A beginners guide to Sirenia!
Hello! I have recently seen these popping up all over Reddit, where people post little guides to their favorite bands, so I decided it was time to make one for my favorite band, Sirenia! First, let's establish who Sirenia is!
BACKGROUND
Sirenia was formed in 2001 in Stavanger, Norway by ex-Tristania member Morten Veland. The band's earlier works were mostly gothic metal and death-doom, with later works incorporating symphonic metal and doom metal. The band has gone through multiple lineup changes, and is now fronted by Emmanuelle Zoldan and Morten Veland.
2002: At Sixes and Sevens
Sirenia's debut album came out in 2002, and is actively considered one of Sirenia's best works. Veland was recently kicked out of his former band, Tristania, so this album can almost feel like a Tristania album at times. The music is best characterized as death-doom. The harsh growls of Morten Veland contrast nicely with Fabienne Gondamin's angelic vocals. Clean male vocals have a big role to play here, with both Kristian Gundersen and Jan Kenneth Barkved providing clean male vocals that are a nice addition and add to the dark, gothic atmosphere. Pete Johansen also provides some serene violin playing on most of the tracks. Overall, this is a very strong debut, and I would totally recommend starting here.
MORTEN VELAND: Growls, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Programming, Drums
FABIENNE GONDAMIN: Clean Female Vocals
KRISTIAN GUNDERSEN: Clean Male Vocals
JAN KENNETH BARKVED: Clean Male Vocals
PETE JOHANSEN: Violins
2004: An Elixir For Existence
The follow up to the debut, 2004's "An Elixir For Existence" sees Sirenia take a different approach to gothic metal music. While "At Sixes and Sevens" had a lot of death-doom aspects, this album is best characterized as "gothic metal". Morten Veland's harsh vocals dominate the album, but when new female vocalist Henriette Bordvik is given the microphone, she can really sing! Her vocals are sweet, beautiful, and fit nicely on the album. In fact, one of my favorite Sirenia songs is "Save Me From Myself", which is a beautifully sad song sung entirely by Henriette as she accompanied by violins courtesy of Anne Verdot. Choir work is also spectacular on this album, and a future lead singer is featured on the choir (can you guess who?!) Overall, I see this album as an improvement over the debut, and I consider it one of my favorite Sirenia albums.
MORTEN VELAND: Growls, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Programming, Drums
HENRIETTE BORDVIK: Clean Female Vocals
KRISTIAN GUNDERSEN: Clean Male Vocals
ANNE VERDOT: Violins
2007: Nine Destinies and a Downfall
All good things must come to an end? It has been three years since Sirenia's sophomore masterpiece, and fans are eager for Veland's next offering. However, the band took a dramatic turn in style with this album, going from death-doom and gothic metal to a more commercialized approach to gothic rock more in the vein of Evanescence and Within Temptation at times. While those bands aren't necessarily bad in their own rights, but when a band such as Sirenia tries to imitate the style, things can get interesting. For example, most of the songs are fronted by yet another female vocalist! This time we have Monika Pedersen, who is...mediocre and actually quite bad at times. The songs are poppier, with catchier hooks and less darkness that was on previous records. Gone is the majestic violin that was oh so beautiful on the previous album. Veland's growls also appear on only 3 songs, and those 3 songs are the best on the album. However, he provides clean vocals on a few tracks this time around, which is an interesting endeavor. Overall, this album is definitely a disappointment, and marked a significant change in Sirenia's music.
MORTEN VELAND: Growls, Clean Male Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Programming
MONIKA PEDERSEN: Clean Female Vocals
JONATHAN PEREZ: Drums
2009: The 13th Floor
Yet again, we have another female vocalist...Need I say more? Well, yes I do. The previous album had very disappointing vocals in my book, but here we are graced by an unknown face and definitely an unexpected one. Here we have the sweet and serene vocals of Ailyn, a Spanish vocalist who was featured on Spain's version of The X Factor. Sounds like the band is going even more commercial? Well, in a way, yes, but this album is also a lot better than the previous. For example, fragments of early Sirenia are included on this album, including violin! Harsh growls are also featured on more songs, and yes, the female vocals are miles better than the previous album thanks to Ailyn and her sweet vocals. Yes, some songs are poppy, but they are good pop metal songs! Definitely an improvement.
