For over fourteen years, there has been a band from Norway that has cast their spell of enigmatic Gothic Metal across the world. And now, with their (appropriately named) seventh and latest album "The Seventh Life Path", SIRENIA are once again poised to continue their epic legacy. Released May 8, 2015 in Europe, the eleven-track production is easily identifiable for anyone familiar with their music and is a monument to their craftsmanship and dedication to writing and putting together all of the pieces that make up their legendary brand of Metal. Having only announced their new album less than two months prior, the news likely came as a great and pleasant surprise to fans. I personally had no idea either if that is any indication!

SIRENIA have certainly gained a reputation for amazing performers and recording artists and "The Seventh Life Path" is no exception. While the concept of putting together a six-minute song of such magnitude as is commonplace for this band may be daunting to normal minds such as my own, it is the average song length on this album and they seem to do it with such ease and grace that they could get the patent for it.

The use of a variety of instruments and synthesizers compliments the atmospheric tonalities of the male, female, and operatic vocals in a manner that is not only naturally traditional for SIRENIA, but can almost be expected. There is a pronounced symphonic element in most of the songs across the album, and in many cases (e.g. "Concealed Disdain") the riffs are firm and heavy while the slow melodies of the guitar solo parts provide a nice sonic contrast and blend very well together, creating the essence of their style of Gothic Metal. The softer vocal and instrumental parts go a long way to distinguish the music from the generic, trying-too-hard sounds of some bands in the genre. Speaking of vocals, I could not help but to notice an almost David Bowie-esque male part in "Elixir" that I thought gave a nice twist. Maybe others will agree!

With this being the band's first album in several years back on the Austrian label Napalm Records, it goes without saying that the production is no less than top-notch. Everything about it screams spectacular and is likely to be a chart-topper in many countries (it was unreleased at the time I wrote this). The popularity of this band is unquestionable and are definite heavyweights in the world of Metal and "The Seventh Life Path," with its dark and foreboding cover art, courtesy of Gyula Havancsák, is another chapter in the ongoing dominion of SIRENIA. Now prepare your eardrums, for the path will not only choose you, it will encompass and captivate you!