Even though the vocalists change, Sirenia's sound has a lot of continuity. That's because Morten Veland (formerly of Tristania) composes all the band's music and writes the lyrics. As on their previous albums, the songs are bombastic and symphonic with layers of keyboards and strings beefed up by guitars.
Ailyn is classically trained, and displays some of that style on The 13th Floor, but her vocals are mostly "regular" singing in a lower register. Growling vocals and some male melodic singing add contrast, and several songs feature a choir, which really increases the vocal sound.
There's a wide variety on display with this album. Songs like "The Lucid Door" are aggressive and ominous with harsh vocals and harder edged guitars. Other songs such as "Lost In Life" are very catchy and accessible with a memorable chorus and all melodic vocals.
Sirenia plays in a crowded genre, but manage to stand above the gothic masses because of the quality of their songwriting and their variety. Ailyn is a nice addition to the band, although it remains to be seen whether she'll be the first Sirenia female vocalist to hang around for more than one full-length CD.
(released April 21, 2009 on Nuclear Blast Records)
