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Sirenia - The Enigma Of Life
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6.9 | 226 votes |
Release date: 21 January 2011
Style: Symphonic gothic metal

Owners:
190 have it
23 want it


01. The End Of It All
02. Fallen Angel
03. All My Dreams
04. This Darkness
05. The Twilight In Your Eyes
06. Winter Land
07. A Seaside Serenade
08. Darkened Days To Come
09. Coming Down
10. This Lonely Lake
11. Fading Star
12. The Enigma Of Life
13. Oscura Realidad [bonus]
14. The Enigma Of Life [acoustic version] [bonus]
Reviews (2) Lyrics (14)

Additional info
Line-up:
Ailyn - Vocals
Morten Veland - Clean/Harsh Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Keyboards, Programming

"The Enigma Of Life" was written, composed and arranged by Morten Veland

Sessions musicians:
Stephanie Valentin - Violins

The Sirenian Choir:
Damien Surian, Mathieu Landry, Emmanuelle ZOldan, Sandrine Gouttebel, Emilie
Lesbros.

Spanish translations of the songs "El Enigma de la Vida" and "Oscura Realidad"
by Ailyn.

"The Enigma Of Life" was recorded in Audio Avenue Studios (Tau, N).
Additinal recordings of choirs, acoustic guitars ann violin were recorded in
Sound Suite Stuidos (Marseille, F).
Recorded between July and November 2010 at Sound Suite Studio.
All songs written by Morten Veland.

Produced, mixed and engineered by Morten Veland
Pre-Produced in Audio Avenue Studios (Tau, N)
Mastered by Mika Jussila, FInnvox.

A+R: Jaap Wagemaker

Cover artwork & design: Gustavo Sazes
Band Photos: Patric Ullaeus

Bonus tracks:
15. El Enigma De La Vida (iTunes bonus track)
16. El Enigma De La Vida (Acoustic Version) (North American bonus track)

Staff review by
KwonVerge
Rating:
6.0
Morten Veland doesn't require any introduction, anyone interested in gothic metal has a special place in his heart concerning this Norwegian musician whose love for gothic rock and metal at the same time inspired him to walk upon his own path in the scene. The years have passed though and inspiration doesn't last forever, even if your role on early Tristania was crucial and you hold aces in the pack just like At Sixes And Sevens and An Elixir For Existence.

Read more ››
published 20.06.2011 | Comments (25)

Guest review by
burnmeupinside
Rating:
5.9
Sirenia have returned to us almost exactly two years after their fourth album, The 13th Floor. I'll be honest, back in June 2010 when I first heard that Sirenia was making a new album, I was shocked for a few reasons. 1) The 13th Floor still felt new to me. 2) The songs on the new album would feel rushed because of the short wait, and 3) It's with the same singer! Holy Jesus! 2012 is coming! Yes, they have the same singer for this album. Anyway, so I was very excited when previews for The Enigma of Life were available. The previews were very good and I really did think this would be the best Sirenia record. Let's just say I was a little off.

Read more ››
published 20.06.2011 | Comments (1)

Found in 6 lists
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2011 - Best To Worst  | #102
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Top 2011  | #24
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Top Albums Of 2011 (so Far)  | #3
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Comments

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Comments: 31   [ 1 ignored ]   Visited by: 580 users
12.01.2011 - 16:51
Rating: 9
Dominus
The Shooter
Woahh, a song in spanish
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19.01.2011 - 04:03
Destructhor
I have it
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19.01.2011 - 14:09
annodomini
Better than "RUbicon" DDDDDDD Hahaha a good one..

Already listened to it... Disaster not an album... Definitely will go to this year's bottom chart.
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the riddle wants to be...
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20.01.2011 - 13:00
Rating: 5
beyondtehdarksun
Meridian FTW... I hope it sounds like the last one and not like Nine Destinies at least.
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"We are blind to the world within us, waiting to be born"
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Album Release day (January 21, 2011)
21.01.2011 - 09:58
Rating: 5
beyondtehdarksun
So, Morten does clean vocals on this one?
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"We are blind to the world within us, waiting to be born"
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21.01.2011 - 16:06
Rating: 5
Slyfang
Written by Blasphemer1992 on 19.01.2011 at 20:50

This album doesn't sound badly, it's quite good. I'll give 7.5, but there are some bad momentns on it :m-ad:
It's a pitty that it definitely won't be some songs like " Lithium And A Lover" or " Meridian".
So I've been looking forward for a new Trail Of Tears album

if you say you'll give it a 7.5, then why did you give it a 10?!
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21.01.2011 - 20:36
Rating: 7
Vonpire
A "pop metal" dissapoint. Even worse than Tristania, Rubicon, IMO. But it has some nice songs which don't cover the bad ones, which are really bad! That Aylin voice is annoying and irritating at max| Nothing new from Sirenia, a band that made 2 amazing albums and then only crap... Sad but True. For me it's an average + , just because of second part of album (not counting ridiculous extras...)
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Beware the Shadows of Dusk
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21.01.2011 - 21:39
Rating: 5
beyondtehdarksun
13th floor was quite "pop metal" too, but I liked it a lot. On first listen this one sounds a lot more generic, and I agree with her voice... I wish he would have made another album with one of the previous singers...
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"We are blind to the world within us, waiting to be born"
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22.01.2011 - 02:09
Rating: 5
Slyfang
Written by Blasphemer1992 on 21.01.2011 at 23:24

Written by Slyfang on 21.01.2011 at 16:06

Written by Blasphemer1992 on 19.01.2011 at 20:50

This album doesn't sound badly, it's quite good. I'll give 7.5, but there are some bad momentns on it :m-ad:
It's a pitty that it definitely won't be some songs like " Lithium And A Lover" or " Meridian".
So I've been looking forward for a new Trail Of Tears album

if you say you'll give it a 7.5, then why did you give it a 10?!

