Siren’s Cry – Scattered Horizons Review

So the album is astonishing. Despite of Symphony X influences I like it more than the last works of Symphony X themselves because Siren’s Cry is more interesting, fresh...

siren's cry_cover

Released by: Nightmare Records

Release Date: September 17th, 2013

Genre: Progressive Power Metal

Links: http://www.sirenscry.com/

 

Line Up:

Vocals: Katie

Keyboard: Michael

Guitars: Phil

Bass: Sören

Drums: Frederic

 

Tracklist:

1. Introitus

2. S3V3N

3. Oratory & Sins

4. Elegy of R’lyeh

5. Draconian Spectrum

6. Cold Amber & Scalding Tears

7. Sahara Sagas Pt I

I: Overture – Sands of Time

II: Beyond the Veil

III: The Unravelling

IV: Shahry?r – The Great King

V: Astray

8. Serpents of War

9. A Controversial Mind

 

Siren’s Cry was formed in Vienna in 1999 by guitarist Phillip Porter. The band recorded album “Center of Might” in 2002 but it was never properly released. After this the band split up and reformed in 2006 with a completely new line-up with female singer Katie Joanne and keyboardist Michael Siskov. With Sören Skupien (bass) and Frederic Brünner (drums) the band recorded album “Scattered Horizons” which was self-released in 2012. This year the album will be re-released by Nightmare Records on September 17th.

The band plays Progressive Power Metal with Symphonic elements. Dream Theater, Metallica, Nightwish, Threshold, Angra and Symphony X are mentioned as the main influences for them, however I could state that only Symphony X is their real object of inspiration. The music is very similar to this American act including wonderful virtuosity guitar-keyboards duels with neo-classical touch, complex music structures and epic operatic choruses. However female singer makes the band’s sounding more unique. Katie has a good voice which I can compare with Floor Jansen (ex-After Forever, ReVamp and current Nightwish) and Simone Simons (Epica). She prefers to sing a bit higher and with less operatic approaches and her voice may be not so deep. The instrumentalists are very technical; it is very interesting to hear their outstanding playing, synth passages are inventive, guitar solos are skillful and bright, bass parts are intellectual and drumming is intricate. The album was self-produced by Katie Joanne and Phillip Porter but the sound quality is perfect and well-balanced.

The music material is amazing, every song has many different parts, fast Power Metal moments and ultra-technical solos, complicated and varied rhythms, mighty riffing, slow atmospheric pieces and bombastic choruses. I could point out that there are no faint tracks here, all have almost the same high level, but all tracks are different in musical structure.

Symphony X influences are obvious at the first full track strangely named “S3V3N”. It does not copy any Symphony X song but written in the best tradition of them. I like this song but the next “Oratory & Sins” is better. It has powerful speedy beginning with mighty riffs and catchy chorus, intensive guitar-synth recalls are superb and operatic chorus in Latin is awesome.

“Elegy of R’lyeh“ is influenced by Lovecraft works, it has very complex structure, slow and fast parts changes each other and includes bizarre avant-garde jazzy part and the triumphant ending which reminds me Ayreon. “Draconian Spectrum” starts fast with Therion-like choruses, it is fast and melodic, several key-guitar recalls are very good. It is another track that I like very much.

“Cold Amber & Scalding Tears” begins as piano-dominated ballad but then becoming heavier. I am usually not fond of ballads but this number is really nice and not boring. “Sahara Sagas Pt I“ is an epic composition with middle-eastern influences which consists of 5 parts. I would like to highlight the part with Arabic vocal exercises which reproduces the real fairy middle-eastern atmosphere of “1001 Night”. Symphonic arrangements, bass improvisations and Andy LaRoque-like solos complete the whole picture. Extraordinary track! “Serpents of War” is the fastest song on the album, bright Power Metal chorus is very nice, Katie’s voice is acts as slightly lower and deep here. One more favorite track.

However the last track “A Controversial Mind” turned to the best here. The most complicated and Progressive, it has a huge amount of sudden odd changes and avant-garde parts. It is the way I like very much in Progressive Metal, one of the best Prog song I have ever listened to.

So the album is astonishing. Despite of Symphony X influences I like it more than the last works of Symphony X themselves because Siren’s Cry is more interesting, fresh and innovative and has more catchy moments. If you like technical yet melodic Progressive Power Metal with good female voice; you should check this band out.

 

Written by Egor “EG Power”

Ratings    Egor    9/10

 

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