1994 - 1997
A predecessor of the band was formed by Marco Heubaum (guitars, keyboards), drawing inspiration from Bands like Tiamat and Paradise Lost. This band was already named Xandria, but due to musical dissension between the members, they parted ways in 1997.
1999 - 2009
In 1999 Marco Heubaum started Xandria again with new musicians. A demo was recorded in 2000, and they presented the five songs on the internet. After great success on different MP3 portals, they released their first album Kill the Sun in 2003, which reached #98 on the German music charts. The sophomore Ravenheart (2004), stayed on the charts for 7 weeks, reaching #36. In 2005 they released their third album India, which is more oriented to the symphonic metal. Their fourth album Salomé - The Seventh Veil, released in 2007, was a step away from the bombastic sound of the two predecessors and at least in Germany not such a big success as "Ravenheart" or "India".
2009
As of April 30th, 2008 the band announced that vocalist Lisa Middelhauve left the band due to personal reasons and that the band is searching for a new singer. On February 8th, 2009 an announcement on their website introduced the new singer, 28-year old Kerstin Bischof, but on February 18th 2010 the band announced that Kerstin will no longer be the bands vocalist because she decided to pursue her career outside the music business.
2010
In December 2010 it was announced on Xandrias web site that Manuela Kraller will be the new singer for the band.
The new album "Neverworld´s End" was released on February 24th 2012 (Europe) / March 6th 2012 (USA).
2013 - present
On the 25th of October 2013 the band announced Manuela's departure, who regrettably decided to continue a different musical path. Dutch singer Dianne van Giersbergen (also known from Ex Libris) was announced to become the new lead singer. In January 2014 the band announced the title for their upcoming album with Dianne called 'Sacrificium', which is set to be released on May the 2nd, 2014.
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"
Current members
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)
Who We Are
Xandria Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Life threw me down, love broke my neck
I've made mistakes, I'm just a girl
Who wants to live her life
And if I was wrong, i tried to be right
I wanted to survive
Who we are
Is not the same all the time
And what we say
And what we want to say
Is not the same sometimes
No doubt, I'm okay, but okay is out
My heart's too silent, my voice too loud
Why do they hurt me, why do I
Hurt them, why do I care?
I want to start again from beginning
But I don't dare
Who we are
And who we want to be
Is not the same all the time
And what we say
And what we want to say
Is not the same sometimes
In Xandria's "Who We Are," the singer acknowledges her flaws and imperfections, but ultimately wants to live her life and survive. The lyrics suggest struggles with love and life, as evidenced by the imagery of one green eye and one black eye representing the pain and turmoil she has endured. The singer questions why she cares, hurt others, and why they hurt her back. She also admits to feeling stuck and unable to start over.
The song's message is relatable and universal, as it speaks to the human experience of grappling with identity, growth, and change. The lyrics acknowledge that who we are and who we want to be are not always aligned, and what we say and what we want to say can be different as well. The song ultimately conveys a sense of hope and resilience, as the singer wants to live and strives to embody the person she wants to be.
Line by Line Meaning
One eye is green, one eye is black
I have experienced both good and bad things in my life
Life threw me down, love broke my neck
I have faced many challenges and heartbreaks in my life
I've made mistakes, I'm just a girl
I have made mistakes but I am still learning and growing
Who wants to live her life
I want to live my life on my own terms
And if I was wrong, i tried to be right
I have made efforts to do what's right even if I wasn't always successful
I wanted to survive
I wanted to overcome my struggles and make it through tough times
No doubt, I'm okay, but okay is out
I might seem fine but I am ready to move past just being 'okay'
My heart's too silent, my voice too loud
I have trouble expressing my emotions and my opinions
Why do they hurt me, why do I
Hurt them, why do I care?
I struggle with understanding why people hurt me or why I hurt them, and why I care so much
I want to start again from beginning
But I don't dare
Sometimes I want to begin anew but I am scared of taking the first step
Who we are
And who we want to be
Is not the same all the time
And what we say
And what we want to say
Is not the same sometimes
Our identity and aspirations are fluid and ever-changing, and our words might not always reflect our true feelings or desires
Contributed by Nathaniel W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.