While The Wonders Still Awaiting (2023) marked the rebirth of XANDRIA with a new line-up—an album that opened the door to a new era—Eclipse goes further. It is more focused and direct, the lyrics are more outspoken, the contrasts are stronger, and the different musical and vocal colours feel even more naturally integrated into the songs. “An eclipse can be the darkening of the sun by the moon’s shadow. But the light of civilization can also be darkened by shadows,” comments band mastermind Marco Heubaum on the album’s lyrical approach, which deals almost entirely with what is happening to our civilization right now. “XANDRIA has touched on ‘political’ topics before, but never like this. This time, the message is impossible to ignore, and that’s the point. We want to show those standing up for the values that made civilizational progress possible—reason, empathy, democracy, pluralism, and an open society—that they are not alone.” As XANDRIA’s sole composer, Heubaum musically draws inspiration from all aspects of his surroundings: music, stories, and emotions that have shaped him since childhood. It is no secret that film scores have always been another major influence: “Especially composers like Hans Zimmer and John Williams. To me, a great film score is not bound to one style; it uses every colour it needs to serve the story. That is very close to how I see XANDRIA’s music,” he adds.
The first spark for Eclipse came just a few weeks after the release of The Wonders Still Awaiting, while the actual songwriting process began at the start of 2025, followed by studio production in November 2025. All vocals were produced by Marco and vocalist Ambre Vourvahis at his Neverworld Studio: “We did not go into an external studio with a producer and a ticking clock; we had the freedom to take the time the songs needed, shape every detail ourselves, and follow the moment whenever it felt right.” This approach resulted in what may be Vourvahis’ most astonishing vocal performance to date. This versatility becomes especially clear on the title track, “Eclipse.” It brings together the full range of her voice within a single song: soft and emotional passages, powerful rock vocals, intense dark growls, and operatic parts—an impressive vocal spectrum within one metal track.
As guests, XANDRIA welcomes Subway to Sally’s violinist Ally Storch, who can be heard on “Lore,” while the band’s longtime friend McAlbi is featured on four songs with his Celtic tin and low whistles (“The Shannon’s Home,” “Northstar,” “Masquerade,”, and “Lore”). “The Last Generation” features a children’s choir and piano performed by Richard Z. Wang, a Hollywood pianist who has worked at Hans Zimmer’s studio. In addition, the band has once again collaborated with the Sofia Session Orchestra & Choir, known for their work on numerous film and television scores, including His Dark Materials.
All songs were orchestrated by two film score composers working in Hollywood: Lukas Geppert, who worked on the scores for Nobody 2 and the latest Final Destination, and Ishaan Tyagi, who has contributed to productions such as Wuthering Heights."
