XHAMAIN - Na Alma - Reviewed by ODYMETAL ! Check it out here at this link: https://odymetal.blogspot.com/2022/01/xhamain-na-alma.html
Singing in Galician for this Spanish band that offers the first part "Na Alma" of a trilogy in a Symphonic Folk Metal register. Rubén Alonso, vocals and guitar, Mariah Fosado, vocals, Michelle Dopazo, bass, Alex Garcia, drums, Xurxo Fernández, bagpipes and keyboards, and Alberto Fernández, guitar, make up the line-up.
After an intro, where the bagpipes and the singer in narration stand out, "Eterna Soedade" starts in a sustained rhythm, a terribly and beautifully scratched male voice, on the edge of Death, settles followed by a clear female voice, clear in a beautiful melody on a steamroller rhythm that will not weaken throughout the title. A great introduction.
Same immediate sustained rhythm with bagpipes and keyboards on "Tempo Atrás". The rhythm drops a little as soon as the female vocals starts on guitars and keyboards, joined by rubén's hoarse voice. Beautiful musical break with exclamations of the male voice, guitar solo and bagpipes before the finale ends on the rhythm of the intro.
Change of atmosphere with "Tan Só Tres" acoustic and cajoling female voice, dubbed, calm. The rhythm and intensity increase in a folk atmosphere with bagpipes. The melodic voice is placed on a captivating music where Rubén's voice discreetly slips in. Singing and bagpipes match perfectly. A guitar solo settles with vocalizations, the title is revived very melodic, Mariah imposing herself with her voice that amplifies to the end.
Melodic intro, cajoling female voice, childlike limit, on clear guitar and soft drums on "Soño De Inverno". The rough voice launches the machine with the more assertive female voice responding on big guitars and then on electric piano back. We resume with clear guitar ... until the melodic solo that ignites. Beautiful relaunch, with Mariah evolving on keyboards in a magnificent melodic atmosphere whose intensity is only rising.
"Xunto A Ti" begins with flute on acoustic guitar, Mariah's voice is almost in a lament. Bass, drums, keyboards with a beautiful sound are joined by the female voice. The rhythm increases, the flute reappears, the song flies away like the music, taking on a sympho aspect. The solo is grafted on this atmosphere. The singing resumes with sadness and we feel the emotions released by the beautiful melodic cohesion of the group.
To finish the album, the band composed "Plenilunio" which has three parts.
1st part "Reflexo". Playful bagpipes on dancing rhythm. Symphonic flight with big keyboards with the two voices alternating. The female voice delivers a superb folk melody and Rubén on keyboards is very expressive. The alternation of voices makes particularly good on this title which explodes with this melody that the singer wears admirably, the voice of Rubén giving an undeniable strength to the whole. We will enjoy a very beautiful musical passage with bagpipes and guitar and this song that comes back will take you and lead you to sing with Mariah. Excellent!
Part 2 "O Son Do Mar". The bagpipes resume service on a musical basis in an atmosphere with dominant keyboards and where the alternation of voices is placed, leading to a plaintive but very aggressive solo, melodic on an imposing drums. The musical mass is back on track with the singer who overcomes this emitted power where the bagpipes and a faster drums are incorporated. Mariah is imposing, but is especially so on this title. Remarkable!
3rd part "Amencer". Acoustic guitar, then sustained rhythm with massive music and bagpipes from which emerge the voices of Rubén and Mariah who always bring this musicality specific to the language used that gives the group a beautiful personality. Even if the female voice seems melancholy, it remains radiant, especially since it flies away in higher tones. Bagpipes and the two voices on drums furious and superb solo, give an excellent moment, which continues with female voice in narration with echo. Everything continues to rise in power, the bagpipes and male voice always speaking with force. Mariah with the crystalline voice and the bagpipes end this title in explosiveness. Magnificent!
XHAMAIN has embarked on an ambitious three-pronged project. With "Na Alma", the first part is a success of Sympho Folk Metal melodic whose singing in Galician brings an additional musicality. The alternating voices, clear feminine very melodious and masculine strongly scratched and imposing, also bring an essential asset to the well-paced and opulent music. For fans of the genre, this album will bring great and real satisfaction. But given the quality and impact of the ensemble, a wide audience should adhere to this album, especially since it is the starting point of a beautiful adventure in three acts, and it would be a shame to miss this beautiful introduction.
Cerbadd / ODYMETAL / on 24.01.2022.
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.
Check out this video!
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LINE UP:
Mariah Fosado - Vocals
Rubén Alonso – Vocals / Guitar
Alberto Fernández – Guitars
Michelle Dopazo – Bass
Alex García – Drums
Follow the band at these links:
https://www.instagram.com/xhamain/
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