Given Heubaum has been playing bass live with the band of late, as well as the fact that he wrote all of the songs, likely played most of the guitars (with Klawonn largely on lead duties) and the keyboards, and produced the album, it seems strange that he did not also play the bass. I am sure that there was good reason for such, but it is not immediately apparent. As with many symphonic metal albums, Eclipse opens with a bit of a scene-setter in Syzygy. It is not wholly instrumental, as there are some distant vocals mixed into the background, but it is is a pretty typical symphonic intro piece - with dramatic strings and a wide scope. It would not really be a symphonic metal album without one, though, and it segues nicely into the album's title track with Epica-esque choirs and a pretty snappy guitar riff. Xandria have often been a bit more guitar-driven than some symphonic metal bands but, even so, there is nothing virtuosic here from a guitar playing perspective. The main riff is hard-driving and memorable, though, and there is a decent energy laid down from the off. The song is largely mid-paced, though, despite an energetic feel being present, with Vourvahis immediately sounding great during the opening verse. She is less operatic than the band's previous vocalists, but she has a strong and characterful delivery and allows for easy-on-the-ear melodies - as is evident during the song's anthemic chorus. Choirs and the riff from the intro back her hooky delivery, whilst the band's heavier side is later on show during something of a riffy breakdown and a proper gothic choral section. That guitar prominence leads to more soloing, too, and there is a pretty shredded one here - before a brief harsh vocal-led section, another of Vourvahis' strengths. Those harsh vocals carry over to the intro of Colours, which showcases the band at their heaviest. The juddering riffing has something of a metalcore vibe, with the harsh vocals drawn out and powerful, but song at its core is still symphonic - with choirs early on and a much more typical sound once the first verse takes over. The heavier sections do rather stand out compared to the poppier verses, but there is still a decent crunch to them - whilst Vourvahis sings in a warm, poppy manner in front of a simple, dancing string motif. Big choruses are something of a trademark on this album, and there are a number here that really grab hold. That mix of pop and symphonic metal works well together for a bouncy chorus, which easily gets lodged in the brain, before a truly symphonic bridge section, that precedes another strong guitar solo, later sees some more operatic vocals utilised. The final chorus later makes use of a classic 1980s key change to great effect, too. The Shannon's Home was the album's first single, and it tones down the heaviness and goes for an overtly memorable, folky sound. There are strong links to Nightwish's Élan, here, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Folky whistles from McAlbi are utilised throughout, whilst the strings go for playful and whimsical melodies this time. The guitars in general are less present, and they largely just provide a tight backing. Large portions of the verses see them absent, with the bass and symphonics backing Vourvahis, but parts are bulked out by the guitars - and there is more of a drive to the chorus thanks to bigger riffing and some of the album's hookiest vocal melodies. This is a very memorable song from a vocal perspective, and it will be easy to sing along with live - although a heavier breakdown section later is also pretty memorable as it is the only such moment in the song.
The Grand Delusion returns to something more akin to the album's core sound - with a slow build up soon exploding into a dramatic, orchestral pattern around staccato guitar stabs and punchy drumming. Nothing here is especially original, but the songwriting is generally strong to the point that it does not really matter. The song's big intro is pleasing even if I have heard plenty of similar intros before, and the drama continues into a verse that mixes smooth vocals with accented walls of metal guitars. That sweet and sour approach has often been something that makes symphonic metal interesting, and there are a few riffier moments here that showcase that slightly progressive approach that the band have sometimes toyed with. Juddering guitar patterns, gothic choirs, and mechanical, pacy double bass drumming are also utilised during various breaks in the main song pattern - and this is not one that follows a basic verse-chorus pattern, even if there is another strong chorus that makes use of the song's intro to create something instantly memorable. Wave of Tanis is a bit more straight ahead - kicking off with something of a stripped back version of the song's chorus, Vourvahis' voice somewhat distant, before a mid-paced, orchestral riff gives way to a smoother verse. Stop-start guitars in the background do give the verses some bite, but this is one of the less heavy pieces here - with the guitars just providing the odd heavier stab here and there, as well as pretty high-octane solo that initially builds up behind Vourvahis' vocals. It is one of the album's longer solos, too, and it remains hooky throughout - which suits the song's overall melodic approach. Every part of the song feels crafted to be sang or hummed - so I can see it being played live on the band's upcoming tour. This includes another pretty big chorus, which sees Vourvahis really letting rip - singing in a powerful manner. Northstar is the only song here to not be solely written by Heubaum, as it was co-written by Vourvahis, but this does not really change up how things sound dramatically - even if the arrangement is more dynamic. The opening, string-based intro is very typical of the band's core sound, but there are some more acoustic-led moments here - with the first half of the first verse very stripped back, seeing Vourvahis singing delicately against some acoustic guitars. Some of the folky melodies showcased earlier in the album are back here, too, albeit played on the guitar this time. Lead guitar moments are quite plentiful, then, which sit nicely alongside the acoustic passages previously mentioned - whilst a later chorus is one that perhaps does not sound as big as some of the others at first but ends up growing to similar heights. The acoustic ending is welcome, too, again showcasing a somewhat more dynamic approach. Masquerade maintains the lead guitar focus of the previous song, at least early on, with a dramatic intro that builds around some hooky guitar leads - before a heavier section, with some of the fastest double bass drumming on the album, takes over. This is certainly a much more energetic song than is typical, then, with it feeling pretty fast throughout. The verses have a real drive to them thanks to Gatsios' drumming, whilst Vourvahis mixes things up by both singing in a faster manner and sometimes singing in a more controlled, slower manner as the band speed away beneath her. The chorus sees the guitar lead from the song's intro return, and it acts as a great anchor melody beneath the snappy and urgent vocal melodies - whilst a later bridge section sees harsh vocals return.
