Off the back of the release of their latest album Eclipse, Xandria have hit the road again, making their fourth visit in four years to Manchester. Despite it being in a smaller venue than their last visit in 2023, a more intimate setting definitely felt right for a band like them. Their style of music and crowd communication couldn’t be a better fit for the Manchester Academy 3.

TULIP, making their Manchester debut, got the night going, and what better city could there be to showcase your potential. Musically, they were sound and got the job done. However, the crowd was unfortunately rather flat, and the band’s subdued stage presence did little to breathe life into the venue. Ashley Simkiw’s vocals came through the mix nicely, and although she’s a professional opera singer, her rougher side fitted in nicely alongside the band’s symphonic yet groove metal approach. Colin Parrish and Cody Casillas’ melodic, gritty riffs added a lovely contrast to the vocal harmonies, with some extra roughness that traditional symphonic metal doesn’t typically contain. Meanwhile, Dylan (also of Seven Spires) nailed his role. He kept his cool and pulled off slick double-kick patterns and fast fills to perfection.

Seven Spires hit the ground running in an effort to get the room hyped up for headliners Xandria, and they accomplished that mission with ease. Like Xandria, this setting is perfect for them in comparison to when they were at Academy 2 last year supporting Sonata Arctica. Adrienne Cowan is a walking fairytale who you could just about imagine being cast in a Disney live-action remake. You can’t enjoy a Seven Spires show without being blown away by her character taking control. Wearing mini Maleficent horns on the back of her head, her innocent smile and seductive voice of a princess give way to an evil stare before casting a curse upon you. Theatrics aside, she’s an absolute beast on vocals, and her versatility is beyond wild. It’s remarkable how quickly she can switch between different types of voices, all in one song. From epic cleans to growls and screeches, it’s a complete package and never disappoints.

Dylan Gowan’s factory default mode never needs to be adjusted because, just like last year, his drumming was immaculate. In the same way that he excelled during TULIP’s set, he did it again for Seven Spires. Meanwhile, Jack Gosto was up to his old tricks again, shredding the life out of his pretty guitar like his life was on the line. He turns up no matter what and always delivers. An inevitably short set meant that time wasn’t his friend, but he made every minute count.

Xandria brought the curtain down for the evening and a musical ‘Eclipse’ could only be what the eye could see. It was a breathtaking display of sensual art to make your mouth water. Vocalist Ambre Vourvahis’s sweet charisma is as contagious as the common cold and there’s no way you can shy away from it. Her soothing, down to earth nature wins any audience over, whether it be dance moves or hand gestures. It’s the perfect ice breaker for any venue that in a scenario where the atmosphere isn’t warm, everyone just relaxes and opens up.

This is matched by her voice where we get to hear a range that stretches far and wide. She’ll mix in clean vocals during verses but then chuck in operatic sections during choruses to add grandiosity, sometimes via a key change. Even better, when a breakdown hits, she brings out the demon inside of her with bellowing screams that you wouldn’t expect to come from someone with such a deceiving ammicable appearance.

Robert Klawonn (guitars) let rip as usual. The mastermind behind the strings since 2022 has been seriously bossing it and sounds like he’s been part of Xandria since their inception. I can never get enough of his solos, where he adds his own bit of shredding alongside classical music pieces such as Bach’s Toccata & Fugue. Even when it’s not just his few minutes to shine, his virtuosity is undeniable, and he’s responsible for playing all those memorable riffs old-school fans have banged their heads to until this very day.

Dimitrios Gatsios on drums got a piece of the action and was having the time of his life. He never stopped smiling and played not just for the sake of keeping everyone in time, but because he enjoyed what he was doing and wanted to make fans happy. That’s always a nice bonus to have, as it cheers everyone up and sends us home remembering that this man gave us another reason to feel positive about life.

It was a fine performance from Xandria, and this is another reason why they shouldn’t change singers again because Ambre was literally made for this group. When the milestone tenth album comes, Manchester is likely to be in for a special treat. Until then, keep an eye out for their tours in your local city because you won’t have wasted your savings seeing them.