#pinkfloyd — Public Fediverse posts

David Gilmour’s opinion on Richard Wright

https://rockandrollgarage.com/david-gilmour-opinion-on-richard-wright/

#davidgilmour #pinkfloyd #rock #music

David Gilmour’s opinion on Richard Wright

https://rockandrollgarage.com/david-gilmour-opinion-on-richard-wright/

#davidgilmour #pinkfloyd #rock #music

David Gilmour’s opinion on Richard Wright

https://rockandrollgarage.com/david-gilmour-opinion-on-richard-wright/

#davidgilmour #pinkfloyd #rock #music

David Gilmour’s opinion on Richard Wright

https://rockandrollgarage.com/david-gilmour-opinion-on-richard-wright/

#davidgilmour #pinkfloyd #rock #music

David Gilmour’s opinion on Richard Wright

https://rockandrollgarage.com/david-gilmour-opinion-on-richard-wright/

#davidgilmour #pinkfloyd #rock #music

Pink Floyd:

Brain Damage.

'I see you on the dark side of the moon:'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z39KZAryzk&list=RD1Z39KZAryzk&start_radio=1

#PinkFloyd #TheDarkSideOfTheMoon

I call this "Tanker At The Gates Of Dawn"

#PinkFloyd #Photography

The life of the unpaid, overworked metal reviewer is not an easy one. The reviewing collective at AMG lurches from one new release to the next, errors and n00bs strewn in our wake. But what if, once in a while, the collective paused to take stock and consider the discography of those bands that shaped many a taste? What if multiple aspects of the AMG collective personality shared with the slavering masses their personal rankings of that discography, and what if the rest of the personality used a Google sheet some kind of dark magic to produce an official guide to, and an all-around definitive aggregated ranking of, that band’s entire discography? Well, if that happened, we imagine it would look something like this…

For my money, Japan’s Sigh reigns uncontested as the standard for avant-garde metal, resting on a throne forged from a stellar back catalogue over thirty years in the making. Though the band has mustered an appreciable following, how Sigh isn’t a much bigger deal in the metalsphere boggles the mind. From modest, key-forward black metal roots to totally unhinged, free-for-all arrangements, Sigh never holds back from the extraordinary visions mastermind Mirai Kawashima wields. Fully integrating orchestral might, from winds, strings and brass to sundry keys the world over, Sigh’s discography consistently challenges the definitions and boundaries of metal.

With new album Goh-Ka arriving soon, we here at Angry Metal Guy felt compelled to honor this legendary and influential act with due consideration and a thoughtful dissertation. Whether you’re new to Sigh’s oddball antics or a longtime subscriber to their wonderfully outlandish hijinks, you can’t go wrong diving into any part of the band’s history. But in case you don’t want to jump in blind, outlined below is our definitive guide to appreciating one of metal’s most remarkable personalities.

– Grin Reaper

The Rankings

Grin Reaper

Each release within Sigh’s discography is unique, and as I weigh any one album against the others, I find myself categorizing each based on what instruments or styles feature most prominently. Imaginary Sonicscape indulges in keys and synths, Scenes from Hell spotlights big fat brass, and Scenario IV lumbers with thunderous umbrage. Yet no matter the prevailing mood, Sigh’s phasers are set to thrill. This has been a difficult ranking to assess and assemble, but also an incredibly rewarding one since I got to spend so much time blasting cherished records. At the very least, I hope reading this inspires you to either discover or revisit an unquestionably impeccable discography.

#12. Scorn Defeat (1993) — Sigh’s debut, Scorn Defeat sits squarely under the black metal banner while manifesting in utterly different ways than the burgeoning second wave fomenting in Norway at the time. Though it’s a strong LP that exhibits plenty of character, Scorn Defeat still ranks at the bottom when assessing Sigh’s overarching canon. Mirai Kawashima’s unhinged vocals and the tremolo riffing satisfy black metal appetites, yet the key-driven dirge of “Gundali” that morphs into a captivating piano feature and the crawling trudges in “Ready for the Final War” and “Taste Defeat” completely subvert expectations of the genre. Although interesting ideas reside on Scorn Defeat, I rarely return to it unless I’m listening to Sigh’s discography in full.

#11. Infidel Art (1995) — Picking up where Scorn Defeat left off, Infidel Art finds Sigh writing almost exclusively long-form tracks, with only “Suicidogenic” clocking under the eight-minute mark. Though the girthy durations don’t weigh down the front of the album, by the time “The Last Elegy” arrives on the heels of “Desolation,” Infidel Art begins to buckle. Luckily, “Suicidogenic” restores momentum, beginning with a flowery piano ballad supported by uplifting strings when a sinister chord progression waylays the build and diverts into a balls-out blackened thrasher that ends on the coy grace of a forlorn flute. The track presages Sigh’s unconventional song structures that would become an enduring hallmark of their sound, and the tandem of “Suicidogenic” and “Beyond Centuries” defines the best ending duo in Sigh’s discography until Gallows Gallery.

#10. Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (1999) — Though lively moments dot Scenario IV: Dead Dreams, Sigh’s fourth LP frequently decelerates to lurching paces. On one hand, this gives songs like “Diabolic Suicide,” “Infernal Cries,” and “Iconoclasm in the 4th Desert” time to breathe. On the other, the accumulation of doomy moments dampens Scenario IV’s momentum, particularly during the album’s back half. Even so, I enjoy listening to this bridge between early Sigh’s blackened roots and the experimental mayhem that came after. I also admire the creative programming employed by Kawashima and its enmeshment within Scenario IV’s other elements, foreshadowing Imaginary Sonicscape’s untamed ingenuity. Also, that guitar solo on “Severed Ways” is magnificent. In all, Scenario IV presents beautiful and bestial moments that often excite but occasionally drag.

#9. Hail Horror Hail (1997) — Hail Horror Hail rips straight outta hell from the start, with the title track slinging classic rock riffs, punky snarls, and a string-and-flute interlude to rousing effect. It’s the album where Sigh properly inaugurates the inclusion of diverse instrumentation and psychedelia that Scenario IV augmented and Imaginary Sonicscape fully realized. The airy flute interplay with distorted guitar on “42 49” and the bizarre synth injections on “12 Souls” enrich the album’s fore with unconventional depth, but Hail’s middle sags a tad before “Curse of Izanagi” fully reignites my interest with unorthodox cinematic drama. Hail Horror Hail would be a top treasure in most discographies, yet such is Sigh’s burden and a testament to the quality of their other albums.

