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Sigh - Scenes From Hell review




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Reviewer:
9.0

151 users:
7.81
Band: Sigh
Album: Scenes From Hell
Release date: January 2010


01. Prelude To The Oracle
02. L'Art De Mourir
03. The Soul Grave
04. Musica In Tempora Belli
    1 - The Red Funeral
    2 - The Summer Funeral
    3 - Musica In Tempora Belli
05. Vanitas
06. Scenes From Hell

.Alpha...

A cover artwork (by Eliran Kantor) and a title that resemble to a modern version of Hieronymus Bosch. Yes, you guessed correctly, Sigh hail once again from the land of the rising sun, Japan, with another magnum opus in the vein of Hangman's Hymn, complexing the soundscape even more. It is not difficult to lose your destination whenever you incorporate many elements in your sound, yet these avant-gardists know every step they make and Scenes From Hell is another masterpiece that starts as a rock on "Prelude To The Oracle" and becomes rapidly an avalanche.

A wide variety of instruments and guest musicians is omnipresent so as to fulfill this grandiose achievement. Under Mirai Kawashima's twisted genius you will find instruments just like the trombone (amongst others, interpreted by Sear Bliss' Zoltán Pál), a string quartet, the oboe, the french horn, the flute, the accordion and many more apart from Dr. Mikannibal's saxophone and Mirai's multi-instrumentalist talent. Last but not least, David Tibet's (from the industrial/experimental/apocalyptic folk/neofolk act Current 93) reciting incorporation is a wonderful achievement and to tell the truth, whenever he makes his appearance the overall scenery reminds of Rozz Williams' (Christian Death) The Whorse's Mouth (with the piano, the FX, the samples).

The overall atmosphere breathes diversity and unlimited inspiration, without losing its majestic feeling. The orchestrations and the overall arrangements tend to evoke a pompous feeling, an overwhelming aura that launches an epic essence, whereas at times a scenery as if you were listening to an Asian social movie's soundtrack makes its appearance enriching even more the soundscape. The guitars for one more time are pure frenzy, up-tempo riffing, melodies and of course the wonderful solos, without forgetting to slow down. And of course the rhythm section couldn't do anything else but follow in any possible or not tempo, lending the ideal groove and bombastic vibe to the compositions. The orchestrations and symphonic winds are at the front line, while the keyboards ensemble the overall structure like menacing whispers in the background, playing their role as well. Mikai and Dr. Mikannibal blend wonderfully together, with the first one being a neverending ghostly howl and the second one a grunting machinery, covering various ways of extreme interpretation.

Sigh in eight compositions and 43 minutes manifest an avant-garde black metal opus filled with elegiac aggression, distorting melody, dramatic symphonies and orchestrations, excruciating interpretation and an overall atmosphere that haunts the listener from the very first second to the very last. As for highlights, the album is a highlight itself, a sparkling diamond amongst the Scenes From Hell.


...Omega.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 9
Originality: 9
Production: 9





Written on 26.09.2010 by "It is myself I have never met, whose face is pasted on the underside of my mind."


Comments

Comments: 13   Visited by: 282 users
26.09.2010 - 22:03
Rating: 8
MétalNoir
Fils du Lys
Great review, this album is very good indeed. One of a kind, with baroque or I don't know what kind of symphonies that surprinsigly remind of Mexican mariachi at times. A must for all avant-garde metal fans!
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Notre destinée n'est pas encore tracée....
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26.09.2010 - 22:19
annodomini

This is one of the most underrated albums in this year's metalstorm top
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the riddle wants to be...
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26.09.2010 - 23:04
Rating: 6
Fat & Sassy!

Maybe I should give this album another chance. My initial impressions were that I felt it was boring, boring, and kinda annoying.
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26.09.2010 - 23:24
insanity.peppers

I love this album, but I don't get why they let Dr. Mikannibal sing. She plays a mean sax, but a singer she ain't. She sounds dead atrocious.
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26.09.2010 - 23:30
Edmund Fogg

Good.I didn't even knew they had a release this year.And if it's in the vein of Hangman's Hymn then I have to check them out
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You cannot sedate all the things you hate - MM
The Observer is the source of reality - Bloom
God damn it!! What did Diddy didn't do? - Satan
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27.09.2010 - 02:40
Daydream Nation
Account deleted
I NEED TO CHECK THIS BABY OUT.
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27.09.2010 - 11:31
Merchant of Doom

Surely, one of the most irritating albums of the year...
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27.09.2010 - 13:20
Rating: 7
Elio
Red Nightmare
They did it again. Solid album as usual.
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IntoPlighT said: "Slipknot is 15 years old how the fuck is that Nu metal?"

BEST. QUOTE. EVER.
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27.09.2010 - 15:19
Asunder

Love the mixed reviews here, that's Sigh for you though.
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27.09.2010 - 21:57
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Yeah this one was a bit on the inconsistant and wobbly side tbh. Songs are great live though for some reason.
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28.09.2010 - 01:07
Black Apep

Boring
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\m/
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01.02.2011 - 19:26
Nocturno-Inculto

Mexican Mariachi? I'm from Mexico, I have to hear that!!! Hell yeah!!!
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15.08.2011 - 07:05
tuerda

Not for everyone, certainly. Sigh started out by pushing the envelope, and each album they release they just keep going further and further. Hangman's Hymn was awesome, but this one may have gone so far that it doesn't stick together anymore. I still like it, but I am almost scared to think of what they might come up with next. At this rate, it won't be long before they use animal noises and chainsaws to create their melodic hooks.
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