One look at the lovely mermaid adorning the cover of Sirenia's latest release Perils of the Deep Blue and you just know you are in store for some enchanting female fronted symphonic metal. Of course, if you've followed this Norwegian band over the years, you already know that gothic tinged symphonic metal is the name of their game, led by former Tristania guitarist/vocalist Morten Veland. The current version of the band also consists of vocalist Ailyn, Jonathan A. Perez, and guitarist Michael S. Krumins. Though the bands last few releases have been solid, it seemed as if a wall had been hit somewhat and the band haven't really been inspired, but with Perils of the Deep Blue you can toss that idea out the window.
Add Tristania, Nightwish, Renaissance, and Epica in a blender, puree on high, and out comes Sirenia. Ailyn's vocals just soar here, mostly above crushing guitar riffs and huge swells of keyboards, and when Veland joins in with his effective death metal growls, the results are quite good. Lovely symphonic tunes like "Stille Kom Døden" (featuring perhaps the most gorgeous vocal from Ailyn on the album) balance well with the mix of symphonic & extreme metal tracks like "Darkling" and "My Destiny Coming to Pass". Power metal fans will love the chugging riffs, powerful drumming, symphonic keyboards, and daring vocal interplay of "The Funeral March". As strong a vocalist as Ailyn is, this band seems to be the most effective when she and Veland play off each other. Yes, the formula of 'beauty & the beast' vocal duels have certainly been done before (Tristania, Epica, After Forever, etc.) but these two really have figured out a way to perfectly work together within the confines of a song, to the point where you really look forward to their interplay with each other. Listen to them both on the powerhouse metal attack that is "Profound Scars", one of the more complex tracks on the album featuring some great guitar passages, loads of keyboards, choirs, and all sorts of stuff.
Sirenia are back doing what they do best here on Perils of the Deep Blue, once again putting themselves near the top of the heap as far as female fronted symphonic metal bands go. Recommended!
Track Listing
01. Ducere Me In Lucem
02. Seven Widows Weep
03. My Destiny Coming To Pass
04. Ditt Endelikt
05. Cold Caress
06. Darkling
07. Decadence
08. Stille Kom Døden
09. The Funeral March
10. Profound Scars
11. A Blizzard Is Storming
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