#8. Graveward (2015) — Inspired by classic Italian horror films and their soundtracks, Graveward embodies both a raw, DIY aesthetic and grandiose-to-the-point-of-camp schtick. More than most albums in Sigh’s oeuvre, Graveward splits fan opinions given its relatively scaled-back flamboyance, but I think this is a disservice to what Sigh accomplishes here. I largely attribute this attitude to following In Somniphobia, an impossible charge for a band putting out a new record after their last one met universal acclaim. Rather than outdoing themselves by going bigger, Kawashima et al. shifted to a direction that toes the line between garage rock spunk and their signature blend of orchestral shenanigans. Although the album might seem underwhelming relative to Sigh’s other records, “Kaedit Nos Pestis,” “The Tombfiller,” and “The Casketburner” supply hooks aplenty and catchy refrains that separate Graveward above their early era, while “Graveward” and “The Trial by the Dead” radiate lovable old-school cinematic pomp.

#7. Gallows Gallery (2005) — There’s something about Gallows Gallery’s LoFi aesthetic that brings a smile to my face. The raw production and drastic shift in direction following Imaginary Sonicscape proved divisive, particularly for Sigh’s label at the time, given they refused to distribute the album.1 It’s an altogether different beast than what came before, leaning into blues-tinged and psychedelic rock arrangements that recall a bizarre cross-section of Pink Floyd, The Animals, and a dash of Rob Zombie. The album also flies by, making it a quick romp with singalong bops. With the benefit of hindsight, it’s easier to see the threads that tie Gallows Gallery not just to its predecessor, but to the future journeys Sigh would guide listeners through. Ultimately, Gallows Gallery serves as a transition album, even for a band that constantly reinvents itself, and proves a kooky, succinct platter that hemorrhages fun.

#6. Heir to Despair (2018) — As Kronos detailed in his review of Heir to Despair, Sigh’s eleventh album finds them at their most direct and stripped down. This direction began on Graveward, but Heir to Despair further dials down the weird in favor of a more straightforward, if still offbeat, metal record. While this might seem a disappointment to some fans, hearing Sigh take on a less variegated platter allowed them to shine in a new light. “Homo Homini Lupus” rings with Maidenesque grandeur while “In Memories Delusional” instantly recalls Ozzy classic “Bark at the Moon,” at least before Mirai devolves into feral madman phrasing. Following Heir to Despair’s concept of a descent into madness, the album progresses in a clever thread from direct rocker in the front half to the idiosyncratic plunge into a psychological fracture during “Hands of the String Puller” and the title track. I think that Heir to Despair gets slept on because it’s Sigh’s most subtle work, but it rewards listeners who check expectations at the door and dare to Despair.

#5. Scenes from Hell (2010) — Sigh with horns! And not just the sweet, sweet sax that Dr. Mikannibal lends. Scenes from Hell boasts a bona fide mini orchestra,2 and it immediately sets Sigh’s eighth album apart from what came before. Another distinguishing factor is the sheer flexibility and audacity of their songwriting. One of Sigh’s defining characteristics is their plasticity, selecting what elements they want to use to invigorate an album and writing music around them to ensure the band remains fresh and exciting. Scenes from Hell begins with “Prelude to the Oracle,” where the brass section bounces between the raucous energies of a high school band section, mariachi madness, and cinematic action sequences, the latter of which gets amplified on follow-up “L’Art de Mourir” with the injection of classical strings and galloping drums. The rest of the album plays out in similar fashion, making for an excellently delectable Hellscape.

#4. Shiki (2022) — Billed as a more personal album for Mirai, Shiki ponders mortality through the lens of seasons as his autumn wanes into winter. Similar to Heir to Despair, Shiki’s instrumentation forgoes the widespread multifariousness Sigh is known for, or at least reins it in as more emphasis is placed on drums, guitars, and vocals. The latter becomes especially important given the intimacy of the subject matter. I understand academically that listeners may not always appreciate Mirai’s frantic deliveries, yet I find his acidity and bite a perfect match for the chaotic beauty of Sigh’s music. Not too much on Shiki veers from this approach, but the vocals are a touch higher in the mix and occasionally draw out in tortured howls I find particularly effective. Despite being more straightforward than many Sigh offerings, Shiki still incorporates a healthy amount of flute and keys, along with some killer shredding (“Mayonaka no Kaii”) to keep the music lively and exciting. And though I sense that Sigh always makes the music they want to, there’s an earnestness on Shiki that elevates it above the various other contenders vying for the upper echelon of their corpus.

#3. Hangman’s Hymn – Musikalische Exequien (2007)3 — Sigh goes Maiden on Hangman’s Hymn, describing the final moments and conscious thoughts of a man as he’s charged, condemned, and executed. “Hallowed Be Thy Name” is one of my all-time favorite songs, so magnifying that concept into a full-blown album presents a thrilling prospect—and boy does Sigh deliver. Though the album unfolds as a damnation of one flawed man, Hangman’s Hymn acts as a microcosm for humanity’s deserved judgment more broadly, where the solution is “Salvation in Flame.” Though bleak, Sigh furnishes this message with hellishly fun bombast. Fusing Teutonic thrash with German classical arrangements, Mirai forges an unforgettable funereal soundtrack that fumes with hellfire and musical opulence. “Inked in Blood,” “Me-Devil,” and “Salvation in Flame / Confutatis” are some of my favorite songs in Sigh’s discography, exquisitely melding the ‘ugliness’ of 80s German thrash with classical baroque underpinnings. Death never sounded so alive.

