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Sirenia
An Elixir for Existence
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“Save Me From Myself”.
This song is brilliant. I’m serious, I know us here at TAP have been accused previously of loving anything and everything out there with a discernible beat. However, I say without reservation that this is a completely stellar piece of music.
Which is more than I can say for the rest of the album. That isn’t to say An Elixir For Existence – Morten Veland’s sophomore effort as Sirenia, formed following his departure from gothic metallers Tristania – is bad. It’s just, well, familiar.
Sirenia’s debut, At Sixes And Sevens, was critically acclaimed by reviewers and fans for its ability to create atmospheric goth with orchestral arrangements, choirs, clean vocals and death metal grunts and still have enough juice left to simply be a rocking good album.
Unfortunately, with An Elixir For Existence it’s, as Yogi B. would say, deja vu all over again. The similarities between Elixir... and At Sixes and Sevens go from subtle – a drum fill here, a keyboard passage there – to downright blatant, where chunks are seemingly pulled wholesale from one album to the other. I mean, I can understand why, the first album rocked. Problem is, if you’ve heard the first album, you’re not going to want to blow another 15 bucks to hear it again, are you?
It’s still a good album, don’t get me wrong. As I said before, “Save Me From Myself” is a gem. Primarily a steady electronic pulse, soft, sullen violins and the sadly underutilized voice of new female vocalist Henriette Bordvik, this tune is similar to “In Sumerian Haze” from the debut in its dissimilarity from the rest of the album. Totally unexpected, I was totally blown away.
“A Mental Symphony” and “The Fall Within” are high caliber fare, as well, similarities notwithstanding. But some songs just follow that tested Sirenia formula a little too closely that it can get a bit boring.
If this had been Sirenia’s debut, and not their follow up, I’ve a pretty good feeling I would have been far more receptive to it. As it is, I can just say An Elixir For Existence is a solid but somewhat uninspired release. Hopefully, the band’s upcoming EP,
Sirenian
Shores
, due out later this year, will be able to break free of their debut’s very large, gothy shadow.
Release Date: February 23, 2004
Tracks: 9 - Time: 54:00
Produced by: Sirenia
Format: CD
Website: www.sirenia.no
Track Listing:
Lithium and a Lover / Voices Within / A Mental Symphony / Euphoria / In My Darkest Hours / Save Me From Myself / The Fall Within / Star-Crossed / Seven Sirens and a Silver Tear.
Sirenia:
Morten Veland - Vocals / Guitars
Henriette Bordvik - Female Vocals
Kristian Gundersen - Guitars / Clean Vocals
Jonathan Perez - Drums / Percussion
Anne Verdot - Sessions Violins
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