German symphonic metal titans Xandria, return with a bold new chapter as they announce their upcoming studio album, Eclipse, set for release on 7 August via Napalm Records. The record spans eleven tracks and stands as the band’s most stylistically diverse work to date — a sweeping sonic journey where each song inhabits its own world while remaining unmistakably Xandria.
On Eclipse, classic ’80s‑infused metal riffs collide with low‑tuned modern heaviness; cinematic orchestration intertwines with Celtic folk textures; dark electronic pulses meet intimate rock atmospheres. Even the guitar solos wander beyond genre borders, at times echoing the emotive, spacious phrasing of Pink Floyd rather than traditional metal virtuosity. It is an album built on contrasts, colour, and fearless ambition.
The first glimpse into this new era arrives with “The Shannon’s Home”, a track that blends dreamlike folk melodies, sweeping orchestral grandeur, and the soaring, crystalline voice of Ambre Vourvahis. Both tender and epic, the song captures Xandria’s ability to move between vulnerability and spectacle with effortless grace. The single is now available on all major streaming platforms and is accompanied by a beautifully crafted official music video, which can be viewed below.
Band mastermind Marco Heubaum describes the single as: “A song like a beautiful, slightly dark fairytale — an analogy of life, pictured as the river Shannon flowing from its source to the sea… It was the first song we wrote for this next voyage of wonders, and we instantly knew it had to be the first one you hear.”
With Eclipse, Xandria present their most cinematic and outspoken statement yet — a vibrant, defiant album championing reason, empathy, and democracy in a world where all three are increasingly under threat. Fueled by renewed creative energy and a sharpened artistic vision, the band aim higher than ever, stepping confidently into a new era without looking back.
Watch the video for “The Shannon’s Home” below and enter the luminous, shadow‑touched realm of Eclipse. Link
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"I can call our show an emotional exhibitionism. If you want to drink beer and cry, please come to our show, haha." - Nokt Aeon
"We were outsiders, and nobody knew what the fuck was going on. We just listened to this extreme music that nobody else liked, and that made us very strong..." - Mikael Stanne
"There were already bands doing small illustrations of symphonic metal, and I was thinking, why doesn't someone do this all the time?" - Christofer Johnsson
"Goth people want to have fun sometimes too. I guess if your listening time is 99% dark, sad songs or evil black metal songs, sometimes you want 1% joy, and here I come." - Franck Hueso
