SIRENIA – ”1977” (2023)

SIRENIA - ''1977'' (2023) - full
HERE

Not many bands have shapeshifted like SIRENIA over the years, cycling through singers and styles every other record. Band leader and multi-instrumentalist Morten Veland is their sole constant, having now helmed the symphonic metal mainstays for over 20 years.
On this, their 11th album titled “1977“, he turns to synth-infused pop-rock from the 70s and 80s for influence, injecting their trademark mournfulness with dancefloor-friendly keys. That contrast between tragic lyricism and upbeat melodies is a winning combination.
Exploring a new style like never before, SIRENIA transport the listener to a retro auditory arcade harking back to when groovy synth melodies dominated the world of music. The international band merges late 70s and 80s pop/rock stylings with synth-driven elements and remarkable, hard-hitting symphonic melodies.
There are no radical departures here in how these tracks are structured, but many are deceptive in their simplicity; the biggest nod to songs of old is in the way standouts like ‘Wintry Heart’ and ‘A Thousand Scars’ unfold like perfect pop songs. By looking to those who did it best, Veland has crafted the tightest SIRENIA record in some time.

Besides, many of the best pop songs are about heartache, something which SIRENIA have long made their wheelhouse. Centrepiece ‘A Thousand Scars’ stomps along with big riffs, big synths, and lines like “I can feel a burning love / I can feel its flames devour me / I can feel an endless loss / Fading to black again”.
For fans looking for more, ‘Once My Light’ is a seven-minute gem in the band’s career that crushes and careens around the more metallic end of SIRENIA‘s arsenal.
The blast beats that herald ‘Fading To The Deepest Black’ are the heaviest thing here, but they fast give way to Emmanuelle Zoldan’s feathery vocals that have a knack for calming even the stormiest passages. More than once she evokes Debbie Harry, particularly on the speedy ‘Nomadic’, channelling the BLONDIE frontwoman on one of the record’s punchiest numbers.

”1977” takes the light of synth pop to the shade where SIRENIA thrive, like on ‘The Setting Darkness’, a song about broken dreams and losing your mind that features a jaunty melody ABBA would be proud of.
On their 11th album, the band sound sure-footed and thankful for the chance to dabble with something new. What’s more, Veland still has his eyes to the future, taking SIRENIA to uncharted lands.
Some are sure to long for certain eras of the band’s history, but those records and all their idiosyncrasies already exist. ”1977” is a welcome addition to the increasingly diverse SIRENIA library.
Highly Recommended

 

01 – Deadlight
02 – Wintry Heart
03 – Nomadic
04 – The Setting Darkness
05 – A Thousand Scars
06 – Fading to the Deepest Black
07 – Oceans Away
08 – Dopamine
09 – Delirium
10 – Timeless Desolation
11 – Twist in my Sobriety (Bonus Track)

Morten Veland (vocals, guitars, bass, keys)
Emmanuelle Zoldan (vocals)
Nils Courbaron (guitar)
Michael Brush (drums)

 

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amazon.co.uk/1755-Sirenia/dp/B0BZDDZMRB

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