



XANDRIA - 'Sacrificium' (Album, 2014 Napalm Records) - 'Sacrificium' (Album, 2014 Napalm Records)

Xandria

Xandria

Sacrificium

Sacrificium

Sacrificium

Xandria

Xandria

Sacrificium

Sacrificium

Nightfall

Dreamkeeper

Nightfall

Stardust

The Undiscovered Land

Betrayer

Until the End

Sacrificium

Come With Me

Little Red Relish

Little Red Relish

Our Neverworld

Temple of Hate

Sweet Atonement

Xandria

9.0/10

Xandria are:

Dianne van Giersbergen - Vocals

Philip Restemeier - Guitar

Marco Heubaum - Guitar and Keys

Steven Wussow - Bass

Gerit Lamm - Drums







Note: The "limited edition" 2-disc set isn't available in the United States, so this review omits the bonus track "The Watcher" and any comments about the instrumental versions of the entire album. The American reviewer is sorry for any inconvenience. (No, not really... ) Please check out the band's official website at http://xandria.de/ and their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/xandriaofficial for more information.

Back in 2012, Germany'sunleashed "Neverworld's End" on an unsuspecting heavy metal world. It's an almost perfect collection of masterful symphonic power metal, and a huge departure from the previous, more "rock-oriented" endeavors released through the years when the wonderful Lisa Middlehauve fronted the group. Simply put, "Neverworld's End" is the best Nightwish album Nightwish never made, and that's meant as a compliment of the highest caliber.It's now 2014, and there have been more shifts in thelineup. The bass player left the group, but far worse was the gut punch the band suffered when Middlehauve's replacement, phenomenal soprano vocalist Manuela Kraller left to pursue different musical endeavors after only one album.Let's get one thing out of the way right away: this new album "" isn't as good as "Neverworld's End." In all fairness, the band had five years to work on that album since Middlehauve's swan song "Salome - The Seventh Veil" was released back in 2007. It would be inhuman to expect any band to produce another album so masterful and perfect only two years after such a masterpiece, especially with the changes they had to endure after they got off the road.So, on to the obvious question: is "" any good?Yeah, it's good. It's more than good; "" is a greatalbum. Most of what made "Neverworld's End" such a treasure is on display here: great melodies, tight musicianship, killer production, and amazing vocals from new girl Dianne Van Giersbergen (who is currently still doing double-duty fronting her other band Ex Libris).Where Kraller's voice is a deadringer for Tarja Turunen's, Van Giersbergen is slightly more "restrained" in her mezzo-soprano talent. She's able sing in a lower register when necessary, and at times it's somewhat easy to forget she's a soprano at all. She shines throughout, and this album secures her place among the best singers of the genre.The naysayers will have less to complain about this time around: whileare still very much a symphonic metal band, elements ofNightwish are infrequent at best. The band could have played it safe and churned out "Neverworld's End Part II," but while there are certainly a few similarities to its predecessor,"" stands on its own. "Expect the Unexpected" should be the album's mantra: Songs that start off as ballads suddenly explode into out-and-out heavy metal, spoken-word segments pop up witout warning, and balls-out heaviness sometimes gives way to passages of restraint.Opening mini-operetta "" doesn't have the immediacy of "A Prophecy of Worlds to Fall" that opened "Neverworld's End," and it almost seems to have been a conscious decision. The true power of the song emerges after a few spins. Its myriad of time-changes and melodies tease the listener as to what might be expected from the rest of the album without actually giving away any secrets of what's to come.," the second track, is where the band unleashes the beast, blasting out of the gate with Van Giersbergen's voice soaring over multiple layers of harmonious choir to what becomes the song's chorus. It's an uptempo rocker along the lines of "Valentine," but more ambitious, and the best choice for a single and video.This is an album that can be listened to over and over in its entirety without skipping tracks, as evidenced by "," which flows so beautifully from the previous track that it almost seems a calculated move. It's more "accessible" than "," and would make for an outstanding second single." begins with an introductory riff that recalls Iron Maiden's "Wasted Years" before immediately shifting gears into much faster territory. There's a teriffic mid-song instrumental section with a powerful riff that wouldn't sound out of place in the annals of Eighties' thrash metal with its slower crunch and subsequent build to speedy power metal madness. It's a definite high point on an album full of highlights." is a slower number that, while it would not sound out of place on the soundtrack to a Broadway musical, overstays its welcome by the four minute mark. It finishes with an entirely unnecessary minute-long coda that just makes the song all the more cumbersome to fully enjoy." recalls "Soulcrusher" from the previous album without sounding like a rehash. The opening sounds like it could have been lifted from Slayer's catalog until Van Giersbergen reminds otherwise. This is the "heaviest" Xandria song to date, musically harkening back in places to Metallica's early offerings." opens with some pretty pipes, and chugs along with a melody that could be classified as "lilting." This could have actually worked as a ballad, had the band chosen to record it as as such. As it stands, it's powerful stuff.Okay, so the Nightwish accusations aren't completely unfounded on "." The chorus of "" sounds too dangerously close to "Bless the Child" for comfort. It's still a good song.The adorably titled "" is a great retelling of the "Red Riding Hood" tale, with its bouncing melody over a hammering guitar riff before the song descends into darker territory. With lyrics like "Take off your maiden white dress/Your skin suits you best," "" beautifully alternates between "cute" and "cruel," just like the tale's subject matter!" slows the pace with a chorus that could double as an anthem. It's easy to envision throngs of fans swaying along in unison in time with the music with lighter and cell phone illumination while joining the band for the choruses.The almost folk-metal "" serves as the final slab of power metal, alternating again between excellent double bass drumming by Gerit Lamm and slower passages dominated by Marco Heubaum's keyboard runs.The aptly titled "" ends the album on a note of melancholy, but it's by no means a letdown. It's a nice to hear the band finish up the proceedings with a soft touch after so much heaviness.What else needs to be said? Philip Restemeier's frequent solos are testament to the man's guitar prowess, but thankfully never in the showy, overblown "Look at MEEEEE" fashion that plagues so many other symphonic/power metal bands. New bassist Steven Wussow fits the bill just fine. Everyone's individual talent blends together and proves thatis much more than a showcase for any one member of the group. There isn't a single moment here that comes across as anyone using the group as a stepping stone to finding individual "greater success." Isn't that the way it should be? ......Don Giro @ Black Phoenix Rising