ALBUM REVIEW Solipsis – Xaon

Swiss symphonic death metallers XAON have been busy in the recording studio and are back with their second record Solipsis. The band have steadily been growing in prominence, having recently toured alongside SEPTICFLESH, as well as featuring across several European festivals alongside the likes of TESTAMENT, MEGADETH and EXODUS.

The new album begins with Monolith, which from the very opening seconds sets the general tone for the record – a big orchestral opening coinciding with heavy riffs before the drums kick in and shift the pace up a few gears. Front man Rob Carson delivers on the vocals, really adding emphasis to the death metal element of the genre, his voice haunting throughout the track from start to finish. Up next is Carillon; there seems to be more emphasis on the orchestral elements in the early stages of the track, with the tempo once again increasing a notch, as well as the complexity of the riffs compared to the opening track. Carson’s vocal range also increases and shows more variety in this track, coinciding with the higher influence of the orchestral elements, with there being much more singing compared to low death metal growls.

Solipsis‘ title track comes into play not long after, with the sound emphasis now switching purely to the guitar. The main riff features continuously throughout the record as all the elements combine to create an impressive track. Everything blends together well and is a real highlight for the symphonic death metal genre. In all honesty there isn’t too much of a sound difference for the duration of the album – some of the tracks lean more towards the death metal side of the genre and others are much heavier on the orchestral symphony element.

That doesn’t detract from the quality of Solipsis, as there is very little flexibility in the genre to change too much without incorporating another genre. Once you’ve listened to the opening few tracks you do get more of a taste each time as to what the next track is going to be like, and if you enjoyed those opening tracks then you’re in for a real treat. It is hard to pick other tracks which really stand out as the star picks for the record, as each one has its own little subtleties that highlight it greater than the next track.

XAON have done a sterling job with Solipsis; it’s hard to stick out from the crowd in the world of heavy metal genre as it is, let alone one of the more niche sub-genres that come under the same umbrella. Every track is well structured, and if you’re a fan of the genre or are just looking to expand your music selection they are well worth giving a listen, and it will be intriguing to see how the band continues to grow once this record is released.

Rating: 8/10

Solipsis is out now via Mighty Music. 

Like XAON on Facebook.