#2. Imaginary Soniscape (2001) — The first time I heard Imaginary Sonicscape, something clicked. Sigh’s fifth LP wasn’t my introduction, but it’s what cemented them as a band I would always follow. Not just a fever dream of key-drenched psychedelia,[1, Although it’s definitely that, too.] Imaginary Sonicscape swells with experimentation and an unfathomable, irresistible fearlessness. “Scarlet Dream” borrows from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera” with its half-step chromatic runs and adds an improbable 90s hip-hop synth, inducing a faint Faith No More undercurrent, while “A Sunset Song” meshes Beach Boys’ good vibes with smooth Michael McDonald butteriness and raw Celtic Frost edge. This thing should be a disaster, but it’s a masterpiece. A complete departure from what came before, Imaginary Sonicscape is weird yet accessible, heavy yet mellow, and an hour that disappears in a marvelous flash. Each song proves essential, and though front-loaded with my favorite tracks, bangers abound throughout and devise a record that would be the feather in the cap of many a discography. And yet…

#1. In Somniphobia (2012) — …In Somniphobia just edges into the top spot with its master-crafted auditory blitzkrieg of eclectic instruments and styles. From the slick lick that opens “Purgatorium” through the sultry sax on “Amnesia” to “Equal”‘s Moron Police-level power pop jauntiness backing the gritty refrain of ‘kill me now,’ every second of In Somniphobia exudes the peak confluence of Sigh’s intrepid creativity and musical execution. The concept of the album emboldens its soundtrack, as it explores the fragility of reality when sleep eludes or assails us. In Somniphobia deftly conjures nightmarish fluidity with constantly shifting, genre-bending while simultaneously wrangling engrossing melodies with megaton hooks. AMG Himself nailed the Iconic rating, and for my money, In Somniphobia is not only the deadliest weapon in Sigh’s arsenal, but one of the best albums this century.

Creeping Ivy

Sigh slashed their way into my life in 2022, when the bizarrely progressive strains of Shiki slaughtered my ears. Immediately, I explored much of their back catalogue, whether through the simple act of streaming (Heir to Despair, Imaginary Sonicscape) or the crapshoot destiny of crate digging (Scorn Defeat, In Somniphobia). Going through the entire Sigh discography for this ranking was a real treat—few metal bands can boast the consistent longevity and persistent creativity of Mirai Kawashima and crew. Here, AMG Faithful stands my humble offering to the inimitable Sigh!

#12. Graveward (2015) — Sigh have no bad albums, so Graveward occupying my bottom spot should not be interpreted as any sort of slight. It’s more impressive, off-the-wall stuff for sure, but it hews a bit too close to musical theater for my taste. Graveward does, like many Sigh records, grow more interesting as it goes; I especially dig the burst of orchestral blackened punk that is “Out of the Grave.” Having to follow a certain album, however, was always going to be a challenge—at this point in their storied career, Graveward feels like Sigh Sighing to me.

#11. Infidel Art (1995) — Superficially, Infidel Art seems like a marked step up from Sigh’s debut. “Izuna” and “The Zombie Terror” kick things off with kick-ass fluctuations between blackened plods, propulsive power chords, and ear-worm riffs that make the orchestral elements more central than Scorn Defeat. Gravitating towards sustained doom from “Desolation” onwards, the album ends up petering out for me in its back half. Having said that, Infidel Art portends great things to come, with “Suicidogenic” offering a late-album glimpse into Sigh’s potential for marrying macabre cinematics with metallic mobility.

#10. Heir to Despair (2018) — Shiki is the first Sigh album that, I would say, sounds like ‘modern’ metal; to my ears, Heir to Despair initiated this development. Its status as a sort of transition album makes it interesting within the band’s trajectory, but it’s also a bit tepid by Sigh standards. Going for a more patient variety of avant-garde metal, Heir possesses some killer highlights: opener “Aletheia” boasts one of the band’s most infectious riffs, “In Memories Delusional” shreds on guitar/vocal fronts, and “Homo Homini Lupus” has some sweet Phil black metal vocals. “Heresy” I–III, however, doesn’t quite cut it for me—without this (totally weird and cool) experiment in its midst, Heir to Despair might have ranked a bit higher.

#9. Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (1999) — Situated between two Sigh albums I love, Scenario IV is an album I’m intrigued by more than I love. I do enjoy it, muchly; “Infernal Cries” has some of my favorite riffing from the band, and who amongst us can resist peering “In the Mind of a Lunatic”? Getting real, though, I’ll say that Scenario IV was the first time I felt the length of a Sigh album when listening to their discography in order. Hinging between two of my top Sigh albums, Scenario IV is an album I listen to as a precursory lull of sorts (and one I can see making great leaps up my ranking upon re-listens).

#8. Hangman’s Hymn (2007) — Switching to the middle of my ranking, I’ll say this: sometimes, a first impression is a lasting impression. I Saw the World’s End before I heard Hangman’s Hymn, and what I heard was the kind of breakneck, kooky, blackened extreme metal I’d come to know and love from Sigh. Going back to the rawer original for this ranking left me equally floored; from “Introitus/Kyrie” to “Hangman’s Hymn/In Paradisum/Das Ende,” Sigh never pumps the brakes. Hangman’s Hymn didn’t necessarily need to be re-recorded, I would say, but the fact that Sigh chose to re-record it unavoidably inflects my perception of the original: great, but maybe not singular.

#7. Gallows Gallery (2005) — Seven and eight on my ranking are somewhat interchangeable, but Gallows Gallery gets the nod as, to me, the more unique mid-aughts Sigh album. If Gallows Gallery is, indeed, Sigh doing power metal, then it’s almost assuredly my favorite power metal album of all time. Guitar heroics will always put a smile on my face—”Pale Monument” and “Silver Universe” deliver the melodies, harmonies, and shred I can never get enough of. Having only clean vocals limits my enjoyment of this as a Sigh album, but when I adjust, I always have a damn good time with this record.

#6. Scorn Defeat (1993) — Scorn Defeat might be the obvious candidate as Sigh’s weakest album, as it’s the most imitative and least experimental of the bunch. Indeed, the band’s debut sounds like Venom worship with hints of the insanity to come. Growing stronger as it goes, Scorn Defeat nevertheless reveals Sigh’s potential via the harpsichord intro to “The Knell,” the incredible ivory twinkling of “Gundali,” and the choral midsection in “Taste Defeat.” Hearing Scorn Defeat early in my discovery of the Sigh discography frames my relationship with it: a harbinger of things to come that simultaneously scratches the itch for first-wave fun.

