The symphonic gothic metal band from Germany named Xandria has been going strong for two decades. In that long period of time the band has sustained a list of line-up changes, including four vocalists after the departure of Manuela Kraller in 2013. Quickly rebounding, last October the band recruited Dutch vocalist Dianne van Giersbergen (Ex Libris). Riding the wind of change, the band release their sixth overall studio album, Sacrificium, and first with van Giersbergen and bassist Steven Wussow. This also marks the third straight album featuring production of founder and guitarist, Marco Heubaum, along with fresh techniques contributed by Joost Van Den Broekin (After Forever, Revamp) and Sascha Paethin (Edguy, Avantasia).
The album wastes no time and begins with the dramatic ten minute title song. Considering its long running time, the vary of genres within that frame go from symphonic sounds to darker and speedier metal with Gerit Lamm’s fast drumming. Immediately following, the song “Nightfall” is big and melodic with a guitar solo at the end, soothing the dramatic atmosphere nicely. The track “Dreamkeeper” represents the melodic side of Sacrificium. In the beginning of April, a video was released for the song which adapts the same fascinating theme of the album cover art of the phoenix and fire.
Keeping the fast tempo going with killer heavy guitar riffing, “Startdust” is next. The track has power that keeps you interested for its duration. Keeping the album balanced and the listener on their toes, “The Undiscovered Land” displays the softer side of the album while being adventurous, yet serene. On the contrary, “Betrayer” is heavier and darker with van Giersbergen’s dramatic voice fitting perfectly. With a hint of Celtic sound, “Until the End“ has beautiful melodies and a hopeful tone, standing out among the darker themed songs on Sacrificium.
Tapping a fountain of emotion, a melancholic vibe is felt on “Come With Me“, along with a beautiful melody. The keyboards saturate the track provoking feelings of sadness while the guitars provide enough aggression, bringing on a storm of memorable symphonic sounds. “Little Red Relish” has the catchiest chorus of the album. The song is, all in all, a very solid package and has a nice fast outgoing tempo making for a pleasant surprise toward the closing of the album. Continuing the same thematically styled force and angelic tones, “Our Neverworld” is epic and wistful, whereas “Temple of Hate“ represents fury and aggression. The journey concludes with the organic, heavily instrumental song “Sweet Atonement“. Tranquil and magical, the stripped-down style offers up a beautiful combination of piano and violin.
In conclusion, Sacrificium is quite a cohesive album which must be listened to from start to finish through its hour plus running time to truly grasp its impact. There are no songs that pop out alone, but then again, that is the point of an album; cohesion and balance. The soprano singing of van Giersbergen’s is the perfect fit for Xandria, and is a formidable follow-up to Neverworld’s End (2012). Conceptually, the album clearly highlights all the elements of sound which Xandria fans love. While this is the case, growth and chemistry will naturally develop with van Giersbergen part of Xandria from this point moving forward making future releases even more eagerly awaited. Each song is extensive, which shows the band’s dedication and passion for music, instead of considering the radio-friendly lengths. Xandria knows their fans, and the solid efforts of Sacrificium confirms the bands place in the symphonic and gothic metal genres. CrypticRock gives Sacrificium 3.5 out of 5 stars.
- Napalm Records
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