Sirenia - The 13th Floor

June 16, 2009

Reviewer: Peter

Ever since Morten Veland left Tristania to form Sirenia, the only real consistent thing about the band is the revolving door of female vocalists, unless you count An Elixir for Existence and Sirenian Shores (EP).  For Sirenia’s latest album The 13^th Floor, the trend continues.  This time, the female vocals are supplied by a Spaniard named Ailyn.  For one half of the album at least, The 13^th Floor shows some promise.

The 13^th Floor begins with “The Path to Decay,” which provides a textbook example of how to begin an album: strong choruses, in-your-face guitars and symphonic elements working side by side, and vocals that can carry the day.  The things that described the first song were what made Sirenia great when they first started out on At Sixes and Sevens.  However, it doesn’t really last for long.  While “Lost in Life” is a step back, Ailyn’s vocals are strong enough to overcome the rather formulaic music structure that was all too familiar on the previous effort Nine Destinies and a Downfall.  “The Mind Maelstrom” shows that the band is capable of pulling off the slow parts well.  However, the male vocals, courtesy of Veland, ruin an otherwise solid effort by the band.  The contrasting vocals are a recurring theme, which can be both a good and bad thing.  While Ailyn is very strong in her debut with the band, Veland sometimes just tries too hard to make things work on his end of the deal, with the worst example is on the closing track “Sirens of the Seven Seas,” in which Veland handles the bulk of the singing duties for the song.  The group singing isn’t anything new to the band, as they have always used this on their albums.  However, this time around, it can be hit or miss, with “The Seventh Summer” and “Winterborn 77” providing examples of both in their respective cases.  Musically, it is alright for the first four songs, but then it goes downhill in a hurry once “Beyond Life’s Scenery” starts.   It is there that the “commercial sound” takes root and it hits its lowest point on “The Lucid Door.”

Sirenia is one of the more difficult bands to gain a read on when it comes to their motives.  Certainly, the constant change in female vocals has something to do with that, but when something works, it isn’t wise to try and tinker with things mid-album.  Unfortunately, that is what Sirenia seems to do, and the result is a rather uneven album that for all of the female vocal talent, it just isn’t enough to overcome the micromanaging that Morten Veland seems to do.  If Nine Destinies and a Downfall lost you, then The 13^th Floor isn’t going to be your kind of album.  Patience and a long leash will go a long way towards enjoying the album.  Just don’t have your expectations too high.

Release Date: January 23rd, 2009
Label: Nuclear Blast Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  The Path to Decay
2.  Lost in Life
3.  The Mind Maelstrom
4.  The Seventh Summer
5.  Beyond Life’s Scenery
6.  The Lucid Door
7.  Led Astray
8.  Winterborn 77
9.  Sirens of the Seven Seas

Total playing time: 42:38

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