#5. Scenes from Hell (2010) — Scenes from Hell tops the middle of my ranking by wrapping bonkers mid-period Sigh in the crustier production of the early albums. Initiating the now-central fixture of Dr. Mikannibal into the fold, Scenes holds a special place in the Sigh discography, and it’s one that, for me, flirts with novelty in the best possible way. Grandiose yet gritty, the two funerals at the heart of Scenes showcase Sigh masterfully wielding orchestral elements as both central fixtures and subtle touches, never losing touch with the album’s punky black core. Hell’s soundtrack supersedes Heaven’s; this I always knew; what I didn’t know was how lively and fun this soundtrack actually is.

#4. Shiki (2022) — Shiki introduced me to the wonderfully weird world of Sigh, and it’s an album I still hold in very high regard. I tend to love progressive music that embraces enabling constraints, and Shiki sees Sigh continuing the shift they made towards relative restraint on Heir to Despair (2018) with this meditation on mortality. Getting older sucks, but it sucks a lot less with a soundtrack of killer doom riffs (“Kuroi Kage”), bitchin’ bongo solos (“Skikabane”), and jazzy noir interludes (“Mayonaka No Kaii”). Having Frédéric Leclerq and Mike Heller on board as guest musicians helps reinvigorate the band (as adding Dr. Mikannibal did on Scenes from Hell)—Shiki ascends to the top of metal modernity by enlisting top-tier veterans.

#3. Hail Horror Hail (1997) — Sigh truly became Sighcotic on their third album, the one I reach for when I want slow-burning nightmare fuel at an aesthetic distance. It took a few spins for Hail Horror Hail to fully sink its murderous hooks into me; once it did, it easily clawed its way towards the top of my ranking. Going for a more black n’ roll sound off the bat with the anthemic title track, “12 Souls” starts to give me the scaries, but “The Dead Sing” has me roving between fear and joy in a manner that can be called sublime. Hardest one to get into, most rewarding one to get into—this is my experience with Hail Horror Hail.

#2. In Somniphobia (2012) — Sorting out the Sigh discography ended up being a two-horse race, with In Somniphobia slightly falling behind my winner. I found Sigh’s ninth in my local vinyl shop (and valiantly haggled the owner down $15), and it immediately floored me with its near-perfect balance of metallic speed, grandiose classicism, jazzy swagger, and a bunch of other things. Getting the Lucid Nightmare Suite alone would’ve made this Sigh’s second best; “L’excommunication a Minuit” gets my blood boiling with its Mortal Kombat riff, while “Amongst the Phantoms of Abandoned Tumbrils” brings me down with its haunting accordion compressions. Hearing In Somniphobia on double vinyl, however, made me realize that Sides A/D are an enveloping EP of sorts—best twofer ever!

#1. Imaginary Sonicscape (2001) — Sonicscapes don’t get any more imaginary than this. In a discography where no two albums sound all that much alike, Imaginary Sonicscape truly sounds like no other Sigh record, which is precisely why it’s my favorite. Gushing about this album must be done in a concise manner, so I’ll leave it at this: “A Sunset Song” was the track that sold me on the album, full stop, and it’s still one of my favorite Sigh songs. Hearing this chaotic dreamsphere of crying corpses, Nietzschean conspiracies, and ecstatic transformations always feels like hearing it for the first time, and I love introducing people to it (metalheads, but anyone with a taste for the avant-garde).

Angry Metal Guy Staff Ranking

Combining the aforementioned analyses with the wisdom of more tenured staff, please enjoy the aggregated ranking below:

1. 1. Infidel Art (1995)
   2. Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (1999)
   3. Scorn Defeat (1993)
   4. Graveward (2015)
   5. Hail Horror Hail (1997)
   6. Heir to Despair (2018)
   7. Gallows Gallery (2005)
   8. Hangman’s Hymn (2007)
   9. Shiki (2022)
   10. Scenes from Hell (2010)
   11. Imaginary Sonicscape (2001)
   12. In Somniphobia (2012)

For any uncultured readers who need a quick study on one of the best bands in the biz, check out the below.

The life of the unpaid, overworked metal reviewer is not an easy one. The reviewing collective at AMG lurches from one new release to the next, errors and n00bs strewn in our wake. But what if, once in a while, the collective paused to take stock and consider the discography of those bands that shaped many a taste? What if multiple aspects of the AMG collective personality shared with the slavering masses their personal rankings of that discography, and what if the rest of the personality used a Google sheet some kind of dark magic to produce an official guide to, and an all-around definitive aggregated ranking of, that band’s entire discography? Well, if that happened, we imagine it would look something like this…

For my money, Japan’s Sigh reigns uncontested as the standard for avant-garde metal, resting on a throne forged from a stellar back catalogue over thirty years in the making. Though the band has mustered an appreciable following, how Sigh isn’t a much bigger deal in the metalsphere boggles the mind. From modest, key-forward black metal roots to totally unhinged, free-for-all arrangements, Sigh never holds back from the extraordinary visions mastermind Mirai Kawashima wields. Fully integrating orchestral might, from winds, strings and brass to sundry keys the world over, Sigh’s discography consistently challenges the definitions and boundaries of metal.

With new album Goh-Ka arriving soon, we here at Angry Metal Guy felt compelled to honor this legendary and influential act with due consideration and a thoughtful dissertation. Whether you’re new to Sigh’s oddball antics or a longtime subscriber to their wonderfully outlandish hijinks, you can’t go wrong diving into any part of the band’s history. But in case you don’t want to jump in blind, outlined below is our definitive guide to appreciating one of metal’s most remarkable personalities.

– Grin Reaper

The Rankings

Grin Reaper

Each release within Sigh’s discography is unique, and as I weigh any one album against the others, I find myself categorizing each based on what instruments or styles feature most prominently. Imaginary Sonicscape indulges in keys and synths, Scenes from Hell spotlights big fat brass, and Scenario IV lumbers with thunderous umbrage. Yet no matter the prevailing mood, Sigh’s phasers are set to thrill. This has been a difficult ranking to assess and assemble, but also an incredibly rewarding one since I got to spend so much time blasting cherished records. At the very least, I hope reading this inspires you to either discover or revisit an unquestionably impeccable discography.

