Category Archives: Bands X Y Z

Xaon – The Drift (2017) – Review

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The RockmusicRaider officescape likes drama. Especially a loud drama with a lot of boom and bang. And we have remarkable drama queens around the Gothic and Symphonic Metal universe, blackened and death-oriented ones included. Just think about Dimmu Borgir or Fleshgod Apocalypse to name just two of them.

Now, here we can add another one: The Swiss outfit Xaon rumbles onto the scene like Mad Max on a bad day. They already gave us a first broadside of what they can do in 2016 with their EP Face of Balaam. And they are back with a hammer blow of … [...] Click to raid more!

Zeit – Konvergenz (2017) – Review

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RockmusicRaider Review - Zeit - Konvergenz - Album Cover

The old provinces of Eastern Germany seem to be a hotbed for interesting bands of all kinds. Indeed of all things cultural – and beyond. And this goes for theatrical endeavors as well as music of all flavors. 

The RMR crew had the pleasure to cover special underground bands like Antyra from Leipzig already. You know, these guys with their rough and eerily weird, yet fascinating story-telling techniques. With an extremely epic, but very down-to-earth metal taste. I love them, but they are so out of the mainstream that not many RMR fans will follow. It is a special kind … [...] Click to raid more!

Xandria – Theater of Dimensions (2017) – Review

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They did it. They finally did it. Xandria managed to keep one of their female fronts a bit longer than for a felt stretch of one album only. So, here they again feature the classically trained Dutch singer Dianne Van Giersbergen on their second album in a row. And rightly so. Talented girl that she is, she can easily match a range from Tarja Turunen, over Floor Jansen, and back to Simone Simons. And that means something.

As the band’s progression goes, already their last contribution Sacrificium was a step up the star-studded ladder of operatic glory. This makes you … [...] Click to raid more!

Newsflash: Balaam impersonated. By Xaon!

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The wicked prophet is loose with his donkey again, facing the sword-wielding angel! Or something of that nature. And in Switzerland to boot.

If an EP serves – as the lore goes – to show the skills of a band in their early days, then the Swiss band Xaon hit dead center with their upcoming, self-released album Face of Balaam. Expecting some watery metal concoction, I was stopped dead in my tracks by this tsunami rolling over me. And by Loki, these guys serve an intense and aggressive brand of their favorite metal.

And talking about early days.

Xaon formed in … [...] Click to raid more!