Siren’s Cry
Scattered Horizons
Nightmare Records
2013
Austrians (mainly) Siren’s Cry allegedly had been around in one way or another for a number of years but never to this day actually properly released something as they suffered an almost complete line-up change in the mid-nighties, that must have set them several years back and set them inevitably in hiatus.
Their style is symphonic, but it’s a little more complex than the usually simplistic overblown nursery rhyme with a ton of ornamentations approach that made huge stars of Nightwish. They have a more complicated song structure that on occasion, seems to try and borrow a page or two from the songbook of Symphony X, but they never reach the dizzying heights of the American’s early brilliance either.
Their singer is a bizarre case... imagine a mix between Christina Scabbia and Simone Simons, that sometimes, tends to have some Tarja moments. She doesn’t do the metal soprano stuff, or at least not full-fledged, she goes for some parts that are sung in a pretty modern way and then there might be a few lines that are “quasi-operatic” but she never breaks into that sort of singing – fully it’s a really bizarre sound, it actually sounds like an all out of breath Tarja, a mezzo that never goes fully operatic, although at times she seems to try to. I don’t know if that’s intended or just the way she sings, but it takes a bit of getting used to really. I mean she’s obviously able to do it, to a better standard, but she probably holds off to a more “modern” delivery in order to avoid to be “heaped” with all the “other” metal “chicks”...
“Introitus” is a short, mysterious intro that quickly gives way to…
“S3v3n” in “that” stylized spelling, possibly inspired by the movie? Who knows!? Maybe, maybe not... Here’s where the band initially unfurls its complex mantle of songwriting, letting the first song unfurl… it’s got a nice chorus and interesting ideas going on, but it’s obviously not a parthenogenesis, just a nice arrangement of previously “heard” ideas...
“Oratory & Sins” treads similar waters with lots of dramatic moments, momentarily competing to get the listeners attention, but ultimately being to brief and fleeting to have a lasting impression. While it’s not bad, it reminds me of a not so symphonic, much heavier Nightmare from the first album, done a lot more focused on the playing rather than the song itself.
“Elegy of R’lyeh” with its Lovecraft themes is suppose, loosens up, being somewhat longer and allows the band to expand a bit creating an atmosphere... that’s somewhat more apt... the jazzy moments in the middle, are a bit daring and don’t entirely pay off, but at least the conclusion is way more epic, making it a quite worthwhile track by all means.
“Draconian Spectrum” begins with some really “serious” Latin chants, in really gravely stentorian voices from some male chorus members and evolves into a mid tempo riffy affair that stands it’s ground valiantly, with a pretty decent chorus.
“Cold Amber & Scalding Tears” may have a cool sounding title and some nice guitars going on, but as a whole, it left me pretty cold, unfortunately… While, I thought there were bits in it that were “nice” they never quite “gelled” together sufficiently, to make the song a success to my ears at least.
“Sahara Sagas Pt I” – a titles, suggestive that there will be a second part sometime in the future… is an epic, nine plus minute, song, rich in eastern influences, to the point that is smells of incense and bahar! No, I am obviously joking … but it’s quite different to any of its predecessors as it utilities these elements quite heavily, making it sound – decisively different flavored – while it stylistically remains in the realms of the band’s sound. Pretty good and very interesting altogether, but it could have been a bit tighter too.
“Serpents of War” begins with a very spiteful and fast guitar part only to suddenly slow down and strip to its rhythm and then it picks up the riffs again and enters with full force. It’s the most “symphonic” song I suppose, with both the singer going for a more classical approach, but also a chorus, backing her. It’s both a good song and maybe a style, that they could explore more...
Finally, “A Controversial Mind” is another long winded (close to nine minutes) song, that has prog tendencies, while it’s rather mid tempi, don’t do it any favors in terms of helping you stay with it, during its duration, it’s OK, but not exactly the ideal summation to the album.
To be honest, Siren’s Cry are not bad at all. They’re fairly talented, all of them, there’s no denying that, they have a healthy amount of good ideas, spread all over the album and all display a good level of performance. I just think that they do have a certain – let's say case where, they still need to refine themselves in terms of what they do. Let me explain myself better. When you cook, you might take the best ingredients, but if you mix them in wrong doses and overcook, you might end up with something, that’s not very good, or as good as it could have been. I think we’ve got a bit of that, here!
They could, go one way or the other with their singer, go, for longer or shorter songs, or refine their current songs more... I guess, eventually, they’ll get the “mix” right, they do seem to have the desire and all the right stuff, in place and the desire to make a “tasty” dish... so yeah... I’d be looking out, for them, in heavy metal, masterchef! LOL! (not that black metal vegetarian dude)… Really promising!