I give 10 because because I really like Morten, and i just want to make rating higher, album is not for 10


that's called rating abuse. i suggest you give the points that you think the album deserves
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23.01.2011 - 00:28
Rating: 7
Ag Fox
Angel No More
Elite
Ooo... pleasantly surprised (=
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loves 小巫
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24.01.2011 - 16:41
Rating: 8
ndawkn
Better than I expected.. And Morten's clean vocals sound damn good.. And lots of symphonic parts, thats nice
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26.01.2011 - 09:08
Cassian
Is it just me or Ailyn's voice is getting really weird??????? It is not as strong as it was in The 13th Floor...

I also give it a 10 because of Morten LOL I love him
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26.01.2011 - 14:05
Rating: 7
Vonpire
Duh...
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Beware the Shadows of Dusk
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28.01.2011 - 19:52
Rating: 7
Vonpire
I won't even dare to open it
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Beware the Shadows of Dusk
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28.01.2011 - 23:35
Rating: 7
Ag Fox
Angel No More
Elite
The album is too long... Would be nice if they cut it shorter
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loves 小巫
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01.02.2011 - 10:05
mpdeimos
@Ag Fox - just strip the songs u don't like

Second part is way better than the first. But it's only like 20 minutes...
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02.02.2011 - 04:59
NekuroX
I´m not a Sirenia fan, i hated first two albums, but i got inlove with the 3rd one *_* this 5th album is oh god, so... so... so... unspected, i mean yeah its not that "heavy" and yes, it sounds a little pop but gothic metal is 10% of pop music so its ok!

Love u Morten >.<
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03.02.2011 - 22:24
Rating: 9
emptyspiral
I can't stop playing this album - love it. Winter Land is my top track. Think I will have to purchase 13thFloor as well now.
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05.02.2011 - 20:01
Kenos
Account deleted
Flat and sugary goth-pop masked by soft-metal riffs, and btw that chick could sound way better in a japanese cartoon theme tune.
Oh and what about the lyrics? An embarassing feast of boring/predictable goth clichés. It's all like "I feel so sad I'm falling in the dark I wander lonely I'm lost inside and oh this life is so miserable and I can't run away so please take my hand and lead me through the night".

Quote:

"I wander lost and lonely by the shoreline of the sea
I think about the way I wanted life to be
The seaside leads me on to the sound of sweeping waves
My heart gets filled with sorrow and grief along the way"

"I've always felt so cold inside, clinging on to life
I've always felt at one with the night, fading deep inside
Winter winds are blowing through my life
Deep inside I know that I can run but I can't hide"

Seriously Morten, are you fucking kiddin me?
I really liked "At Sixes and Sevens"; "Elixir" and "Nine Destinies.." were at least decent, but maybe it's time for Morten to give up with this clowning and take up knitting.
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11.02.2011 - 20:36
Rating: 8
Justicelust
There is no pop influences guys, I think this album is much better than the previous two albums but not better than "Elixir" and "At Sixes And Sevens" of course.
I really like Ailyn's Voice in this album, but when she raises and lengthens her voice I would rather not to listen because it gets boring.
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28.02.2011 - 13:51
Rating: 3
mr.archness
I'm so disappointed, it's getting worst by each new album, this is almost pop music ! and yet, this sounds like "no mans land" neither metal, neither pop that can do some mainstreaming! female vocal is like a child singing, where did the serious singers gone? choirs, and partial melodic are so insufficient, everything is mellow, has no emotion in it, it's just flat and sad to listen to! This is not a little bit serious album, it sound like it's made from LEFTOVERS, not a single song that gives me shivers, that takes me places, like most of the previous Sirenia work !
I agree with Kenos, definitely !!!
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21.03.2011 - 16:12
Blasphemer1992
A nice pop -metal ....
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20.04.2011 - 14:39
Blasphemer1992
This band is over for me after "An elixir for existence" ...
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30.05.2011 - 14:41
Blasphemer1992
This album is an definition of a "pussy metal"
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26.08.2011 - 21:41
AnGina--
Dark Phoenix
Yea.... As I just put on Sirenia on my playlist, The Enigma Of Life is the only album I'm lefting out. Sorry Morten, nothin personal, but this one is just so.... blaaah. Sorry tho, I've trusted in Morten for a decade now and he just broke my heart with this one. Ueeeee.
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You think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it. Molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was a man. But it was nothing to me but blinding.
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18.03.2012 - 15:47
Rating: 5
Cronomaster
It has good moments, but Ailyn's vocals ruins everything in my opinion.
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09.10.2012 - 13:11
Rating: 8
Reaper_Redeemer
Riffs melodies and symphonic part are maybe the best of Sirenia.. All good all great, except... Ailyn... godamn it!
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31.01.2013 - 11:04
Rating: 8
Italics
I thought this album was well done. Surprised to see so many people hate it.
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But I Justify My Desire to No One
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05.03.2013 - 01:06
Rhiannon
Account deleted
Huge disappontment after the great 13th Floor... Nothing memorable, maybe just the first song. I listened it like five times, and didn't leave any impression... I don't get why, because all Sirenia elements are there, and I like Ailyn's voice, but this was just bad.
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03.06.2013 - 23:20
TheMAGAmvm
Soycrusher
I think that the problem with this album stands with arrangements and production. Sure, there are less symphonic and orchestral elements, but hey, this is probably worst in terms of production... the second half is good though. A step downwards indeed... 13th Floor was a lot better.
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