Starting the home straight, The Last Generation reins things in following the faster and heavier previous number - opening with some delicate piano melodies from Richard Wang and Vourvahis' gentle vocals. Aside from a few acoustic-led moments earlier in the album, nothing here so far has really been all that slow or ballad-like - with The Last Generation being the album's only really ballad. Vourvahis sounds excellent throughout, moving from delicate sections through more powerful, emotive moments - whilst a children's choir is utilised at times to fill out the arrangement. The piano and strings do a lot of the work here, alongside the choir, but the rest of the band do bulk out the chorus - alongside later bridge-like moments of the song which build in a slightly heavier fashion. A spacey guitar solo, courtesy of Lunatic Soul touring musician Mateusz Owczarek, elevates the song further - the knottier and jazzier vibes of some of its melodies different to the more shredded guitar approach taken elsewhere. The Poetry of the Real World returns to something more akin to classic Xandria, although the twin lead guitars of the song's intro and the driving, simplified drum beat do have something of a classic rock strut - despite the presence of the strings. Despite this, though, the song is a pretty typical, lush, mid-paced symphonic metal track. The bursts of twin lead guitar are welcome, but generally the guitars are a bit more in the background this time - with Vourvahis dominating throughout and the bass doing quite a lot of the heavy lifting during the verses. There is a bit of a crunch here, but not as much as there often is - meaning that this is another track that has really prioritised vocal melodies above all else. It is an easy song to sing, then, thanks in part to another pretty memorable chorus. A big guitar solo would have been welcome given the twin leads elsewhere - but sadly there is not one. There are some guitar leads used throughout the latter part of the track, but there is no proper solo. The album then comes to a close with Lore - its longest song at around eight and a half minutes. The longer run time allows the band to stretch out a bit more - and there are certainly some more intricate arrangements here. There is a bit of a progressive feel, but it is not as progressive as some of the bigger numbers on the band's last two albums. That being said, the lengthy intro is quite involved, with building strings and some busier guitar playing - with intertwining leads and off-kilter riffing at times showcasing that more progressive edge. Despite these moments, though, the overall song structure and sound is pretty typical of the album's core sound. Everything is built around a dramatic chorus, which packs a mid-paced punch and is easy on the ears, whilst a mid-section sees some folky melodies reintroduced. McAlbi's whistles are once again made use of, whilst some violin from Ally Storch (Haggard; Ally the Fiddle; Folkearth; Subway to Sally) adds to this more light-hearted moment. There is also a much heavier section later on, with crunchy riffing and harsh vocals - so the song really feels like it is trying to tick all of the boxes that have appeared on the album so far, whilst throwing in a few more progressive curveballs. Given that the song is the album's closing number, though, this kitchen skin approach works quite well. It does round up the album nicely, showcasing all of its core ideas one more time - whilst still remaining memorable thanks to that central, core chorus. It has been a while since I last listened to Xandria, but I have been enjoying Eclipse a lot over the past month. It is very much on familiar ground, but the songwriting is strong and the performance of Vourvahis in particular throughout is excellent. This is a band that has not always done itself many favours in the past due to the turnover of personnel, but the current line-up seems stable for now - and I am enjoying its output.
The album was released on 7th August 2026 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for The Shannon's Home.
No comments:
Post a Comment