Review by Stephen Pedicino
Fun Fact: Sirenia is the order of herbivorous mammals that we commonly refer to as sea cows. If I were a marine biologist, I’d certainly be wondering why the fuck a band would choose this name. However, my limited knowledge of Greek mythology tells me that Morten Veland chose it for reasons other than an infatuation with sea cows…You’ve probably at least heard of Sirenia. This band has become irrefutably more commercialized and has also featured a new female vocalist with every album. Now, with The 13th Floor, the torch has been passed to none other than Pilar Giménez García! (Yeah, I haven’t heard of her either). For her sake, I hope she sees a different fate than that of the past concubines. After listening to the album, I’d say she deserves better.
‘The Path to Decay” expectedly opens with standard gothic metal artillery. Trippy keyboards, invariantly thick guitars, and formal growls to complement the gently innocent lady voice at the middle break. These elements congeal into a solid opener that’ll induce mild cerebral banging. I actually hated “Lost in Life” at first. The track bleeds unoriginality and lyrical triteness. A curt piano melody and choir almost serve as an insult to Sirenia’s earlier albums. However, I then realized that this is not the same band that I loved years ago. Upon this epiphany, I appreciated the track much more. It really is a cute little song! ‘The Mind Maelstrom” follows with greater perseverance. There is good harmony between the hefty guitars and that seemingly ungrammatical choir, along with well-placed strings and horns. The harsh vocals are of heightened passion here which I definitely appreciate. In several examples, Morten’s screams are delivered like a formality. Although, I suppose it’s good that he’s still screaming at all…
As mentioned, Ms. García, or “Ailyn,” now leads the microphone. She has a gentle intonation, but she lacks in the “gothic” department. I think she should tweak her inflection for the next release and perhaps study the work of Vibeke Stene. Also, her limitation with the higher notes can be heard in “The Seventh Summer” and “Winterborn 77.” These gripes don’t mean I’m dissatisfied though. She has talent and looks, so I hope Morten keeps her. Also, her faint Spanish accent is very cool. It kind of reminds me of Marcelo Bovio from Stream of Passion.
The guitars on The 13th Floor are low and deep; expectedly opting for a path of auxiliary, chunky rhythm instead of chord progression. This has always been a characteristic of Sirenia, so I can’t really complain. In general, the music is heavier than their previous album, Nine Destinies and a Downfall. Most fans with loyalty to early Sirenia were disheartened by that release, as was I. The 13th Floor is still commercial, but there is a palpable implementation of the first two albums within the songs (however mild it may be). Overall, it’s an improvement.
“Led Astray” has a beautiful bridge and chorus. Triumphant violins soar while a fluctuating piano slyly corroborates Pilar’s vox. Distorted pop-rock guitars add to the accord very fittingly, making an uplifting treat for those feeling blue…or something like that. “Winterborn 77” is a bit direr, but I’d still classify it as ‘upliftingly gothic.’ I really enjoy the frosty ambience of the track.
I hadn’t realized how much I missed the vocals of Jan Kenneth Barkved until the last song, “Sirens of the Seven Seas.” Practically absent from the rest of the album, his nonchalant, emotional delivery brought a wave of nostalgia over me. The song itself serves as both a relic and my favorite from The 13th Floor. Whether it is the majestic composition or audible imagery, you should find something special here. These last three songs are probably the highlight of the album, which is obviously good way to close.
Catchiness and dilution…The two often go hand in hand, rarely making for a masterpiece. To be blunt, this band has gone from dark and heavy to superficially gothic. Hell, gothic metal in general reached and passed its prime years ago. Fans need to accept this. Otherwise, this new installment of Sirenia will upset them. The 13th Floor is good music captured with a crisp production. Any fan of female-fronted metal should obtain some degree of satisfaction from it. Especially, if you’re a casual listener looking for a darker, more symphonic version of…hmmm… Lacuna Coil perhaps? An indisputable con is the scanty runtime of 42 minutes. Am I the only that thinks a non-death/thrash metal album should be at least 50 minutes? The 13th Floor can be a fun listen as long as you expect nothing freshly innovative from a band led by one of the pioneers of gothic metal. But in my humble opinion, Sirenia need to come out with a novel sequel if Morten hopes to keep the wheels of his band turning.