Live review: Sirenia, Club Academy, Manchester (11 May 2024)

This year, Sirenia has been touring non-stop across Europe. What makes them unique to every band we’ve seen this year so far is that this show is part of an exclusive UK tour that will finish in Swansea on the 17th.^th. The only question that came to my mind was, will this bold move be worth it for the fans and the band?

On tour for their latest album, 1977, which came out last year, Sirenia was one of the busiest symphonic metal bands. Touring endlessly and visiting every place you could think of. Tonight it’s Manchester’s turn.

The lineup for this tour consists of three bands. Symphony kicks off the evening as the vocalist hits the stage and instantly engages with the few people in attendance. The drums sound ferocious, song after song, the power metal counter bass attack is constant. The guitar work on display is outstanding. The precision and execution of each solo is impeccable, and it all builds to the best moment of the set. The only ballad of the night is sung to the usual sea of ​​cell phone flashlights. What makes this moment special, is the fact that the hall is almost empty, which means that for those present, this is very much a moment of unity among the metalheads who are present for this. Symphonity ends its setup with “Give me your helping hand.” A song that features a dueling guitar and synth solo. Something power metal fans would be very familiar with. With this set, Symphonity manage to win over the crowd with their brand of power metal, but all the songs that were played sounded like something we’ve heard many times before.

The main support in this tournament comes from Temperance. An Italian band with a very similar concept to Amaranthe. Despite the fact that there is no third vocalist tonight, the remaining two do not mess around. Kristin Starkley, the newest member of the band is unreal. Her opera voice is amazing along with Michele Guaitoli’s cleans. Again the musicianship is top notch. The guitar solos are expertly executed as the members run from side to side to interact with each other while the singing duo interacts with the audience. The venue is filling up more at the moment, but it’s clear that this won’t be a sold out gig once Sirenia finally comes around. Throughout this set, Temperance jokes about their Italian heritage, which in turn somehow resonates with the crowd as the energy goes to another level. With this set over, the crowd was undoubtedly primed for what was to come shortly.

The lights go out as the Siren’s intro tape plays. Drummer Michael Brush somehow manages to squeeze through the dimly lit room, and once he reaches his kit, the lights get a little brighter before he starts to encourage the crowd to clap. The rest of the band follows him on stage as vocalist Emmanuelle Zoldan warmly greets the crowd, asking if they’re ready for the show, before segueing straight into opener ‘Addiction No. 1’. This song is full of life and energy. Perfect for opening the set. The surprise of the set actually came halfway through. Sirenia released a new album called 1977 last year through Napalm Records, and seeing as the demographic of those in attendance, most people ended up hearing Sirenia’s older songs. “Deadlight” was a single from this new album and got the biggest reaction of the night. The catchy chorus works perfectly in this setting, as everyone present sings in unison with Emmanuelle, who is clearly enjoying herself on stage.

After playing for a little over an hour, the band leaves the stage. Chants for one more song begin as everyone eagerly awaits Sirenia’s return. The band run on stage to play their last song ‘The Path To Decay’. Another great performance from the four piece as they end their set with one of the best songs on the setlist.

Sirenia has been around since 2001, and with this tour, the band shows no signs of slowing down. They may not have sold out the entire venue, but they managed to attract some old and new school metalheads, which is just as important for a band. Playing only 14 songs, the set lasts exactly one hour and ten minutes, which for a headlining performance is short. If Sirenia had played longer, this could have been one of the best symphonic metal gigs of the year, but this time, Sirenia leave the Manchester crowd still hungry.