#12. Scorn Defeat (1993) — Sigh’s debut, Scorn Defeat sits squarely under the black metal banner while manifesting in utterly different ways than the burgeoning second wave fomenting in Norway at the time. Though it’s a strong LP that exhibits plenty of character, Scorn Defeat still ranks at the bottom when assessing Sigh’s overarching canon. Mirai Kawashima’s unhinged vocals and the tremolo riffing satisfy black metal appetites, yet the key-driven dirge of “Gundali” that morphs into a captivating piano feature and the crawling trudges in “Ready for the Final War” and “Taste Defeat” completely subvert expectations of the genre. Although interesting ideas reside on Scorn Defeat, I rarely return to it unless I’m listening to Sigh’s discography in full.

#11. Infidel Art (1995) — Picking up where Scorn Defeat left off, Infidel Art finds Sigh writing almost exclusively long-form tracks, with only “Suicidogenic” clocking under the eight-minute mark. Though the girthy durations don’t weigh down the front of the album, by the time “The Last Elegy” arrives on the heels of “Desolation,” Infidel Art begins to buckle. Luckily, “Suicidogenic” restores momentum, beginning with a flowery piano ballad supported by uplifting strings when a sinister chord progression waylays the build and diverts into a balls-out blackened thrasher that ends on the coy grace of a forlorn flute. The track presages Sigh’s unconventional song structures that would become an enduring hallmark of their sound, and the tandem of “Suicidogenic” and “Beyond Centuries” defines the best ending duo in Sigh’s discography until Gallows Gallery.

#10. Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (1999) — Though lively moments dot Scenario IV: Dead Dreams, Sigh’s fourth LP frequently decelerates to lurching paces. On one hand, this gives songs like “Diabolic Suicide,” “Infernal Cries,” and “Iconoclasm in the 4th Desert” time to breathe. On the other, the accumulation of doomy moments dampens Scenario IV’s momentum, particularly during the album’s back half. Even so, I enjoy listening to this bridge between early Sigh’s blackened roots and the experimental mayhem that came after. I also admire the creative programming employed by Kawashima and its enmeshment within Scenario IV’s other elements, foreshadowing Imaginary Sonicscape’s untamed ingenuity. Also, that guitar solo on “Severed Ways” is magnificent. In all, Scenario IV presents beautiful and bestial moments that often excite but occasionally drag.

#9. Hail Horror Hail (1997) — Hail Horror Hail rips straight outta hell from the start, with the title track slinging classic rock riffs, punky snarls, and a string-and-flute interlude to rousing effect. It’s the album where Sigh properly inaugurates the inclusion of diverse instrumentation and psychedelia that Scenario IV augmented and Imaginary Sonicscape fully realized. The airy flute interplay with distorted guitar on “42 49” and the bizarre synth injections on “12 Souls” enrich the album’s fore with unconventional depth, but Hail’s middle sags a tad before “Curse of Izanagi” fully reignites my interest with unorthodox cinematic drama. Hail Horror Hail would be a top treasure in most discographies, yet such is Sigh’s burden and a testament to the quality of their other albums.

#8. Graveward (2015) — Inspired by classic Italian horror films and their soundtracks, Graveward embodies both a raw, DIY aesthetic and grandiose-to-the-point-of-camp schtick. More than most albums in Sigh’s oeuvre, Graveward splits fan opinions given its relatively scaled-back flamboyance, but I think this is a disservice to what Sigh accomplishes here. I largely attribute this attitude to following In Somniphobia, an impossible charge for a band putting out a new record after their last one met universal acclaim. Rather than outdoing themselves by going bigger, Kawashima et al. shifted to a direction that toes the line between garage rock spunk and their signature blend of orchestral shenanigans. Although the album might seem underwhelming relative to Sigh’s other records, “Kaedit Nos Pestis,” “The Tombfiller,” and “The Casketburner” supply hooks aplenty and catchy refrains that separate Graveward above their early era, while “Graveward” and “The Trial by the Dead” radiate lovable old-school cinematic pomp.

#7. Gallows Gallery (2005) — There’s something about Gallows Gallery’s LoFi aesthetic that brings a smile to my face. The raw production and drastic shift in direction following Imaginary Sonicscape proved divisive, particularly for Sigh’s label at the time, given they refused to distribute the album.1 It’s an altogether different beast than what came before, leaning into blues-tinged and psychedelic rock arrangements that recall a bizarre cross-section of Pink Floyd, The Animals, and a dash of Rob Zombie. The album also flies by, making it a quick romp with singalong bops. With the benefit of hindsight, it’s easier to see the threads that tie Gallows Gallery not just to its predecessor, but to the future journeys Sigh would guide listeners through. Ultimately, Gallows Gallery serves as a transition album, even for a band that constantly reinvents itself, and proves a kooky, succinct platter that hemorrhages fun.

#6. Heir to Despair (2018) — As Kronos detailed in his review of Heir to Despair, Sigh’s eleventh album finds them at their most direct and stripped down. This direction began on Graveward, but Heir to Despair further dials down the weird in favor of a more straightforward, if still offbeat, metal record. While this might seem a disappointment to some fans, hearing Sigh take on a less variegated platter allowed them to shine in a new light. “Homo Homini Lupus” rings with Maidenesque grandeur while “In Memories Delusional” instantly recalls Ozzy classic “Bark at the Moon,” at least before Mirai devolves into feral madman phrasing. Following Heir to Despair’s concept of a descent into madness, the album progresses in a clever thread from direct rocker in the front half to the idiosyncratic plunge into a psychological fracture during “Hands of the String Puller” and the title track. I think that Heir to Despair gets slept on because it’s Sigh’s most subtle work, but it rewards listeners who check expectations at the door and dare to Despair.

#5. Scenes from Hell (2010) — Sigh with horns! And not just the sweet, sweet sax that Dr. Mikannibal lends. Scenes from Hell boasts a bona fide mini orchestra,2 and it immediately sets Sigh’s eighth album apart from what came before. Another distinguishing factor is the sheer flexibility and audacity of their songwriting. One of Sigh’s defining characteristics is their plasticity, selecting what elements they want to use to invigorate an album and writing music around them to ensure the band remains fresh and exciting. Scenes from Hell begins with “Prelude to the Oracle,” where the brass section bounces between the raucous energies of a high school band section, mariachi madness, and cinematic action sequences, the latter of which gets amplified on follow-up “L’Art de Mourir” with the injection of classical strings and galloping drums. The rest of the album plays out in similar fashion, making for an excellently delectable Hellscape.

