After 'Once Upon a Time' in 2016 and 'Everland' in 2018, the Germans from 'Xiphea' released an EP which continues in the register of fairy tales, since 'The Cave Of The Golden Rose' is a series of 5 TV movies released in Italy and adapted from the children's story 'Fanta-Ghirò'. So we find in this short opus the symphonic and melodic metal that we knew on previous albums with obvious influences from major bands of the genre.
The album is made up of 5 titles which forms only one by starting, as in all the tales by a : 'Once upon a time ...' which is a recitative which sets the stage of the history which consists of 4 parts : 'The Prophecy' begins with a long title of more than 10 minutes in a symphonic and epic atmosphere with a first instrumental part and, after 2 minutes, starts an energetic and catchy part in a fairly classic symphonic metal with a quieter cut in the middle of the title, the end of the title gaining momentum with some growls of 'Neil Meusel', finely dosed, in opposition to the beautiful clear voice of 'Sabine Meusel'. With part 2, 'A Truth Awakens', we continue in this metalico-symphonic mood modulating the intensities with melodic lines accessible at first listen and which are easily encrusted in our head, the final in decrescendo preparing the following title, 'Show Me Your Fear' which begins in serenity and which takes intensity and alternates calm parts and others much more muscular and it is with the melodic 'The Little Magic' with a heady refrain and a magnificent final with beautiful choirs that the album ends.
In summary, this short album of 'Xiphea' confirms the talent of the Germans and continue in the same way that they had started to trace in their previous albums, what means that 'The Cave Of The Golden Rose' should appeal to all lovers of an accessible and melodic symphonic metal... | |
