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Blog Categories Review XHAMAIN - NA ALMA - Reviewed By Metal Digest!

XHAMAIN - NA ALMA - Reviewed By Metal Digest! Wednesday January 19 2022, 5:46 PM

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XHAMAIN - NA ALMA - Reviewed By Metal Digest ! Check it out here at this link: https://metal-digest.com/2022/01/14/xhamain-na-alma/

This is the second band from Galicia, Spain I have discovered in less than a year. Seriously, what are the odds? With ‘Na Alma,’ Xhamain has produced an otherworldly wonderpiece. Singing in Galician, they deliver a glorious mixture of a Celtic symphony, Death growls, enchanting female vocals, and all things wondrous. One of the best things about listening to an album in a foreign language is that one can hear the lyrics via the soul. Whatever the notes and tones say to you, then that’s exactly what they mean.

To my ear, to my heart, ‘Na Alma’ provides a definitive storyline. A gentle intro, an introduction of characters via crushing overtures, soaring peaks, and desolate valleys all encompassed in an irresistible dark, yet beautiful soundscape. ‘Na Alma’ is the light and the dark. It is compelling, captivating, and irresistibly powerful.

From a purely musical standpoint, it is awash in crushing guitars, including more than a few dazzling solos. The rhythms are relentless and ultra-tight. Oh, and did I mention bagpipes? Lots of bagpipes that seem slightly out of place at times, yet they add an unexpected and engrossing layer that makes the overall experience untouchable. Deathly growls provided by Rubén Alonso, who sounds like Old Scratch himself, are juxtaposed with the angelic voice of Mariah Fosado. The two strike an amazing dichotomy, melding perfectly with the band’s stellar performance.

Reportedly, ‘Na Alma’ is the first part of a more extensive work entitled ‘No Ser.’ I eagerly await its release. In the meantime, I highly recommend this engaging work of art. - Metal Digest

Release Date: October 31, 2021

FFO: Nightwish, Epica, Eluveitie

Location: Spain

Label: SUSPIRIA RECORDS

Currently, Xhamain is focused on the release of their new album Na Alma. This is the first part of a more extensive work already written in its entirety called No Ser. For this album, the Galician sextet has hired the prestigious mastering engineer Tony Lindgren ( Dimmu Borgir, Opeth, Blind Guardian, Eluveitie ...) from the world-famous Swedish studios Fascination Street ( Arch Enemy, Amon Amarth, Sepultura, Moonspell ...). The cover design and all the artwork has been designed by the Bulgarian artist Georgi Georgiev from Moon Ring Design. This comes right after releasing the promotional video of the first single of the album, Soño de Inverno, which has been well received by the public. All of this is the pinnacle of a detailed process created through several years in which the band has been working hard since its inception.

At the end of 2014, Rubén Alonso, a teacher at dZetta Music Center (official Rockschool Center), was commissioned by Mariah Fosado, a student at the center, to record and arrange a song she had composed. After several tests, and reaching an agreement on the stylistic part, they decided to create a band with more components and agreed on recruiting some of the most students in the academy. Anxo Jorge joined on guitar and Michelle Dopazo on bass. At the very beginning, Brais Jorge joined on drums, but after a few months, he was replaced by Alex García, who was also a student of dZetta Music Center. Xurxo Fernández, a well-known bagpipe player and teacher in the city, also joined the band as a bagpiper, and also contributed with his skills as a keyboard player.

Having composed several songs for a couple of years, singing in Galician and still without releasing any album, Xhamain had their first performance in 2017 in front of more than 200 people, being headliners of a concert in which the group ArcangeluS also performed. A year later, they were invited, along with Aquelarre , to share the stage with Leo Jimenez's band in another great performance in front of 350 people. At that time, Anxo Jorge was no longer part of the band and had been replaced by David Zarandón. In 2019, after several unsuccessful recordings and not having achieved the level of quality that the band intended for their debut album, the group decided to take an indefinite break. At that point, David Zarandón wasn’t already part of the band and had been replaced by Jairo Daponte. In early 2021, Rubén Alonso informed the band that he had achieved a mix with the sound the the band was looking for and proposed to return to the activity. In this new line-up, Xurxo and Jairo would no longer be in the band. This very same year the band signed up with Suspiria Records for the promotion, management and distribution of the album.

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