Band:	Sigh
Album:	Scenes From Hell
Style:	Avantgarde metal, Black metal
Release date:	January 19, 2010
A review by:	KwonVerge

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.