Sigh - Imaginary Sonicscape (Century Media)

Jesus Christ! This album is WEIRD!! Not creepy weird, but of the kooky variety. I always knew that Sigh blurred the line between genres, but having little experience with them, I had no idea what to expect. As I understood it, Sigh was firmly cradled by the the black metal community, indeed Mirai and crew were one of the first bands in negotiations with black metal godfather Euronymous' label, Deathlike Silence, but none of the usual UGBM rules apply here. These guys are an altogether different entity. Fresh from the Cacophanous label, these beasts from the Far East are a force to be reckoned with. From the eerily nostalgic feel of Scarlet Dream to the grainy, almost hip-hop inspired Nietzchean Conspiracy (co-penned from prison by ex-Emperor and current Blood Tsunami blastbeater Bard Eithun), this record has far surpassed their previous efforts by light years. A Sunset Song dishes up an almost Partridge Family vibe, with a dash of 70's elevator muzak to season, all the while maintaining it's black metal sentiments. It's refreshing to hear someone from the scene who understands more than ghastly, nightmarish realms of ice and torture, and are able to entwine disco/hip hop/pop/rock/black metal into a cauldron of pure blissful honey. Most likely the most creative band I've heard in the last 5 years, and thats saying something.



- C. Kolakowski