Sigh - Infidel Art

Strange, interesting, yet promising listen of a band which will be one of the hallmarks of what would be called "advante-garde metal". Songs are somewhat progressive in length (as opposed to the more straight forward approach they would employ in their song writing in later albums). I found the non-metal parts though some of the best parts of the album, even if they didn't really blend well with the album itself. They kiond of just appear, act as an interlude within the song, then back to metal. Sadly the actual metal parts arn't all that great, seemingly drawing inspiration from Venom and Celtic frost (which for some people might be a good thing)

Is it supposed to be pseudo-symphonic or is it acknowledged as synth-filled black metal? Anyway, I like it a lot, its really not as dark as their debut though but is heavily synth filled. In a good way, that is.

Just received my copy from Amazon, and it turns out I already had one. I don't remember buying it or where I bought it from, but apparently I got it last December.

Infidel Art is an album that requires time and patience to fully appreciate. Fortunately, the 2025 remaster gave me a reason to revisit it and allow the songs the time they need to unfold.

That said, it’s a big step away from the old-school black metal sound and atmosphere of Sigh’s debut. Instead, it presents something entirely different. The album is built around long compositions packed with strange ideas and experimental elements.

The highlights are definitely the longer tracks: “Izuna”, “The Zombie Terror,” and “The Last Elegy”. The first two are also the most straightforward and accessible. Starting from the third track, though, Sigh introduces 1–2 minute intros that often feel disconnected from the songs themselves. Since they’re unskippable, they disrupt the overall flow of the album.

“Desolation” leans heavily into a doomy sound with a spooky keyboard part, while “Suicidogenic” stands out as the fastest and shortest track, with a strong thrash influence and nice guitar solo. “Beyond Centuries,” another long track, is, in my opinion, the weakest on the album at the time I'm writing this review.

Overall, Infidel Art feels like a transitional record. One that moves the band away from its black metal roots and toward a more experimental, avant-garde, and orchestral direction. It can be overwhelming on first listen, but if you give it time, it reveals itself as an album that was far ahead of its time in 1995 and an important stepping stone toward the masterpieces that followed.