Sirenia - At Sixes and Sevens
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Free Music Notes for At Sixes and Sevens
Free Music Review: Surprising
Hit: 4 Stars
This is a surprise for me on so many levels I don't really know where to begin. I'll be honest here: usually I hate a lot of male death growls. Yet, oddly enough, that's partly what makes this very enjoyable.
The Good: Male growls are one thing, as I already said. They're more clean then most male growls. This is nice because I would rather be able to understand what is being sung, then hear random shouting to the beat. (It's a pet peeve of mine when it comes to music. I can't help it.)
The Female vocals are excellent: Fabienne Gondamin is a very talented singer in her own right. It's a real shame that she lives so far away from the rest of the band, or she would have been a permanent member (as Morten stated in an interview). She sings very well, shifting from multiple registers and even manages to bring out that haunting sound that fans love (ie. Manic Aeon)
Instrumentals: Here is where the main strong point is. The instrumentals work together very well; but the most important thing is that they are very powerful. Not powerful as in loud, even though they are, but powerful in terms of drawing you into the music. (ie. Meridan) Soon, much like a Siren's song, you're pretty much caught in the song's spell.
It probably helps that you have multiple melodies rolled into a song, which is a nice touch. It keeps the music feeling fresh. Plus, the mostly well written lyrics (I will discuss this soon), vocals, and especially instrumentals add a very mystical feel to the music. It seems to take you to another world, it's very etheral in a sense. (In Sumerian Haze) Now, how can growls, loud guitars etc., make for etheral music? Well, this is something I actually can't explain. You'll have to listen to the music for yourself to understand this.
The Bad: As with any CD there is usually a negative. On this CD there are two negatives I would like to point out. Now bear in mind that I do like the CD overall, so these negatives are minor; but I feel I have to state them if I want to be objective. It's only fair to mention both the good and bad.
The first negative relates to the lyrics. Now, as I said, for the most part the lyrics are very well written. I enjoy them. But there are some great songs that suffer from a few, how should I say, cliche/cheesy sort of lyrics. A few examples: "Don't deny your life's a living hell/you're a shadow of your own self", "We're all living a lie", or the ending line mentioning the slitting of the wrists in Sumerian Haze. (Which is actually a great song.)
Now my problem with the cliche/cheesy lyrics is that it seems to detract from the song somewhat. So, I could be immersed in the music; but I found once a cliche/cheesy line would come around, it would pull me right out of the song. It kind of made it seem like Morten was just writing a typical "goth" line to make the songs darker, but couldn't really think of anything, so he added the cliche ones. Now, this may not be the case; but this is how I interpreted it. It's one negative that does affect my listening experience. I realize I may be flamed for saying this; but I have to state it to be honest. Bear in mind that this is my opinion on the subject and that I do consider this a minor negative. The CD as a whole is very well done.
The final negative relates to the title track. Unfortunately, the title track is rather weak in comparison to the other songs on the disk. The song, At Sixes and Sevens, seems to be mellow to the point where it sinks below all the other songs on the album. It just doesn't really have much power to it.
Overall though, the CD is a nice surprise if you like metal with a combination of doom, symphonic, goth, death, etc. elements within it. If you're unsure listen to some sound samples and see if you enjoy what I've described. 4/5
Free Music Review: Awesome Album
Hit: 5 Stars
The Album is everything I had expected and more!!
The riffs start from the get go and hold tight till the last song.
only complaint i have is how late it arrived, ordered in late august said it would be there sept 1 and i didn't get it till sept 12+. Other than that everything went smoothly.
Free Music Review: This a great CD from begining to end!
Hit: 5 Stars
My two favorites on this CD are "ON THE WANE" and SISTER NIGHTFALL" the whole CD is nicely arranged with a slight mainstream metal sound;that is until Morten's metal growls, which contast with Fabienne beautiful voice.I like her much more than their new singer.This might be the best or at least one of the best of this style of metal.Free Music Review: Beyond the Veil = At Sixes and Sevens
Hit: 5 Stars
I have a bit of a soft spot for this album. Does it deserve a 5? Maybe in reality its a 4.5. But Ever since Widow's Weeds ive been a near raving fan of anything created by this mastermind. If you like older Tristania, you'll love this. Thats about all I can say about it. Happy listening!Free Music Review: "I concede your pain is nonpareil"
Hit: 4 Stars
nonpareil: having no equal, peerless
4.5 stars. This is the album fans of early Tristania knew Morten Veland could make if his bit and bridle were removed and he were allowed to run free through the Gothic countryside. This album is essentially a purging of his ambitions without constraint. The result is an often breathtaking ride mixed with Gothic choirs, lush orchestral arrangements, snarling and clean vocals (both male and female), Black Metal blastbeats, and even the occasional ode to 1980s New Wave pop. This concoction may sound a bit strange but Morten Veland shows he is a talented alchemist, particularly with arrangements and production value, where many different instruments and vocal styles interweave to create a tapestry of exciting soundscapes. The only times that make me feel impatient are when the instrumentation dwindles to a simple guitar riff, uncomplicated drums keeping time, and maybe a wash of keyboards as background atmosphere. These moments do not last long, however, and are mere blemishes on an otherwise seemless release. "Meridian" is an excellent example, as the beginning starts off fairly uninspired, but soon accelerates into Black Metal blastbeats reminiscent of Old Man's Child. The 1980's New Wave influence is virtually everywhere but only becomes glarlingly noticeable during the slower parts of songs where the minimalistic keyboards and bass drive the song. The production on this album is superb, and more often than not, so is the songwriting. All the songs on this album are laced with a variety of instruments and vocal styles, all arranged with intelligence and care. This album is easy to recommend.