#4. Shiki (2022) — Billed as a more personal album for Mirai, Shiki ponders mortality through the lens of seasons as his autumn wanes into winter. Similar to Heir to Despair, Shiki’s instrumentation forgoes the widespread multifariousness Sigh is known for, or at least reins it in as more emphasis is placed on drums, guitars, and vocals. The latter becomes especially important given the intimacy of the subject matter. I understand academically that listeners may not always appreciate Mirai’s frantic deliveries, yet I find his acidity and bite a perfect match for the chaotic beauty of Sigh’s music. Not too much on Shiki veers from this approach, but the vocals are a touch higher in the mix and occasionally draw out in tortured howls I find particularly effective. Despite being more straightforward than many Sigh offerings, Shiki still incorporates a healthy amount of flute and keys, along with some killer shredding (“Mayonaka no Kaii”) to keep the music lively and exciting. And though I sense that Sigh always makes the music they want to, there’s an earnestness on Shiki that elevates it above the various other contenders vying for the upper echelon of their corpus.

#3. Hangman’s Hymn – Musikalische Exequien (2007)3 — Sigh goes Maiden on Hangman’s Hymn, describing the final moments and conscious thoughts of a man as he’s charged, condemned, and executed. “Hallowed Be Thy Name” is one of my all-time favorite songs, so magnifying that concept into a full-blown album presents a thrilling prospect—and boy does Sigh deliver. Though the album unfolds as a damnation of one flawed man, Hangman’s Hymn acts as a microcosm for humanity’s deserved judgment more broadly, where the solution is “Salvation in Flame.” Though bleak, Sigh furnishes this message with hellishly fun bombast. Fusing Teutonic thrash with German classical arrangements, Mirai forges an unforgettable funereal soundtrack that fumes with hellfire and musical opulence. “Inked in Blood,” “Me-Devil,” and “Salvation in Flame / Confutatis” are some of my favorite songs in Sigh’s discography, exquisitely melding the ‘ugliness’ of 80s German thrash with classical baroque underpinnings. Death never sounded so alive.

#2. Imaginary Soniscape (2001) — The first time I heard Imaginary Sonicscape, something clicked. Sigh’s fifth LP wasn’t my introduction, but it’s what cemented them as a band I would always follow. Not just a fever dream of key-drenched psychedelia,[1, Although it’s definitely that, too.] Imaginary Sonicscape swells with experimentation and an unfathomable, irresistible fearlessness. “Scarlet Dream” borrows from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera” with its half-step chromatic runs and adds an improbable 90s hip-hop synth, inducing a faint Faith No More undercurrent, while “A Sunset Song” meshes Beach Boys’ good vibes with smooth Michael McDonald butteriness and raw Celtic Frost edge. This thing should be a disaster, but it’s a masterpiece. A complete departure from what came before, Imaginary Sonicscape is weird yet accessible, heavy yet mellow, and an hour that disappears in a marvelous flash. Each song proves essential, and though front-loaded with my favorite tracks, bangers abound throughout and devise a record that would be the feather in the cap of many a discography. And yet…

#1. In Somniphobia (2012) — …In Somniphobia just edges into the top spot with its master-crafted auditory blitzkrieg of eclectic instruments and styles. From the slick lick that opens “Purgatorium” through the sultry sax on “Amnesia” to “Equal”‘s Moron Police-level power pop jauntiness backing the gritty refrain of ‘kill me now,’ every second of In Somniphobia exudes the peak confluence of Sigh’s intrepid creativity and musical execution. The concept of the album emboldens its soundtrack, as it explores the fragility of reality when sleep eludes or assails us. In Somniphobia deftly conjures nightmarish fluidity with constantly shifting, genre-bending while simultaneously wrangling engrossing melodies with megaton hooks. AMG Himself nailed the Iconic rating, and for my money, In Somniphobia is not only the deadliest weapon in Sigh’s arsenal, but one of the best albums this century.

Creeping Ivy

Sigh slashed their way into my life in 2022, when the bizarrely progressive strains of Shiki slaughtered my ears. Immediately, I explored much of their back catalogue, whether through the simple act of streaming (Heir to Despair, Imaginary Sonicscape) or the crapshoot destiny of crate digging (Scorn Defeat, In Somniphobia). Going through the entire Sigh discography for this ranking was a real treat—few metal bands can boast the consistent longevity and persistent creativity of Mirai Kawashima and crew. Here, AMG Faithful stands my humble offering to the inimitable Sigh!

#12. Graveward (2015) — Sigh have no bad albums, so Graveward occupying my bottom spot should not be interpreted as any sort of slight. It’s more impressive, off-the-wall stuff for sure, but it hews a bit too close to musical theater for my taste. Graveward does, like many Sigh records, grow more interesting as it goes; I especially dig the burst of orchestral blackened punk that is “Out of the Grave.” Having to follow a certain album, however, was always going to be a challenge—at this point in their storied career, Graveward feels like Sigh Sighing to me.

#11. Infidel Art (1995) — Superficially, Infidel Art seems like a marked step up from Sigh’s debut. “Izuna” and “The Zombie Terror” kick things off with kick-ass fluctuations between blackened plods, propulsive power chords, and ear-worm riffs that make the orchestral elements more central than Scorn Defeat. Gravitating towards sustained doom from “Desolation” onwards, the album ends up petering out for me in its back half. Having said that, Infidel Art portends great things to come, with “Suicidogenic” offering a late-album glimpse into Sigh’s potential for marrying macabre cinematics with metallic mobility.

#10. Heir to Despair (2018) — Shiki is the first Sigh album that, I would say, sounds like ‘modern’ metal; to my ears, Heir to Despair initiated this development. Its status as a sort of transition album makes it interesting within the band’s trajectory, but it’s also a bit tepid by Sigh standards. Going for a more patient variety of avant-garde metal, Heir possesses some killer highlights: opener “Aletheia” boasts one of the band’s most infectious riffs, “In Memories Delusional” shreds on guitar/vocal fronts, and “Homo Homini Lupus” has some sweet Phil black metal vocals. “Heresy” I–III, however, doesn’t quite cut it for me—without this (totally weird and cool) experiment in its midst, Heir to Despair might have ranked a bit higher.

