XHAMAIN were formed in 2014 and they are from Vigo, Spain. They play a mix of melodic Death Metal, Power Metal, and Folk Metal. After they released three singles in 2021, "Na Alma" is the debut full-length album of the band. It was mixed and recorded by Ruben Alonso at Spanish Kastell von Pahlomen Studio and it was mastered by Tony Lindgren (DIMMU BORGIR, OPETH) at Swedish Fascination Street Studios. "Na Alma" has a length of almost 45 minutes and it was released via Spanish label Suspiria Records which has a number of melodic Death Metal and Thrash Metal bands among their roster.

"Na Alma" is the first part of a trilogy "Na Ser" that has been composed already in its entirety. XHAMAIN take the listener to a journey into the world of Celtic traditional Folk music enriched by a Metal sound which is dominated by a mixture of melodic Death Metal and Power Metal. After the acoustic opener "Entrando Na Alma", "Eterna Soedade" sets the scene with powerful guitar riffing, Celtic bagpipe melodies, a lot of double-bass drumming, and a mix of clean and growling vocals. The growling vocals by Ruben Alonso are between the medium to higher end of the guttural range. The rhythm of the track is a bit faster than mid-tempo and pretty uniform throughout. The bagpipe, which was played by Xurxo Fernandez, is not constantly part of the song, but it has a dominating role and drives the song forward. "Tempo Atras" keeps the momentum and maintains the tempo with more complex textures. There is more presence of the keyboards in the background, and there is more variation in rhythm as well as in the vocals. The vocals have a quicker succession between clean and growls compared to "Eterna Soedade". The melodic framework is nicely set up by the bagpipe with support of the lead guitars.

"Tan So Tres" has a ballad-esque start but transitions into heavy and dark guitar riffing at a head-banging mid-tempo. The riffing and melodies are catchy and the song is very different compared to the opening tracks. The clean vocals are a bit more Rock oriented and fit perfectly to the track. The bagpipe and the lead guitars have a great contribution to the song and complement each other very well. "Tan So Tres" is one of the highlights of the album. Another highlight is "Soño De Inverno". It is a typical mid-tempo song and it maintains the catchiness of "Tan So Tres". Beside the outstanding vocal contribution, the lead guitar solo is second to none and it fits to the melodies provided by the bagpipe. It is no surprise that "Tan So Tres" is the single release of the album with the YouTube link given below.

"Xunto A Ti" is a very emotional song and Mariah Fosado transports the emotions perfectly to the listener. Starting with an acoustic guitar intro and a flute, it is a quiet song and dominated by the beautiful voice of Mariah Fosado. For the second verse, the rhythm is driven by the bass guitar and the melancholic atmosphere is intensified. With all instruments including symphonic arrangements contributing, the vocals remain the key element until the song comes to its conclusion with the flute. "Xunto A Ti" is another highlight of the album.

The core of the album is the song "Plenilunio" which is composed in three parts. The Folk Metal is now at full swing in Part 1 with the bagpipe providing the melodic framework again. The vocals are switching frequently between clean and growls and the guitars are a mixture of acoustic and electric. Part 2 has a quiet acoustic start but not for long as the heavy guitar riffing and the bagpipe take over. The tempo is slightly slower and measured compared to part 1. The vocals keep alternating between clean and growls with the growling part having more dominance and leading the track. The lead guitar solo is excellent and contributes very much to the song. Part 3 starts again the acoustic guitar part, before it transitions into a track driven by powerful guitar riffs and the drumming. Given the length of eight minutes, there is a lot of instrumental play where the guitars contributing most. Part 3 is a perfect way to finish the album.

"Na Alma" is very good debut album. It is a perfect combination of Melodic Death, Power Metal, and the dominating Folk Metal part. The strength of the album is the outstanding quality of all instruments including the vocals. The compositions of the songs allow every band member to contribute equally towards their strengths. The sound of "Na Alma" is perhaps nothing ground-breaking new, but the overarching Celtic theme makes it unique and special. The songwriting is very mature and the album is very well produced. XHAMAIN set the bar very high with their debut and the listener will be excited for the things to come with parts two and three of "Na Ser". The album is a must have for every Folk Metal fan.