I will try to start somehow upside down this time. Why am I proposing “Arcane Astral Aeons”? First of all I propose it because it’s the best release of Sirenia so far. It is it a decent release that includes what fans of symphonic metal could ask for.
“Arcane Astral Aeons” seals the efforts of many years of the Norwegian band to present something really powerful and complete. Watching them for several years, I was always saying they were releasing good albums, but there was always something missing. This is a well-written album with many interesting ideas and tracks capable of being loved by the fans of symphonic metal. “Into The Night”, “Love Like Cyanide,” with the participation of Yiannis Papadopoulos of Beast In Black, “Nos Heures Sombres” and especially the pompous “The Twilight Hour”, consist a great project that personally satisfied me. Furthermore, I take it for granted the fact that Emmanouelle in her second project as the basic singer, is ultimately the one that makes the difference compared to the early years of the Sirenia.
The participation of Østén Bergøy of Tristania in the very good “Aerodyde” should also be mentioned.
Obviously, Sirenia didn’t discover the wheel with “Arcane Astral Aeons” and the influences from Nightwish and Epica are more than obvious. It’s a release that involves absolutely symphonic metal and nothing else. Of course this is not bad, and almost all musicians externalize their influences on their music. The point is to listen to an album with pleasure and “Arcane Astral Aeons” is such an album.