Riddles, Ruins & Revelations is the tenth studio album by Norwegian symphonic metal band Sirenia. It was released on 12 February 2021 via Napalm Records. The first single "Addiction No. 1" was released on 8 December 2020, along with a music video. The second single, "We Come to Ruins", was released on 12 January 2021. On 10 February 2021, the band released their third single which is a cover of French singer Desireless, "Voyage, voyage".
It was elected by Metal Hammer as the 24th best symphonic metal album.
Background Riddles, Ruins & Revelations was recorded and produced in its entirety at Morten Veland's personal studio (Audio Avenue Studios) in Tau, Norway in mid-2020. It is the first album of the band that does not feature additional recordings in Marseille with the mixed French symphonic choir (called the Sirenian Choir).
Sirenia's tenth album is a remarkable stylistic shift for the group, blending synth-pop with their usual symphonic metal musical style, opting for a more commercial bet which included the release of two music videos, and moving away from the gothic sound that characterized them in the past, twenty years after their foundation. Veland said:
Track listing
Personnel Credits for Riddles, Ruins & Revelations adapted from liner notes.(2021). "Riddles, Ruins & Revelations liner notes". In Riddles, Ruins & Revelations [CD booklet]. Napalm.
Sirenia Morten Veland – harsh and clean vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, programming, mixing, mastering, engineering Emmanuelle Zoldan – female vocals, French translation Nils Courbaron – guitars Michael Brush – drums
Additional musician Joakim Næss – clean vocals in "Downwards Spiral"
Production Gyula Havancsák – cover art, design, layout Richelle ter Heege – photography
Charts + Chart performance for Riddles, Ruins & Revelations Chart (2021) Peakposition
References