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Sirenia - The 13th Floor review




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Reviewer:
8.1

318 users:
7.78
Band: Sirenia
Album: The 13th Floor
Release date: January 2009


01. The Path To Decay
02. Lost In Life
03. The Mind Maelstrom
04. The Seventh Summer
05. Beyond Life's Scenery
06. The Lucid Door
07. Led Astray
08. Winterborn 77
09. Sirens Of The Seven Seas [feat. Jan Kenneth Barkved]
10. The Path To Decay [radio edit version] [Japanese bonus] [limited edition bonus]
11. The Mind Maelstrom [instrumental version] [Japanese bonus] [limited edition bonus]
12. Winterborn 77 [instrumental version] [Japanese bonus] [limited edition bonus]

The following review is going to be awfully biased since Ailyn, Sirenia's new frontwoman, is irresistibly beautiful and radiating hot. It is hardly possible not to be affected by her beauty, which may lead to deaf ears concerning the music itself.

However, there seems to be no need to be grumpy of Morten Veland's latest work whatsoever.

First of all, coming briefly away from describing the indescribable beauty of the hottest woman in metal, let's try to analyze the album itself. "13th Floor" is a delighting release from Tristania's sister act Sirenia. The melodies Morten Veland created on the first releases of Tristania such as "Beyond The Veil" and the first magical albums of Sirenia are classics of symphonic Gothic style.
While "Nine Destinies And A Downfall" was a hop-off from the usual path, and the nasal vocals of Monica Pedersen might have been not everyone's taste, the new album is, without any doubt, a redevelopment of the style of the first two albums and also a strong and promising step into the future.

The musical side of the album contains the catchy elements that have always been in Sirenia's and Tristania's music. The first song "The Path To Decay" does have these features and makes a fine opening track. The video of the song is also a good one with sweet Ailyn giving her best. Although Ailyn has a nice voice, she has yet to reach the level of some higher class female metal vocalists. But she has proven to be a versatile singer who can handle various genres, from J-pop to metal, and she does it all well. Some more experience in Sirenia and she has the expectations to become one of the best female metal vocalists, a successor to Anneke and Cristina. I would be glad to see that and I am sure she will do fine.

The male vocal parts are performed well. The Sirenian choir with their clear voices and Latin lyrics create a perfect musical atmosphere. These backing singers have always been important performers of Sirenia's music. "13th Floor" gives them a lot of chances to successfully show their talent. Among the strongest songs on the album are "The Mind Maelstrom", "Led Astray" and "Sirens Of The Seven Seas". "The Mind Maelstrom" is a surprising song, Ailyn's vocals strongly resembling Sarah Brightman's angelic singing plus the powerful choir and the composition makes this a grand song. Sarah Brightman metal would be a wonderful future style development. "Led Astray", a catchy song carried by good guitar and keyboard melodies and the intense choral intermezzo. The last track of the album reminds good old Gothic rock with the bleak guitar introduction, followed by a dreaming tale with strong male vocal performance and extensive choral choruses.

Any negative sides? Yes, in many songs there is not that catchiness and vigour as in old songs such as "Sister Nightfall" and "On The Wane". Nevertheless, the album deserves to be among the best releases of 2009. The future will surely bring more interesting and hopefully a lot of good for Sirenia. Once again, Ailiyn is most adorable singer, biggest surprise in recent times. Lots of success and good wishes to Sirenia and their elf princess.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 8
Originality: 8
Production: 9

Written by Ernis | 01.05.2009




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.


Comments

Comments: 15   Visited by: 145 users
05.05.2009 - 03:41
Rating: 9
Ag Fox
Angel No More
This is the first Sirenia album that I listened to and I was really pleased with it. Ailyn does have a very beautiful voice, but what surprised me the most was Morten Veland's clean vocals sound v good to in "Sirens Of The Seven Seas". Can't stop listening to it once I started (=

I disagree with you on the part where you think Ailyn being "irresistibly beautiful and radiating hot"
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loves 小巫
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05.05.2009 - 08:48
Ernis
狼獾
Written by Ag Fox on 05.05.2009 at 03:41

This is the first Sirenia album that I listened to and I was really pleased with it. Ailyn does have a very beautiful voice, but what surprised me the most was Morten Veland's clean vocals sound v good to in "Sirens Of The Seven Seas". Can't stop listening to it once I started (=

I disagree with you on the part where you think Ailyn being "irresistibly beautiful and radiating hot"

I ain't sure it's Morten singing clean vocals.... Morten has always sung the harsh vocals both in Sirenia and Tristania and there have been separate singers for clean vocal parts in both bands....

