Kill the Sun is a re-release of Xandria’s debut LP, introduced originally in 2003, and is just one of three (from among four) of their long players reissued for North America by Artoffact Records in the last year. A quintet that has enjoyed success in their home country of Germany for several years, Xandriaplay a laid-back brand of symphonic goth rock with electronic elements splashed over liberal swaths of heaviness.
These ten tracks boast wonderful melodies and elegant songwriting, both of which are clearly designed to highlight the considerable talents of (former) lead vocalist, Lisa Middelhauve. Xandria’s rhythm section spends much of their time keeping a restrained, steady pace in support of compelling accents, such as the ethereal keys on “Isis – Osiris” and flamenco guitars of “Calyx Virago.” But they aren’t afraid to throw down, either, getting heavy – even doomy – on tracks like “She’s Nirvana” and “Wisdom.”
