Xandria Album: “Salomé: The Seventh Veil”

I have enjoyed Xandria since their first major release, Kill the Sun, and I have found that they reliably produce quality albums. Salome is no exception. This album continues Xandria's tradition of fusing hard-edged guitar riffs with the melodic/symphonic touches that are not far removed from Within Temptation, Leaves Eyes, or Nightwish, but also maintain the accessible grasp such as Lacuna Coil and Elis. Moreover, the symphonic elements are more subtle than, say, Epica, but they do not stray into sugary pop-metal like Lullacry. Additionally, their music is often tinged with world-music sounds, that hearken images of the Middle and Far East.

Unlike other female-fronted bands (i.e. Epica and Leaves Eyes) there are no male death vocals/grunts. While some listeners may miss this contrast, I think it works well for Xandria and enhances their broad appeal.

But ok, let's talk about this album. The track listing (which at this time does not appear of Amazon's description) is as follows:

1. "Save My Life" -- 3:37

2. "Vampire" -- 4:31

3. "Beware" -- 3:21

4. "Emotional Man" -- 4:03

5. "Salomé" -- 6:11

6. "Only for the Stars in Your Eyes" -- 3:17

7. "Firestorm" -- 4:50

8. "A New Age" -- 3:37

9. "The Wind and the Ocean" -- 3:24

10. "Sisters of the Light" -- 3:37

11. "Sleeping Dogs Lie" -- 4:11

12. "On My Way" -- 3:51

13. "Sisters of the Light" - Remix

Many of these songs are immediately catchy, such as Vampire and Sisters of the Light. Others are slower-paced and almost somber, such as Salome. The album makes occasioned use of electronic beats and rhythms -- more so than in previous albums, but they are kept burbling in the background, and blend well with the Eastern themed music. See the ultra-catchy song "Sisters of the Light" for an example. Their step towards more electronica elements is also reflected in the bonus song (which depends on the album version you buy) which is track 13 - a club remix of Sisters of the Light. I like the album version of the song, but don't care much for the remix. I think remixes are a rather pointless edition to albums anyway, so maybe others will find it more attractive.

My only criticism would be that this album is not a dramatic advancement or evolution over the India or Ravenheart albums. I often think of a song and cannot remember which Xandria album it came from, as if the songs were all baked from the same recipe. However, I don't want this to sound too negative, as I immensely enjoy India and Ravenheart and so lack of evolution may not be such a bad thing. If you like oatmeal cookies, don't tinker with the recipe too much. Changing the recipe will eventually evolve the oatmeal cookie into something totally different. So here, Xandria reliably delivered what they have delivered before.

I would highly recommend this album if you are a fan of female-fronted rock or metal bands, or if you recognize and enjoy some of the bands I listed in my discussion of Xandria's style. Xandria will play well to fans of symphonic metal as well as fans of more mainstream rock styles.