Xandria

Hailing from the town of Bielefeld in the Teutoburg Forest, Xandria is one of Germany's most popular exponents of symphonic metal. Guitarist Marco Heubaum formed the band in 1994 and eventually recruited a full lineup of musicians, most notably vocalist Lisa Middelhauve. Combining the thundering drums and heavily amplified guitars of heavy metal with operatic vocals and orchestral arrangements, the band began releasing original material with 2003's Kill The Sun. The debut album charted at Number 98 in Germany, while its 2004 follow-up, Ravenheart, peaked at Number 36. Ravenheart was the band's first album to feature not only the vocal talents of Lisa Middelhauve, but also her songwriting chops. Heubaum and Middelhauve continued to collaborate heavily on albums like 2005's India and 2007's Salomé – The Seventh Veil, both of which were Top 50 hits in Germany. Middelhauve left the group in 2008, however, and Xandria recorded its next album, Neverworld's End (2012), with temporary vocalist Manuela Kraller. Two years later, the band changed directions yet again by recruiting Dutch vocalist Dianne van Giersbergen, who handled all lead vocals on 2014's Sacrificium. Van Giersbergen remained in the group for 2017's Theater of Dimensions, which charted at Number 17 in Germany, then left Xandria's lineup later that year. By the time Xandria returned in 2023 with The Wonders Still Awaiting, Heubaum had reshuffled the band's entire lineup, with vocalist Ambre Vourvahis emerging as the group's newest frontwoman.