Sirenia is the trinity band as in they complete the trinity of bands I really like within this genre of music along with Lunatica and Evanescence. Sure there are other bands in this genre I like too but if there were a choice of only three, this is one of them. I also have a big hope for this band because they have suffered more than any other band I can think of and they are doing just fine too. Unlike the other symphonic metal bands, they only have four albums out and out of those four albums, only two songs actually hit it really big despite how great this band is in my opinion. The reasons probably behind why this band is not so established is their instablity. This band has lost and replaced more members of its band than any other band I can think of including going through three different lead vocal singers. The original vocalist Henriette Bordvik left after Sirenia's second album due to personal reasons. She was replaced by Monika Pederson who quit the band due to musical disagreements after the band's third album Nine Destinies and a Downfall. Pederson was actually well-liked and was actually the singer that gave this band its first mainstream song in My Mind's Eye. I also seemed to see way too many people praise her boobs as well. Sadly, she left the band due to musical disagreements.
It is kind of sad that Sirenia seems to not find their big break but this album features their new lead singer Pilar Gimenez Garcia but best known as Ailyn. She is singer from Spain who competed in X-Factor. She is also the girl who got the part when Sirenia held auditions to replace Pederson. Out of over 500 girls, Ailyn got the part and I think they did a very good job picking her. She is beautiful and her voice is unbelievable thus why I was looking forward to this album. I was very impressed even though it is very easy to impress me since what impresses me now is actually doing what you love with no fear. Maybe that is why I still work here on ICE because you may not all know this but my boss is amputating himself every month keeping this site up since we just don't have the staff right now. Pretty much, it is just him and me keeping this site alive and I don't do nearly as much as he does. I'm thankful because he hasn't thrown in the towel yet even though I would understand if he did and started over again.
Statistics
Band: Sirenia
Ailyn (Vocals)
Morten Veland (Guitar, Keyboard, Death Vocals)
Johnathan A. Perez (Drums)
Michael S. Krumins (Guitar)
Establishment: 2001
Album Count: Four
Establishment Location: Stavanger, Norway
Genre: Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal
Album: The 13th Floor
Release Date: January 23, 2009
Publisher: Nuclear Blast
Track Listing
The Path to Decay
Lost in Life
The Mind Maelstrom
The Seventh Summer
Beyond Life's Scenery
The Lucid Door
Led Astray
Winterborn 99
Sirens of the Seven Seas
The Path to Decay (Radio Mix)
The Mind Maelstrom (Instrumental)
Winterborn 99 (Instrumental)
Review
This album is a very good turning point album for this band. With their new singer actually eclipsing Pederson, this band finally has the means to become mainstream and well-known all around. I will be honest and say that I discovered this band by accident trying to find bands relative to Lacuna Coil on Napster. Back then, I came across them when their album Nine Destinies and a Downfall was circulating. I thought that album was good but I kind of thought too that it was restrained or they were holding back. I don't know if it is was an uncertainty of having Pederson as their new singer but whatever the case, it felt like they weren't trying despite it still being entertaining.
This album however opened the band up to a more mature sound with their gothic metal roots still dominant but with the the musical voice of Ailyn as well as the mixture of slow and fast-paced songs makes this the first album I think for Sirenia where they really expanded. I am thinking however that they didn't have much time to record enough songs from the departure of Pederson to the hiring of Ailyn thus there are only really nine songs on this album being that the last three songs are a radio edit and instrumentals. There are two songs however that stand out the most for me and they are the promotional song Path to Decay and The Seventh Summer. The Path of Decay is the song that promotes this album and even has a video already out provided below. I like the message of falling into darkness originating from one's self. I believe the darkness within one's heart is the one bit of darkness that everyone underestimates. Nobody knows how dangerous and evil one can be until they have fallen further than they thought they could ever fall. As for The Seventh Summer, it is my favorite song on this album and even beat My Mind's Eye as songs I really like. It is about remember the past of walking on your own and being unprepared for it. Also, walking this lonely path can mean walking away from the one who truly cared about you. There are multiple meanings but that is the one I found.
This is another album I say surpassed what this band previously was before and I am also an owner too. I suggest anyone who like gothic metal to pick this album up since it is nowhere near disappointing. It is awesome guitar riffs and melodic tones to the very end. Other honorable mentions on the songs include Winterborn 99 and Led Astray. Once again, this is a fairly old album now since it came out earlier this year but I am sure Sirenia is just stretching their creativity even more. Ailyn seems to be a very easy girl to work with despite her original beginnings of Spanish music. She has transitioned well into this genre and it shows in the music in this album.
