

Tracklist:

01. Kill The Sun
02. Mermaids
03. Ginger
04. She's Nirvana
05. Forever Yours
06. Casablanca
07. So You Disappear
08. Wisdom
09. Isis / Osiris
10. Calyx Virago

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MULTIMEDIA

 

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