Yeh, I looked it up, the singer on "Sirens Of The Seven Seas" is Jan Kenneth Barkved, who has been singing for Sirenia also on their first album....
Another clean vocalist in Sirenia has been Kristian Gundersen who, however, does not appear in the lineup of "13th Floor" ....
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05.05.2009 - 19:51
Rating: 9
Ag Fox
Angel No More
Ahhes... thanks for the info. I don't mind Veland is not the one singing the clean bits. I just really like how it sounds
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loves 小巫
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07.05.2009 - 13:12
kea

Hmmm... So you say this album sounds like Morten's "Beyond The Veil"... Sounds like Sirenia is coming back.:)
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07.05.2009 - 14:32
Ernis
狼獾
Written by kea on 07.05.2009 at 13:12

Hmmm... So you say this album sounds like Morten's "Beyond The Veil"... Sounds like Sirenia is coming back.:)

Not exactly...there will never be another "Beyond The Veil"...but the new album of Sirenia indeed is a better one than their previous effort....
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14.05.2009 - 02:59
Rating: 7
Jason W.
Razorbliss
I'd probably rate it around the same as you, though I don't know if I'd have as much praise for it as you have (Ailyn is nice but not my favorite type of female vocalist I guess). It's better than their previous effort... and I enjoy listening to most of this album, but it just doesn't change me. Just feels like a better version and a better vocalist than on their last album. Thanks for reviewing it, I've been really indecisive about my feelings for it, and really like it one minute and am uninterested by this release the next!
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"After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." - Aldous Huxley
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09.06.2009 - 14:25
lord artan

This album is not good
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09.06.2009 - 18:35
Ernis
狼獾
Written by lord artan on 09.06.2009 at 14:25

This album is not good


پس چرا این البوم جوب نیست؟

arguments please...we know now you think it ain't good but why exactly?
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22.12.2009 - 20:07
Rating: 9
Cyroth

Absolutely love the vocals ...I didn't know about Sirenia until I found their video for "Path to decay" on utube and I fell in love with the song ...and the album overall is nice...I give it a 7.9
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01.03.2010 - 14:55
Netherpain

Written by Ernis on 05.05.2009 at 08:48

Written by Ag Fox on 05.05.2009 at 03:41

This is the first Sirenia album that I listened to and I was really pleased with it. Ailyn does have a very beautiful voice, but what surprised me the most was Morten Veland's clean vocals sound v good to in "Sirens Of The Seven Seas". Can't stop listening to it once I started (=

I disagree with you on the part where you think Ailyn being "irresistibly beautiful and radiating hot"

I ain't sure it's Morten singing clean vocals.... Morten has always sung the harsh vocals both in Sirenia and Tristania and there have been separate singers for clean vocal parts in both bands....

Yeh, I looked it up, the singer on "Sirens Of The Seven Seas" is Jan Kenneth Barkved, who has been singing for Sirenia also on their first album....
Another clean vocalist in Sirenia has been Kristian Gundersen who, however, does not appear in the lineup of "13th Floor" ....


Actually you can hear Veland's clean vocals on "The Seventh Summer", sounds REALLY good tbh, so you CAN hear his clean vocals
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01.03.2010 - 21:17
Ernis
狼獾
Written by Netherpain on 01.03.2010 at 14:55

Actually you can hear Veland's clean vocals on "The Seventh Summer", sounds REALLY good tbh, so you CAN hear his clean vocals

Thanks a lot for the information : )
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13.04.2010 - 18:05
Rating: 7
Vonpire

Another disapointing release from Sirenia, one of my fav bands. I have to disagree, Ailyn does not have a good voice. Or she doesn't know how to use it properly. In fact i think it's a "popish" and rather dislocated voice for Sirenia. Don't get me wrong, musically this album has some brilliant moments but vocally for me is a total waste. Only Morten vocals are worth the name of Sirenia.

There is one song i really enjoy (even Ailyn vocals) Lost in Life... I guess Sirenia is a bit loss in the present also
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Beware the Shadows of Dusk
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14.04.2010 - 18:34
Kennoth

I like her voice and her accent. The best singer from Sirenia (in my humble opinion) is the girl from the first album (can't be arsed to check her name now). Album is fine in my book, though not their best. I like The Path to Decay, The Lucid Door, and Lost in Life
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*insert something deep and profound*
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14.04.2010 - 21:22
Ernis
狼獾
Written by Kennoth on 14.04.2010 at 18:34

The best singer from Sirenia (in my humble opinion) is the girl from the first album (can't be arsed to check her name now).

Fabienne Gondamin. As far as I know she only recorded the vocals and never toured as a permanent member. Henriette Bordvik performed the songs live later...
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14.04.2010 - 22:13
Kennoth

Written by Ernis on 14.04.2010 at 21:22

Written by Kennoth on 14.04.2010 at 18:34

The best singer from Sirenia (in my humble opinion) is the girl from the first album (can't be arsed to check her name now).

Fabienne Gondamin. As far as I know she only recorded the vocals and never toured as a permanent member. Henriette Bordvik performed the songs live later...


It's a shame, really. And I think that Henriette is their hottest singer from the 4
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*insert something deep and profound*
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