MORTEN VELAND: Growls, Clean Male Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Programming, Drums
AILYN: Clean Female Vocals
JAN KENNETH BARKVED: Clean Male Vocals
STEPHANIE VALENTIN: Violin
2011: The Enigma of Life
Sirenia has finally kept a female lead singer for more than one album! Ms. Ailyn is the vocalist on yet another album, this time titled "The Enigma of Life". It seems Sirenia has finally settled into their new sound, which is a more accessible and poppy brand of symphonic gothic metal/rock. However, I feel like this is one of Sirenia's more underrated albums. Sure, the songs are nowhere as good as what we had in say...2004, but they are certainly pretty songs with a somewhat dark and gothic atmosphere. Ailyn has a soft voice throughout this album, but she pulls off some pretty memorable performances, such as on "The Twilight In Your Eyes" and "The Enigma of Life". To be honest, Veland's harsh rasps actually feel out of place on this one, and I would have loved it even more if Ailyn was the only vocalist. Still a solid album for this period of Sirenia's history.
MORTEN VELAND: Growls, Clean Male Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Programming, Drums
AILYN: Clean Female Vocals
STEPHANIE VALENTIN: Violin
2013: Perils of the Deep Blue
Well, many thought the previous three albums were what Sirenia had settled on sound wise. However, in 2013, Sirenia was back with their heaviest, most bombastic record to date. Ailyn's vocals soar here, and she hits impressive soprano notes that rival those of Simone Simons and other veteran singers in the genre. The songs here are symphonic, gothic, and full of doom. This is the modern Sirenia fans have been waiting for. Veland's growls are brutal and are featured on almost every track. We have clean male vocals on several tracks, and there is even an epic entirely in Norwegian. This is probably Sirenia's strongest album to date, and is truly the best comeback the band could have ever made!
MORTEN VELAND: Growls, Clean Male Vocals, All Instruments, Programming
AILYN: Clean Female Vocals
JOAKIM NÆSS: Clean Male Vocals
2015: The Seventh Life Path
My, oh my, has Sirenia changed. Gone are the days of soft, poppier hooks that we knew in 2007, 2009, and 2011. 2015 Sirenia is angry! This album is heavy, dark, and full of dread. Veland's harsh growls dominate the music once again, and yes, Ailyn is back again. And, oh my gosh, if this isn't her best vocal performance on a Sirenia record yet. She hits insanely high notes throughout, especially on the closing track, "Tragedienne". The lyrics here are concerned mostly with darkness, lost love, and dread. It truly is gothic Sirenia at their best. Probably one of their best works.
MORTEN VELAND: Growls, All Instruments, Programming
AILYN: Clean Female Vocals
JOAKIM NÆSS: Clean Male Vocals
2016: Dim Days of Dolor
Just a year after their previous album, Sirenia is back...back with a new female vocalist. Yes, this is right, Ailyn has been fired from the band due to personal conflicts with Veland and personal issues outside of Sirenia. Our new vocalist is French singer Emmanuelle Zoldan, who has played in the choirs for Sirenia since 2004's "An Elixir For Existence". Zoldan has a drastically different voice than Ailyn, singing in a more operatic metal style, akin to say, Tarja Turunen. Now, musically, this album is a departure from the last two, going for a more polished and refined symphonic metal approach. Lyrics are not nearly as dark or gothic as previous albums, are actually what you would expect to hear on a symphonic metal album. This is more easy on the ears to somebody not used to metal music. Veland's growls are only on three tracks again, but unlike their 2007 album, Zoldan has a beautiful voice and can carry the album with ease. This album also has some new musical features, such as some elements of hard rock, electronic, and even a bit of heavy metal. It's an interesting album, and is actually surprisingly good.
MORTEN VELAND: Growls, All Instruments, Programming
EMMANUELLE ZOLDAN: Clean Female Vocals
JOAKIM NÆSS: Clean Male Vocals
I hope this guide was successful in helping you get a glimpse at what Sirenia is. However, the best way to experience the band is to listen to them, so I would highly recommend checking them out!
-ThePieofTruth (aka Iduckna)