Siegfried – Nibelung (2009)

After their band’s last effort “Eisenwinter”, back in 2003, I was very skeptical about giving this album a few spins since that album was pretty dull and a total waste of anybody’s time. However, Siegfried have managed to give me the surprise of 2009, what I was expecting to be another uninspired release, has reached a top 10 spot in my favorite albums Gothic/Epic Metal albums from 2009.

“Nibelung” features very intricate and symphonic compositions that have a very Epic feeling thanks to the wide variety of vocal styles. If I didn’t know that Sanda Schleret is on the female vocals, I would have never guessed it since her vocal range is put to the test with this release and she stands out magically.

Spending 6 years between releases helped Siegfried create an amazing masterpiece that is highly melodic as well as dramatic. While the guitar riffs might not be ‘ground breaking’ they are pretty solid and provide enough support for the magical arrangements that “Nibelung’ features taking the listener into an Epic journey that only a few bands can achieve (Battlelore, Ensiferum, etc).

The haunting combination of Black Metal style vocals, with growls and the beautiful siren chants makes the album a very rich listening experience, and if I only knew German, I think it would be even better when following the album while reading the lyrics. Featuring amazing melodic parts, this album got me hooked up on it since the first time I played it on my sound system.

There is nothing wrong that I can find on this album, the composition is very engaging, the vocals are extremely well alternated with the roles setup by the album’s lyrics. The guitar riffs are both melodic and aggressive enough when called upon, and the drumming keeps the music together perfectly. This is without a doubt one of the most ‘Epic’ albums of 2009.

Both chaotic and beautiful the compositions in “Nibelung” are of great quality, I can even draw comparisons with Therion on this aspect. By spending 6 years working on this album Siegfriend has propelled themselves into one of the top Epic Metal bands in the world. Let’s just hope the band is consistent and keeps their magic for future releases. Go and get this gem before it’s too late.

Release: December 15, 2009

Country: Austria