Xandria is a German symphonic metal band, founded by Marco Heubaum in 1997. The band's music combines elements of symphonic metal with light electronic elements and rock.
After various demos they released their first album in 2003, entitled
Kill the Sun, which reached #98 on the German music charts. All songs which were to be found on the demo already plus another five which had been written in the meantime were recorded for it with producer Dirk Riegner, also known as the keyboard player of Secret Discovery and recently as the producer of Milú.Within one week the instruments were recorded, for the vocal recordings the band again went to Bochum to the small studio of the producer. Afterwards, the album was mixed on the grounds of the Horus Sound Studios (also Guano Apes etc.) in Hannover at a small studio of mixing engineer Modo Bierkamp. Three months later, the result - provided with an artwork by Kai Hoffmann (also Secret Discovery) - hit the stores on 5 May, 2003.
The follow-up album, Ravenheart (2004), stayed on the charts for seven weeks, reaching #36.
With album number two Xandria suddenly became known in the Gothic and Metal scene, with the title track and its accompanying music video the band played themselves into the hearts of many new listeners.
Recorded and mixed in the Belgian studio of producer José Alvarez-Brill (Wolfsheim, among others), in the months of December 2003 to February 2004, an album with many facets came into existence: Together with the producer the band tried many new things like soundtrack-like, bombastic arrangements, modern guitar riffs and rhythmic samples.
In 2005 they released their third album, India, which reached #30 on the German charts.
In comparison with its predecessor Ravenheart, the album presents a larger variety of musical ideas and a more powerful and dynamic sound, a clear progression for the band. The album features the Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg and several guest musicians: the Irish folk band Sceal Eile, musicians and the female singer of the band Lyriel and the Australian Grant Stevens.
The producer José Alvarez-Brill is the same of
Ravenheart. The recordings took place with some interruptions used for further song writing and arranging from December 2004 to June 2005.
Christopher Columbus wanted to reach the goal of finding a new sea route to India. He never discovered it, but something just as important - America. Just like he sailed westwards filled with his goal, we are striving for our goals in life, maybe even for our one and only goal. And often we find, like Columbus, something completely different on our way, something that is far more fascinating, that becomes far more important to us. "India" stands for this one goal, as a symbol for what we are looking for and maybe do not find at all - but something completely different instead.
Xandria began recording their fourth album, Salomé – The Seventh Veil, on December 14, 2006. It was released on May 25, 2007 and reached #41 on the German charts. The album is a concept album and is loosely based on Salomé. The songs are said to have oriental leanings supported by an extensive orchestra. This is the last album to feature Lisa Middelhauve on vocals.
Lisa Middelhauve resigned on April 30, 2008 citing personal reasons and discomfort in being the band's frontwoman. The band found a new singer in February 2009, Kerstin Bischof a.k.a. Lakonia, best known for her collaborations with the band Axxis. However, after just one year Kerstin Bischof decided to leave the band to concentrate on a different career, and Middelhauve replaced her for a series of concerts in Summer 2010. On December 19, 2010, Xandria announced the addition of 29 year old female singer Manuela Kraller to the group's ranks. Manuela Kraller made her live debut at the "Classic Meets Pop" event on January 7, 2011 at the Seidensticker Halle in Bielefeld, Germany.
They are currently actual with their fifth album Neverworld’s End. It is the first album to feature Manuela Kraller on vocals.
