Reviews: Xandria, Aeon Gods, KingCrown, Diamonds Hadder (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Xandria - Universal Tales (Napalm Records)

Xandria are a symphonic metal band that haven’t sold their soul to the electronic style that seems to permeate so much now. They stick to the European style of orchestral driven metal, aggressive riffs, huge choirs and operatic vocals. After a long break they returned last year with The Wonder Still Waiting, the first featuring new vocalist Ambre Vourvahis, she rightly impresses with a varied vocal range that showcases many different styles within the symphonic metal style. So what is Universal Tales?

Well it’s an EP that features four new tracks which showcase that versatility of the reactivated line up and Ambre’s vocals, a re-arranged ‘flim score version’ of their last album’s title track and the new songs done orchestrally. No Time To Live Forever and Universal (former standalone single) are both bombastic classic symphonic metal cuts with heavy riffs and vocals that range from powerful rock gruffness, pop emotion and top soprano soaring, they’re both brilliant additions the Xandria staple and makes you think why they weren’t on the last album.

Both carry quite strong lyrical messages too however 200 Years is influenced by the Outlander series and fully embraces Celtic folk elements with violinist Ally Storch (Subway To Sally) adding the insistent fiddle. The last of the four new ones is Live The Tale, a big chuggy anthem, leading into the acoustic version of their last album’s title track. 

The orchestral versions are just that but work just as well. Released just before the band embarks on worldwide tours with Sirenia and Delain, Universal Tales gives them some more new material to add to their live show. 7/10

Aeon Gods - King Of Gods (Scarlet Records)

With the dissolution of Aeternitas comes the rise of Aeon Gods. A cinematic power metal band, who use lots of symphonic elements against some epic power metal. The inspiration are bands such as Sabaton and Wind Rose, with some of the bombast of Manowar and Orden Organ, Sebastian 'Seeb' Levermann of that band mixed and mastered the record so it's got a very contemporary production that booms out of your speakers.

Lyrically based around the Babylonian gods, this German band really lean on the theatricality, using heavy organs on the beginning of the title track, huge "woah" chants on Aeon Gods. Though I don't want you thinking that they sacrifice any heaviness for these orchestral sweeps, track such as Enlil's Command, which is the first part of their "Flood Suite", race along with the blastbeats of Elias Knorr and guitarists Nino Helfrich and Robert Altenbach, shred for their lives but lock into one of those marching Manowar grooves on the third part Enki's Grace.

The thing is Aeon Gods don't do anything new, yeah it's a different lyrical content, not about werewolves or pirates or dwarves, but musically it's the bombastic, orchestral power metal that is all the rage at the moment, especially from German bands. For fans of Orden Organ, Powerwolf, Wind Rose et al you'll love King Of Gods, if not then it's not going to change your mind. 7/10

KingCrown - Nova Atlantis (Rockshots Records)

KingCrown hail from France and play power metal, they released their debut in 2019 and a follow up in 2022 so what does their third album offer? Well more of the same to be honest, melodic heavy metal with a bit of prog and emotion to it. Influenced by Gamma Ray and Masterplan, there's touches of thrash, moments of prog and classic heavy metal vibes too.

Speedy moments like When Stars Are Aligned, go hand in hand with fist in the air anthems such as Endless Journey and of course a couple of ballads such as A Long Way To Valhalla. Nova Atlantis is produced by Simone Mularoni (DGM) so it has a very slick production, witnessed on the dramatic Letter To Myself.

There's a lot of mention of new sonic territories in the PR but Nova Atlantis is an album that is more of a continuation of what KingCrown have done before, maybe a bit of a broader sound but mostly anthemic, biting power metal. Not there's anything wrong with that. 7/10

Diamonds Hadder - Beyond The Breakers (No Remorse Records)

Fronted by John Evermore, Diamonds Hadder is a band where he assumes his alter ego Johnathan Hadder, through possession apparently, imagine the figure of King Diamond fronting Rainbow and you’d be on to a safe bet of what Beyond The Breakers sounds like. Evermore seems to be the only performer on this record, recording the album in an abandoned paint factory in L.A., he has brought the desolation of this location into this big gothic concept record. Vocally Evermore sounds a lot like Dio, the songs are all long and winding taking their time to tell these tails of tragedy, redemption and salvation and most importantly the importance of premonition. 

If that all seems a bit silly then go back to your wizards and goblins, Beyond The Breakers has one foot in the occult and the spectral and draws proggy music out of it that would also appeal to any fans of Fates Warning or Queensryche. Now Evermore does sound a LOT like RJD which may or may not win him a load of fans approval, just check out his pipes on River’s End if you want the proof, but as he plays everything else here too, that’s even more impressive. Unfortunately the production means a lot of the impact is dampened, it’s quite muddy, synths mingling with guitars a bit too much, almost non-existent drums in some places, but when it all goes right like it does on Long Is The Road Beyond The Breakers is a fun listen.

I can’t fault the ambition of Diamonds Hadder but it does fall a little flat for me at times, however despite the production and some parts where it drags a little, there’s a lot to like, especially the vocals. 6/10