#9. Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (1999) — Situated between two Sigh albums I love, Scenario IV is an album I’m intrigued by more than I love. I do enjoy it, muchly; “Infernal Cries” has some of my favorite riffing from the band, and who amongst us can resist peering “In the Mind of a Lunatic”? Getting real, though, I’ll say that Scenario IV was the first time I felt the length of a Sigh album when listening to their discography in order. Hinging between two of my top Sigh albums, Scenario IV is an album I listen to as a precursory lull of sorts (and one I can see making great leaps up my ranking upon re-listens).

#8. Hangman’s Hymn (2007) — Switching to the middle of my ranking, I’ll say this: sometimes, a first impression is a lasting impression. I Saw the World’s End before I heard Hangman’s Hymn, and what I heard was the kind of breakneck, kooky, blackened extreme metal I’d come to know and love from Sigh. Going back to the rawer original for this ranking left me equally floored; from “Introitus/Kyrie” to “Hangman’s Hymn/In Paradisum/Das Ende,” Sigh never pumps the brakes. Hangman’s Hymn didn’t necessarily need to be re-recorded, I would say, but the fact that Sigh chose to re-record it unavoidably inflects my perception of the original: great, but maybe not singular.

#7. Gallows Gallery (2005) — Seven and eight on my ranking are somewhat interchangeable, but Gallows Gallery gets the nod as, to me, the more unique mid-aughts Sigh album. If Gallows Gallery is, indeed, Sigh doing power metal, then it’s almost assuredly my favorite power metal album of all time. Guitar heroics will always put a smile on my face—”Pale Monument” and “Silver Universe” deliver the melodies, harmonies, and shred I can never get enough of. Having only clean vocals limits my enjoyment of this as a Sigh album, but when I adjust, I always have a damn good time with this record.

#6. Scorn Defeat (1993) — Scorn Defeat might be the obvious candidate as Sigh’s weakest album, as it’s the most imitative and least experimental of the bunch. Indeed, the band’s debut sounds like Venom worship with hints of the insanity to come. Growing stronger as it goes, Scorn Defeat nevertheless reveals Sigh’s potential via the harpsichord intro to “The Knell,” the incredible ivory twinkling of “Gundali,” and the choral midsection in “Taste Defeat.” Hearing Scorn Defeat early in my discovery of the Sigh discography frames my relationship with it: a harbinger of things to come that simultaneously scratches the itch for first-wave fun.

#5. Scenes from Hell (2010) — Scenes from Hell tops the middle of my ranking by wrapping bonkers mid-period Sigh in the crustier production of the early albums. Initiating the now-central fixture of Dr. Mikannibal into the fold, Scenes holds a special place in the Sigh discography, and it’s one that, for me, flirts with novelty in the best possible way. Grandiose yet gritty, the two funerals at the heart of Scenes showcase Sigh masterfully wielding orchestral elements as both central fixtures and subtle touches, never losing touch with the album’s punky black core. Hell’s soundtrack supersedes Heaven’s; this I always knew; what I didn’t know was how lively and fun this soundtrack actually is.

#4. Shiki (2022) — Shiki introduced me to the wonderfully weird world of Sigh, and it’s an album I still hold in very high regard. I tend to love progressive music that embraces enabling constraints, and Shiki sees Sigh continuing the shift they made towards relative restraint on Heir to Despair (2018) with this meditation on mortality. Getting older sucks, but it sucks a lot less with a soundtrack of killer doom riffs (“Kuroi Kage”), bitchin’ bongo solos (“Skikabane”), and jazzy noir interludes (“Mayonaka No Kaii”). Having Frédéric Leclerq and Mike Heller on board as guest musicians helps reinvigorate the band (as adding Dr. Mikannibal did on Scenes from Hell)—Shiki ascends to the top of metal modernity by enlisting top-tier veterans.

#3. Hail Horror Hail (1997) — Sigh truly became Sighcotic on their third album, the one I reach for when I want slow-burning nightmare fuel at an aesthetic distance. It took a few spins for Hail Horror Hail to fully sink its murderous hooks into me; once it did, it easily clawed its way towards the top of my ranking. Going for a more black n’ roll sound off the bat with the anthemic title track, “12 Souls” starts to give me the scaries, but “The Dead Sing” has me roving between fear and joy in a manner that can be called sublime. Hardest one to get into, most rewarding one to get into—this is my experience with Hail Horror Hail.

#2. In Somniphobia (2012) — Sorting out the Sigh discography ended up being a two-horse race, with In Somniphobia slightly falling behind my winner. I found Sigh’s ninth in my local vinyl shop (and valiantly haggled the owner down $15), and it immediately floored me with its near-perfect balance of metallic speed, grandiose classicism, jazzy swagger, and a bunch of other things. Getting the Lucid Nightmare Suite alone would’ve made this Sigh’s second best; “L’excommunication a Minuit” gets my blood boiling with its Mortal Kombat riff, while “Amongst the Phantoms of Abandoned Tumbrils” brings me down with its haunting accordion compressions. Hearing In Somniphobia on double vinyl, however, made me realize that Sides A/D are an enveloping EP of sorts—best twofer ever!

#1. Imaginary Sonicscape (2001) — Sonicscapes don’t get any more imaginary than this. In a discography where no two albums sound all that much alike, Imaginary Sonicscape truly sounds like no other Sigh record, which is precisely why it’s my favorite. Gushing about this album must be done in a concise manner, so I’ll leave it at this: “A Sunset Song” was the track that sold me on the album, full stop, and it’s still one of my favorite Sigh songs. Hearing this chaotic dreamsphere of crying corpses, Nietzschean conspiracies, and ecstatic transformations always feels like hearing it for the first time, and I love introducing people to it (metalheads, but anyone with a taste for the avant-garde).

Angry Metal Guy Staff Ranking

Combining the aforementioned analyses with the wisdom of more tenured staff, please enjoy the aggregated ranking below:

1. 1. Infidel Art (1995)
   2. Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (1999)
   3. Scorn Defeat (1993)
   4. Graveward (2015)
   5. Hail Horror Hail (1997)
   6. Heir to Despair (2018)
   7. Gallows Gallery (2005)
   8. Hangman’s Hymn (2007)
   9. Shiki (2022)
   10. Scenes from Hell (2010)
   11. Imaginary Sonicscape (2001)
   12. In Somniphobia (2012)

For any uncultured readers who need a quick study on one of the best bands in the biz, check out the below.

