Sigh
Imaginary Sonicscape

THE REVIEW

Sigh are one of the best Japanese metal bands ever. Starting with black metal (they were even signed by "Euronymous Deathlike Silence Production"), the group underwent a unique evolution, which led them to partly abandon the black metal atmospheres to become a true avant-metal band where '80s metal riffs blend with electronic bases and inserts, seventies-style keyboards (mellotron above all), and a dose of improvisation that never hurts; all of which supports the acidic scream of the singer and leader Mirai Kawashima.

The culmination of this artistic journey is "Imaginary Sonicscape," released in 2001.

The opener "Corpsecry-Angelfall" starts with a fast and direct riff on which the first mini-keyboard solo overlays. The track is probably the most straightforward of the album, even if it abruptly halts at the 5th minute to make way for a finale of only violins. The psychedelic journey truly begins with "Scarlet Dream," packed with heavy riffs but also synths and electronic drums, and 3 types of vocals: the scream, a computer-filtered voice, and a female choir in the chorus; notable is the electronic-oriental interlude.

Shocking: there are no words to describe "Nitzchean Conspiracy," a trip-hop song in the purest sense. It sounds like listening to dark Massive Attack behind the velvety notes of the sax and violins. Even more so with "A Sunset Song": over a pop-rock style bass and drum base, first a jazz keyboard solo is inserted, followed by a dance base with sampled trumpets, in addition to the ever-unexpected and violent guitar riffs. By now, we've understood that you can expect anything from this band. After the piano interlude "Improptu (Allegro Maestoso)" comes "Dreamsphere (Return to the Chaos)" where the oriental influence is more evident thanks to the background violins that appear here and there in the track.

Even after 34 years, the memory of Deep Purple must still be strong in Japan, as "Ecstatic Transformation" truly sounds like a Deep Purple track: the vaguely blues rhythm, the Blackmore-style solos, and those of Lord go hand in hand with the synths and electronics, and even a counterpoint of violins, for a few seconds, in the central part of the track. It is followed by the long (almost 11 minutes) "Slaughtergarden Suite," divided into 6 parts; it's difficult to describe all the sensations that this heavy, psychedelic, and symphonic track at the same time provokes in the listener. The only (fortunately) dip in the album is "Bring Back the Dead": not that it's bad, but, contrary to the other tracks, it doesn't stand out in any particular way. The closure is entrusted to "Requiem-Nostalgia," which begins with a symphonic theme that repeats several times throughout the song, whose very melodic chorus also features the flute, besides the fact of being sung in Japanese.

An album that will particularly appeal to more "open-minded" music listeners.

RATING = 7