Chidi Obialo is a 20-year-old Nigerian-born, Houston-based electronic producer who specializes in sample-collage tracks that never show the slightest adherence to any particular genre. He makes a whole lot of music, and he landed on my radar when my old friend Ryan Dombal profiled him for Hearing Things earlier this year.
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Ice Nine Kills are set to join forces with Art the Clown yet again for a special attraction at this year’s Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios in Hollywood.
The pair will be taking over the Terror Tram, with Art as host, who will be bridging the gap between Halloween and Christmas in his own twisted manner. And in addition, INK will be putting their own spin on some Christmas classics to serve as the soundtrack.
So that’s brand new and never-before-heard music, alongside an iconic horror figure? Doesn’t get much better, really.
Vocalist Spencer Charnas had this to say about the collaboration:
“We are forever honoured that Terrifier writer/director Damien Leone and his team invited us to play in their sandbox of bloodshed. Art himself, David Howard Thornton, killed it in the ‘A Work of Art’ music video, and we’ve had Damien and several of his cast members at our Silver Scream Cons every year so far. Halloween Horror Nights is among our favourite destinations each season, and our fans love it, too. This is yet another natural step forward in our unnatural world of horror.”
Of course, the pair’s paths have crossed before, on the brutal ‘A Work of Art’, which has now become a staple part of the band’s live experience.
Here it is:
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On digital, vinyl and CD formats.
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I was surprised to learn that we’ve never reviewed Xandria here. The German project of one Marco Heubaum (who covers guitars, keys, and the odd vocal spot), Xandria released their first full-length in 2003, performing gothic and, eventually, symphonic power metal. They first grabbed me with 2012’s Neverworld’s End, a fantastic orchestral metal album that I still enjoy today. But consistency has never been Xandria’s strong suit—apart from Heubaum, the entire lineup changed in 2022, with Ambre Vourvahis being the latest of six lead vocalists, several of whom left on unpleasant terms. There’s a lot going on there—but inconsistent doesn’t necessarily mean bad (or, more accurately, doesn’t mean always bad), so I’m opting to approach Eclipse, Xandria’s ninth full-length release, with fresh eyes.
Or rather, I tried to approach Eclipse with fresh eyes, but the truth is that it sounds so much like a Nightwish record that I can’t. The thesis statement of Eclipse seems to be “what if Imaginaerum had breakdowns?” and the result is an album familiar, grandiose, and surprisingly heavy for its style. Throughout, huge choruses, grand orchestrations, and unintelligible chants set the scenes for standard symphonic power metal showdowns, with guest spots for violin (“Lore”), tin whistles (most prominently on “The Shannon’s Home”), and, yes, a children’s choir (“The Last Generation”) as needed for dramatic or nostalgic effect. Even lyrically, the comparison fits; Eclipse focuses on social issues with heavy-handed poetry that stretches authenticity (“The Poetry of the Real World”). Alongside the symphonic, there is also a genuine heaviness to Eclipse that albums in this style often lack. Most songs feature a metalcore-style breakdown at some point, occasionally accompanied by Heubaum’s hoarse shouting (“Eclipse,” “Colours”), and drummer Dimitrios Gatsios puts in an exceptional and lively performance throughout. Admittedly, said breakdowns don’t always feel natural, but they do highlight that Heubaum and Rob Klawonn’s guitars are not neglected, creating a general sense of balance between bombastic orchestration and genuinely heavy metal.
The result—unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your preferences—is that Eclipse’s strongest moments come as it best imitates its idols. “The Shannon’s Home” is the best example: a folky, mid-tempo song brimming with saccharine nostalgic wonder that I had to double-check isn’t a Nightwish cover. It really shouldn’t work, but Xandria’s earnest performance pulls it off. “Eclipse” is fast-paced and fun, with orchestral hits and a huge, catchy chorus that remind me of Within Temptation too. The heavier moments are a great counterbalance, and I love the guitar solo partway through. On the heavier side. “Masquerade” delivers with riffs, despite a whimsical chorus that, lyrically, evokes—yes, I’m name-dropping them again—Nightwish. Throughout Eclipse, Xandria confidently emulate a sound that, for better or worse, has massively influenced the genre they compose in.
