:: Sirenia - Nine Destinies And A Downfall

Sirenia

Since parting ways with Norwegian gothic metal act Tristania in early 2001, vocalist/guitarist Morten Veland has proven that he more than capable of surviving without his former band with the growing success of his own band Sirenia. After a successful stint with Napalm Records (which produced 2002’s ‘At Sixes And Sevens’, 2004’s ‘An Elixir For Existence’ and 2004’s ‘Sirenian Shores’ E.P.), Sirenia made the move up to Nuclear Blast Records, with ‘Nine Destinies And A Downfall’ their long awaited new album, and first with Danish/Sinphonia vocalist Monika Pedersen (who replaced Henriette Bordvik) out front. As with the group’s first two albums, ‘Nine Destinies And A Downfall’ marks another step forward direction wise, with Veland steering Sirenia towards a more mainstream and polished sound.

Within the opening moments of the album's opening track ‘The Last Call’, the bombastic orchestral/choir elements reaffirm Sirenia’s return to the scene musically, but it’s Pedersen’s own vocal performance that really shines, with her voice steering away from the operatic side of most to blend perfectly with Veland’s compositions. The single (and first promotional video clip filmed for the album) ‘My Mind’s Eye’ is an obvious choice with its catchy melodic chorus and subtle use of choir, but it’s with ‘One By One’ where the album hits its first real hurdle. Although a good song, the differences between the song (and ‘Absent Without Leave’ a little further into the album for that matter, apart from the occasional clean vocal line from Veland) and its predecessor are so minimal that it makes you wonder if original chorus ideas were a little hard to come by for all nine tracks on the album. Veland helps add a sense of uniqueness to the slower paced/aggressive ‘Sundown’ and the dramatic ‘Downfall’ with his growled vocal performances, while Pedersen herself helps elevate tracks such as the choir driven ‘Seven Keys And Nine Doors’ and the ballad like closer ‘Glades Of Summer’ beyond the general standard.

Perhaps it’s Veland’s noticeable absence on vocals, the overall mainstream/polished sound of the songs, or simply the fact that most of the choruses all have a sense of familiarity about them, but either way, the album is a bit of a disappointment. If you’re unfamiliar with Sirenia’s past efforts, ‘Nine Destinies And A Downfall’ is sure to please to no end. If, on the other hand you’re well acquainted with Sirenia’s past work, this album may just signal the downfall of Veland’s unique standing within the gothic metal scene.