Their style is symphonic, but it’s a little more complex than the usually simplistic overblown nursery rhyme with a ton of ornamentations approach that made huge stars of Nightwish. They have a more complicated song structure that on occasion, seems to try and borrow a page or two from the songbook of Symphony X, but they never reach the dizzying heights of the American’s early brilliance either.
Their singer is a bizarre case... imagine a mix between Christina Scabbia and Simone Simons, that sometimes, tends to have some Tarja moments. She doesn’t do the metal soprano stuff, or at least not full-fledged, she goes for some parts that are sung in a pretty modern way and then there might be a few lines that are “quasi-operatic” but she never breaks into that sort of singing – fully it’s a really bizarre sound, it actually sounds like an all out of breath Tarja, a mezzo that never goes fully operatic, although at times she seems to try to. I don’t know if that’s intended or just the way she sings, but it takes a bit of getting used to really. I mean she’s obviously able to do it, to a better standard, but she probably holds off to a more “modern” delivery in order to avoid to be “heaped” with all the “other” metal “chicks”...
“Introitus” is a short, mysterious intro that quickly gives way to…
“S3v3n” in “that” stylized spelling, possibly inspired by the movie? Who knows!? Maybe, maybe not... Here’s where the band initially unfurls its complex mantle of songwriting, letting the first song unfurl… it’s got a nice chorus and interesting ideas going on, but it’s obviously not a parthenogenesis, just a nice arrangement of previously “heard” ideas...
“Oratory & Sins” treads similar waters with lots of dramatic moments, momentarily competing to get the listeners attention, but ultimately being to brief and fleeting to have a lasting impression. While it’s not bad, it reminds me of a not so symphonic, much heavier Nightmare from the first album, done a lot more focused on the playing rather than the song itself.
“Elegy of R’lyeh” with its Lovecraft themes is suppose, loosens up, being somewhat longer and allows the band to expand a bit creating an atmosphere... that’s somewhat more apt... the jazzy moments in the middle, are a bit daring and don’t entirely pay off, but at least the conclusion is way more epic, making it a quite worthwhile track by all means.
“Draconian Spectrum” begins with some really “serious” Latin chants, in really gravely stentorian voices from some male chorus members and evolves into a mid tempo riffy affair that stands it’s ground valiantly, with a pretty decent chorus.
“Cold Amber & Scalding Tears” may have a cool sounding title and some nice guitars going on, but as a whole, it left me pretty cold, unfortunately… While, I thought there were bits in it that were “nice” they never quite “gelled” together sufficiently, to make the song a success to my ears at least.
“Sahara Sagas Pt I” – a titles, suggestive that there will be a second part sometime in the future… is an epic, nine plus minute, song, rich in eastern influences, to the point that is smells of incense and bahar! No, I am obviously joking … but it’s quite different to any of its predecessors as it utilities these elements quite heavily, making it sound – decisively different flavored – while it stylistically remains in the realms of the band’s sound. Pretty good and very interesting altogether, but it could have been a bit tighter too.
“Serpents of War” begins with a very spiteful and fast guitar part only to suddenly slow down and strip to its rhythm and then it picks up the riffs again and enters with full force. It’s the most “symphonic” song I suppose, with both the singer going for a more classical approach, but also a chorus, backing her. It’s both a good song and maybe a style, that they could explore more...
Finally, “A Controversial Mind” is another long winded (close to nine minutes) song, that has prog tendencies, while it’s rather mid tempi, don’t do it any favors in terms of helping you stay with it, during its duration, it’s OK, but not exactly the ideal summation to the album.
To be honest, Siren’s Cry are not bad at all. They’re fairly talented, all of them, there’s no denying that, they have a healthy amount of good ideas, spread all over the album and all display a good level of performance. I just think that they do have a certain – let's say case where, they still need to refine themselves in terms of what they do. Let me explain myself better. When you cook, you might take the best ingredients, but if you mix them in wrong doses and overcook, you might end up with something, that’s not very good, or as good as it could have been. I think we’ve got a bit of that, here!
They could, go one way or the other with their singer, go, for longer or shorter songs, or refine their current songs more... I guess, eventually, they’ll get the “mix” right, they do seem to have the desire and all the right stuff, in place and the desire to make a “tasty” dish... so yeah... I’d be looking out, for them, in heavy metal, masterchef! LOL! (not that black metal vegetarian dude)… Really promising!