Sirenia - Riddles, Ruins & Revelations (2021)

Being one of our favorite bands we might be a bit impartial, but Sirenia keeps getting better and better with time. Unleashing over 50 minutes of superbly bombastic and explosive Symphonic/Gothic Metal, “Riddles, Ruins & Revelations'' is probably our favorite album from the band. All of the eleven tracks in this release are superbly crafted, making them highly memorable and intoxicating.

Opening with the absolutely brilliant “Addition No. 1”, the band instantly delivers waves of lush symphonic arrangements, heavy distorted guitars, and one hell of a brilliant hook, reminding us of the song “Wicked Game”. If the opener was not epic enough, the dramatic introduction of “Towards an early Grave” gives a certain dance/techno vibe mixed with the band’s signature aggressive and yet very melodic riffs.

Bringing back some VNV Nation/cyber-goth vibes from the WGT dance events, “Into Infinity” and “December Snow” showcase a different side of the band while retaining their staple elements. Morten Veland’s creative songwriting has allowed Sirenia to expand into different genres and add extra influences to their already all-encompassing sound over the years, and tracks like “Passing Season” and “We come to Ruins” are great examples. While the atmospherics and lush vocal arrangements are a central part of the band, the heavy and crafty guitars are what glues everything together, as tracks like “Downwards Spiral” and “The Timeless Waning” clearly show.

The release winds down with the explosive “This Curse of Mine” and a cover version of the song “Voyage Voyage”, with Emmanuelle Zoldan delivering more brilliant and memorable vocal lines, showcasing her versatility and extremely intoxicating voice. As a whole, “Riddles, Ruins & Revelations” is one hell of a lush and catchy release that while it expands the band’s sound into new realms, it retains the elegance and mature songwriting that all Sirenia albums have.

Label: Napalm Records

Release: February 12th, 2021

Genre: Symphonic/Gothic Metal

Country: International