Sigh/I Saw The World's End (Hangman's Hymn MMXXV)/Peaceville Records/2025 Re-Recorded Album Review

 

  Japans'  Sig  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  avant  garde  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "I  Saw  The  World's  End  (Hangman's  Hymn  MMXXV)"  which  will  be  released  on  June 13th,  2025  by  Peaceville  Records  and  is  also  a  re-recorded  version  of  the  2007  album  "Hangman's  Hymn".

  A  very  heavy  symphonic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams.  Elements  of  thrash  metal  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  operatic  choirs  also  taking  the  music  into  more  of  an  avant  garde  direction  when  they  are  utilized.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  album  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  more  of  a  melodic  and  old  school  metal  style.  some  of  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  touch  of  power/thrash  metal.

  Clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  some  back  up  shouts  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  album.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  as  well  as  the  music  also  updating  the  black/thrash  metal  style  for  the  modern  era,  spoken  words  are  also  used  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  and  cover   death  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  from  Sigh  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  re-recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Inked  In  Blood"  "The  Master  Malice"  "In  Devils  Arms"  and  "Salvation  In  Flame/Confutatis".  8  out  of  10.

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Sigh/Infidel Art/Cacophonous/2016 CD Re-Issue Review

  Sigh  are  a  band  from  Japan  that  has  albums  reviewed  by  this  zine  and  played  an  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  on  this  release  and  this  is  a  review  of  their 1995  album  "Infidel  Art"  which  will  be  re-issued in  November  by  Cacophonous.

  Heavy  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  80's  metal  style guitar  leads  and  a  few seconds  later  black  metal  screams  become  a  part  of the  recording  along  with  the  riffs  using  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  solos  are  also  very  melodic at  times  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  keyboards  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  symphonic  and  progressive  feeling  along  with  touches  of  classical  and  when  clean  vocals  are  utilized  they  give  the  music  more  of  an  operatic  feeling  and  a  great  portion  of t he tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  All  of  the  songs  also  get  very  experimental  and  avant  garde  at  times  and  the  songs  also  bring  in a   great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  culture  and  music  of  Japan  is  also  a  very  huge  influence  on  the  recording  and  on  tracks  brings  in  acoustic  guitars  and  the  bonus  tracks  are  original  versions  of  a  couple  of  songs  that  appeared  on  the  original  version  of  the album..

  Sigh  played  a  style  of  black  metal  on  this  recording  that  was  very  original,  experimental,  avant g arde  and  symphonic  for  its  era  and  also  helped  influence  a  lot  of  later  bands  with  this  album,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Shinto  Mythology,  Occultism,  Suffering,  Insanity  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  was  a  very  great  sounding  recording  from  Sigh  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  the  avant  garde  and  symphonic  styles  of  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Izuna"  "The  Last  Elegy"  and  "Beyond  Creatures".  8  out  of  10.

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Sigh/Graveward/Candlelight Records/2015 CD Review

  Sigh  are  a  band  from  Japan  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  symphonic, experimental  and  avant  garde  from  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Graveward"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Candlelight  Records.

  A  melodic  guitar  lead  which  also  dominates  throughout  the  album  and  symphonic  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  the  guitars  using  a  lot  of  old  school  metal  riffs  and  after  awhile  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  deep  growls  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  amount  of  clean  singing  vocals  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  At  times  the  music  can  be  very  avant  garde  and  experimental  and  the  songs  also  mix  in  a  lot  of  traditional  Japanese  music  elements  in  with  the  heavier  parts  and  there  is  also  a  good  mixture  of  both  male  and  female  choir  vocals  present  throughout  the  recording  and  at  times  both  the  solos  and  synths  bring  in  a  heavy  influence  of  70's  psychedelic  and  progressive  rock  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  As  the  album  progresses  Japanese  folk  instruments  can  be  heard  at  times  and  some  of  the  later tracks  also  bring  in  spoken  word  parts  along  with  an  influence  of  noise  music  being  brought  in  at  times  and  the  heavy  parts  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  thrash  influences  while  the  saxophones  enhances  the  avant  garde  side  of  the  bands  musical  style  and  they  also  bring  in  a  couple  of  tracks  that  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Sigh  creates  another  album  that  is  still  very  heavily  rooted  in  black  metal  but  just  like  with  previous  efforts  the  music  also  remains  avant,  garde,  symphonic  and  original  sounding  while  the  band  has  gotten  back  a  lot  of  their  heaviness  over  the  years,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  horror  movie  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great sounding  recording  from Sigh and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Graveward"  "The Molesters  Of  My  Soul"  "The  Casket  Burner"  and  "Dwellers  In  Dream".  8  out  of  10.  

http://www.earsplitcompound.com/site/2015/04/17/sigh-legendary-japanese-avant-extreme-metal-quintet-to-release-tenth-studio-album-via-candlelight-next-month-new-tunes-posted/

Sigh/In Somniphobia/Candlelight Records/2012 CD Review

  Sigh are a band from Japan that has one of their older albums reviewed before by this zine that plays a very symphonic and experimental form of black metal and this is a review of their 2012 album "In Somiphobia" which will be released by Candlelight Records.

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast playing with some blast beats being thrown in at times as well as some tribal sounding percussion, while the keyboards bring a very symphonic, experimental and psychedelic feeling to the music mixed in with some violins and saxophones that bring out the Japenese culture in addition there are some avant garde noise effects, as for the bass playing it has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast melodic sounding black metal riffs that utilize a lot of influences from thrash as well as a variety of many different musical styles, while the lead guitars are very melodic sounding guitar solos and leads that do not stick to one genre and you can hear the influences from their own culture.

Vocals are a mixture of black metal screams, deep growls and clean singing male and female vocals with a brief spoken word part being utilized on one song, while the lyrics cover dark themes, as for the production it has a very strong, powerful, heavy and professional sound to it.

In my opinion this is another great album from Sigh and if you are a fan of this band you should enjoy this recording. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Purgatorium" "The Transfiguration Fear Lucid Nightmares" "Far Beneath The In-Between" and "Amongst The Phantoms Of Abandoned Tumbrils". RECOMMENDED BUY.

https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2012/02/14/join-sigh-far-beneath-the-in-between/

Sigh/Ghastly Funeral Theatre/Cacophonous Records/1997 CD Review

  Sigh are an avant garde symphonic black metal band from Japan and this is a review of their classic 1997 album "Ghastly Funeral Theatre" which was released by Cacophonous Records.

Drums are mostly mid paced beats throughout the album with no fast playing or brutal blast beats, there is a small amount of saxophone on this album and the orchestra on this recording sounds very symphonic and avant garde with influences from 70's progressive rock, as for the bass playing it follows the riffs that are coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars are a mixture between fast riffing mixed in with a small amount of black metal riffing that contains a lot of melody, while the lead guitars are very melodic and bring in a lot of 70's rock into the guitar solo's.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams with some deep growls mixed in with some clean singing male and female vocals, while the lyrics touch on the darker side of Shintoism which is an ancient Japanese religion,

In my opinion Sigh are a very talented band and this was one of their best albums, if you are a fan of symphonic/avant garde black metal chances are that you have already heard this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Doman Seman" and "Shikigami". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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