Xiphos — The Age Of Alexander

The Age Of Alexander is the second album from Xiphos- a three-piece project that creates an atmospheric and epic mix of martial industrial and neo-classical music. The album is a ten-track affair- coming as either a CD or digital release- I’m reviewing the former of these.

The CD comes presented in a shades of brown, black and white text digipak- on its front cover we find an illustration of what I presume is Alexander the Great, sword lunging down into a fallen soldier. As you’d hope with a highly wordy release like this, we get full lyrics in the enclosed booklet.

Xiphos were formed in the year 2022, bringing together three key/ important figures from the genre- Matteo Brusa (Medhelan/La Tredicesima Luna), Miklós Hoffer (HERR/Donderdag), and Troy Southgate ( HERR/Seelenlicht). Brusa has now left the project to be replaced by Simon Shelmerdine (Dark Awake, Schatten Muse)- who created all the music/ produced the album- with Hoffer & Southgate sharing the lyrical/vocal duties, which move between spoken, semi-sung, and sometimes sung.

The album’s theme/ focus is Alexander The Great, aka Alexander III of Macedon, who lived between 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC. He was the king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon, and remained unbeaten in battle, being seen as the greatest of military leaders. So, a prime/ very suitable subject for a martial industrial and neo-classical release.

The album opens with “Artaxerxes” which moves between slightly waving ambient string swoon ‘n’ harp pluck, and mid-paced martial beats edged with brooding horn tone- all topped with largely spoken/slightly theatrical male vocals. As we move through the first half of the album, we come to “Dion” with its mix of grand sweeping synth string melody, steady drums, sneering bass pomp, and singsong to spoken word vocals.

In its second half, we go from “Demosthenes” which moves between simmering string swoop and pluck, jaunting harp dart ‘n’ pick, climbing/ dramatic percussion runs, and of course the vocals, which for this track lean towards the more detailed spoken word side of things. Onto the skittery marching beat bound, droning horn melody, and at times almost sing-song new romantic warbling vocals of “Eumenes”. On to “Demetrius” which moves between its swirling wind dramatics opening, steady string glide & subtle percussive tension.

Regarding the album as a whole, Shelmerdine steps into Brusa's shoes well, creating a subtle, epic, grand, at times tuneful backing to the pair's words/ singing. A few of the vocal deliveries are maybe a little too wavering and wonky in places, but these issues don’t occur too often. The vocals remain easy to understand and mood-setting.

I’d say The Age Of Alexander is a decent follow-up to 2022’s The Rise And Fall of Athens, making this generally decent/engaging second album, which will appeal to anyone who enjoys epic, moody, and grand blends of martial industrial and neo-classical music.