Is that surprising? I’m not sure—but it is a little disappointing that nine albums and twenty-three years in, Xandria still seem like they’d rather emulate others than define their own sound. Maybe that’s a harsh read, but Eclipse feels predictable and restrained precisely because it’s so standard. “The Grand Delusion,” for example, is the cheeriest song about abuse of power I’ve heard in some time because, despite its grim lyrical content, Xandria maintain a genre-standard tempo and bombastic chorus. “Wave of Tanis” has my favorite chorus on the album, but I can’t honestly remember the rest of the song because it’s so over-the-top. None of this is a mark on the band’s talent or skill—on the contrary, everything sounds great—but it does make Eclipse feel repetitive. When Xandria needs drama, a choir starts chanting, most songs end on a modulated final chorus, and even the serious songs are upbeat and catchy. “The Last Generation” is the only exception, but it’s so heavy-handed as it does so that its meaning gets lost. Well before the twelve tracks clock the hour, you’ve figured out what you’re getting and are never challenged on the assumption.
And yet, Xandria do it well—Eclipse is strong symphonic power metal, taking a familiar style and basking triumphantly in its glory days. I like it; it’s a good album, but I wish it were fresher, more ambitious, and more willing to take chances. When I close my eyes and recall a time now a decade past, I think I could be blown away by Eclipse. As is, I just think too many others got there first.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: N/A | Format Reviewed: Stream
Label: Napalm Records
Websites: xandria.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/xandriaofficial
Releases Worldwide: August 7th, 2026
The post Xandria – Eclipse Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.
Upstate NY duo Babehoven are releasing their third studio album I See Them, I See Me next month. They’ve already released the singles “Lasagna” and “Blue Around You.” Their new single, which dropped today, chases a different hue. It’s called “Three Reds.”
The post Babehoven – “Three Reds” appeared first on Stereogum.
Dead Poet Society have revealed the details of their new full-length album, the follow-up to 2024’s ‘Fission’.
It’s set to be called ‘Monarch’ and will be released on October 02 via Spinefarm.
The artwork looks like this:
And the tracklisting like this:
1. Hollywood On Fire
2. Roach
3. Die If You Don’t
4. Sinner Systems
5. Lost
6. Cold
7. Psalm 136
8. Dead On The Inside
9. Miami For The Weekend
10. Get Hot
11. The Park
12. The Art Of Suffering
It will include the already shared ‘Roach’ and ‘Sinner Systems’ as well as the freshly unleashed ‘Cold’. A caustic, building, brilliantly dramatic piece of alt-rock majesty, it shimmers and shakes with decadence and devilishness.
Drummer Will Goodroad had this to say about the track:
“People today are constantly performing for one another, competing for a place in social hierarchy. We slowly reshape ourselves, cutting away parts of who we are to gain acceptance and validation. Over time, we lose touch with our passions, forget why we do what we do, and stop recognizing who we really are – or what we truly believe, if anything at all. ‘Cold’ is about recognizing that reality and choosing to indulge in it anyway.”
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Douglas McCombs, of bands like Tortoise and Eleventh Dream Day, is also one third of the Chicago trio Black Duck, which also features Bill MacKay and Charles Rumback. Black Duck released their self-titled debut album in 2023, and now they’re teaming up with Basque musician Elena Setién for the collaborative full-length Black Duck With Elena Setién. We’ve already heard lead single “Land Of The Many Eyes,” and now they’ve shared “Funeral In My Brain,” a gorgeous six-minute reverie based on an Emily Dickinson poem. If you can imagine an extremely chill, relaxed version of Horses-era Patti Smith, that’s how this sounds. Check it out below.
The post Black Duck & Elena Setién – “Funeral In My Brain” appeared first on Stereogum.
6th August 2025
Support: Final Dose
Photos: Rich Price
We look back at the epic Spectral Wound show through the eyes of our photographer Rich Price!
Photo credits: Rich Price
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Part of this year’s ‘Halloween Horror Nights’ events.
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