On 24 May 2022, the band posted a music video of their new song “Reborn“, where Ambre Vourvahis was announced as the new vocalist. Furthermore, Tim Schwarz was announced as the new bassist, and drummer Dimitros Gatsios and guitarist Rob Klawonn replacing departing longtime members Gerit Lamm and Philip Restemeier, respectively. On 7 September 2022, the band released another song, “You Will Never Be Our God“. On 3 September 2022 they released the single Ghosts, as well as announced their new album’s release date and cover, ’’The Wonders Still Awaiting’’ out February 3, 2023 via Napalm Records.
XANDRIA
Marco Heubaum – rhythm guitar (1994–present), keyboards (1997–present), vocals (1994–2001)
Ambre Vourvahis – vocals (2022–present)
Rob Klawonn – lead guitar (2022–present)
Tim Schwarz – bass (2022–present)
Dimitros Gatsios – drums (2022–present)
Ghosts actually started as a reminiscence to good old Swedish meldodic death metal and with that archetypical guitar riff that you hear right in the beginning.
And then we integrated it into our Xandria soundscape with lots of film score atmosphere and big choirs, because it was exciting to mix these elements and do our own thing with it (still we kept the working title “Swedish Fire“ for a long time...).
It is a good example for how diverse the new album will be and how many different influences we were putting into it. We had a lot of things - little musical dreams - in our minds and hearts that we wanted to realize, and along with what you already heard in the first two new songs this is just one of them. There will be quite some more surprises coming...
-Xandria
Ghosts: Lyrics
(Into the starlit unknown
Until the end we follow
Nothing but shadows
We will never return)
So many worlds I have yet to unveil
Feel like the only survivor
I don’t belong here, just want to escape
Higher and higher
I just want to be lost in space
And never come back
Knowing I will not return in the end
Never, oh never
I just want to be lost in space and time
And never come back
Follow me up to the stars
Leaving the world and the lies far behind me
There’s no regret in my heart
Crawling my way, crawling my way back to life
(Into the starlit unknown
Until the end we follow
Nothing but shadows
We will never return)
Enter the void that these wounds left inside
Nothing can grow in these shadows
Reaching a place that is closer to light
Far from sorrows
I just want to be lost in space and time
And never come back
Follow me up to the stars
Leaving the world and the lies far behind me
There’s no regret in my heart
Crawling my way, crawling my way back to life
Earth and the moon and the sun are my only guide
Longing to live in the space between infinity
They will fade
They became the ghosts of my past
They will fade
They became the ghosts of my past
Ghosts of my past
Follow me up to the stars
Leaving the world and the lies far behind me
There’s no regret in my heart
There’s no regret
Follow me up to the stars
Leaving the world and the lies far behind me
There’s no regret in my heart
Crawling my way, crawling my way back to life
(Into the starlit unknown
Until the end we follow)
Way back to life
(Nothing but shadows
We will never, no, never return)
CREDITS
Music by Marco Heubaum, lyrics by Ambre Vourvahis
Produced by Marco Heubaum
Vocals recorded and co-produced by Julian Breucker at Sawdust Studios
Orchestral arrangements and sound design by Lukas Knoebl
Choir performed by Sofia Session Orchestra & Choir
Mixed & Mastered by Jacob Hansen
Video by AVA Studios, concept by Ambre Vourvahis, Anja Molendjik and Oliver Sommer
Official Music Video:
For the full Xandria Discography, click here: