Sacrificium
Sacrificium lets Xandria think big, but its strength involves more than the amount of orchestra and choir. The band leave sufficient room for heavy guitars, and Dianne van Giersbergen connects her operatic voice naturally with the metal. Singing and backing consequently feel like parts of the same song rather than forces pulling in different directions.
The title track starts on a large scale. Its length allows several shifts between symphonic development and firm guitar work. This ambitious opening makes it clear that Xandria want to offer more than a short route towards the first easy chorus. The metal remains an important part of the arrangement.
Stardust brings that approach into a more compact shape. Fast drums, active guitar parts and a strong vocal melody give the song plenty of momentum. The choirs broaden its sound without removing its direction. Betrayer pushes the energy further and reveals how much power metal sits beneath the symphonic surface.
The Undiscovered Land changes the mood through a slower build and touches of folk instrumentation. Such differences help the album become more than a long sequence of grand gestures. Little Red Relish returns to the immediate appeal of a big chorus and full backing. The voice preserves its character even inside those busy surroundings.
Not every song stays in the memory equally well. The performances are strong, but a careful arrangement does not automatically produce an equally compelling melody. The sound also belongs clearly to an established form of symphonic metal. Anyone mainly seeking a new direction will find less of that here. Xandria nevertheless use their familiar tools with conviction. Sacrificium contains enough weight, variety and strong singing to justify its large dimensions most of the time.