The life of the unpaid, overworked metal reviewer is not an easy one. The reviewing collective at AMG lurches from one new release to the next, errors and n00bs strewn in our wake. But what if, once in a while, the collective paused to take stock and consider the discography of those bands that shaped many a taste? What if multiple aspects of the AMG collective personality shared with the slavering masses their personal rankings of that discography, and what if the rest of the personality used a Google sheet some kind of dark magic to produce an official guide to, and an all-around definitive aggregated ranking of, that band’s entire discography? Well, if that happened, we imagine it would look something like this…

For my money, Japan’s Sigh reigns uncontested as the standard for avant-garde metal, resting on a throne forged from a stellar back catalogue over thirty years in the making. Though the band has mustered an appreciable following, how Sigh isn’t a much bigger deal in the metalsphere boggles the mind. From modest, key-forward black metal roots to totally unhinged, free-for-all arrangements, Sigh never holds back from the extraordinary visions mastermind Mirai Kawashima wields. Fully integrating orchestral might, from winds, strings and brass to sundry keys the world over, Sigh’s discography consistently challenges the definitions and boundaries of metal.

With new album Goh-Ka arriving soon, we here at Angry Metal Guy felt compelled to honor this legendary and influential act with due consideration and a thoughtful dissertation. Whether you’re new to Sigh’s oddball antics or a longtime subscriber to their wonderfully outlandish hijinks, you can’t go wrong diving into any part of the band’s history. But in case you don’t want to jump in blind, outlined below is our definitive guide to appreciating one of metal’s most remarkable personalities.

– Grin Reaper

The Rankings

Grin Reaper

Each release within Sigh’s discography is unique, and as I weigh any one album against the others, I find myself categorizing each based on what instruments or styles feature most prominently. Imaginary Sonicscape indulges in keys and synths, Scenes from Hell spotlights big fat brass, and Scenario IV lumbers with thunderous umbrage. Yet no matter the prevailing mood, Sigh’s phasers are set to thrill. This has been a difficult ranking to assess and assemble, but also an incredibly rewarding one since I got to spend so much time blasting cherished records. At the very least, I hope reading this inspires you to either discover or revisit an unquestionably impeccable discography.

#12. Scorn Defeat (1993) — Sigh’s debut, Scorn Defeat sits squarely under the black metal banner while manifesting in utterly different ways than the burgeoning second wave fomenting in Norway at the time. Though it’s a strong LP that exhibits plenty of character, Scorn Defeat still ranks at the bottom when assessing Sigh’s overarching canon. Mirai Kawashima’s unhinged vocals and the tremolo riffing satisfy black metal appetites, yet the key-driven dirge of “Gundali” that morphs into a captivating piano feature and the crawling trudges in “Ready for the Final War” and “Taste Defeat” completely subvert expectations of the genre. Although interesting ideas reside on Scorn Defeat, I rarely return to it unless I’m listening to Sigh’s discography in full.

#11. Infidel Art (1995) — Picking up where Scorn Defeat left off, Infidel Art finds Sigh writing almost exclusively long-form tracks, with only “Suicidogenic” clocking under the eight-minute mark. Though the girthy durations don’t weigh down the front of the album, by the time “The Last Elegy” arrives on the heels of “Desolation,” Infidel Art begins to buckle. Luckily, “Suicidogenic” restores momentum, beginning with a flowery piano ballad supported by uplifting strings when a sinister chord progression waylays the build and diverts into a balls-out blackened thrasher that ends on the coy grace of a forlorn flute. The track presages Sigh’s unconventional song structures that would become an enduring hallmark of their sound, and the tandem of “Suicidogenic” and “Beyond Centuries” defines the best ending duo in Sigh’s discography until Gallows Gallery.

#10. Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (1999) — Though lively moments dot Scenario IV: Dead Dreams, Sigh’s fourth LP frequently decelerates to lurching paces. On one hand, this gives songs like “Diabolic Suicide,” “Infernal Cries,” and “Iconoclasm in the 4th Desert” time to breathe. On the other, the accumulation of doomy moments dampens Scenario IV’s momentum, particularly during the album’s back half. Even so, I enjoy listening to this bridge between early Sigh’s blackened roots and the experimental mayhem that came after. I also admire the creative programming employed by Kawashima and its enmeshment within Scenario IV’s other elements, foreshadowing Imaginary Sonicscape’s untamed ingenuity. Also, that guitar solo on “Severed Ways” is magnificent. In all, Scenario IV presents beautiful and bestial moments that often excite but occasionally drag.

#9. Hail Horror Hail (1997) — Hail Horror Hail rips straight outta hell from the start, with the title track slinging classic rock riffs, punky snarls, and a string-and-flute interlude to rousing effect. It’s the album where Sigh properly inaugurates the inclusion of diverse instrumentation and psychedelia that Scenario IV augmented and Imaginary Sonicscape fully realized. The airy flute interplay with distorted guitar on “42 49” and the bizarre synth injections on “12 Souls” enrich the album’s fore with unconventional depth, but Hail’s middle sags a tad before “Curse of Izanagi” fully reignites my interest with unorthodox cinematic drama. Hail Horror Hail would be a top treasure in most discographies, yet such is Sigh’s burden and a testament to the quality of their other albums.

#8. Graveward (2015) — Inspired by classic Italian horror films and their soundtracks, Graveward embodies both a raw, DIY aesthetic and grandiose-to-the-point-of-camp schtick. More than most albums in Sigh’s oeuvre, Graveward splits fan opinions given its relatively scaled-back flamboyance, but I think this is a disservice to what Sigh accomplishes here. I largely attribute this attitude to following In Somniphobia, an impossible charge for a band putting out a new record after their last one met universal acclaim. Rather than outdoing themselves by going bigger, Kawashima et al. shifted to a direction that toes the line between garage rock spunk and their signature blend of orchestral shenanigans. Although the album might seem underwhelming relative to Sigh’s other records, “Kaedit Nos Pestis,” “The Tombfiller,” and “The Casketburner” supply hooks aplenty and catchy refrains that separate Graveward above their early era, while “Graveward” and “The Trial by the Dead” radiate lovable old-school cinematic pomp.

#7. Gallows Gallery (2005) — There’s something about Gallows Gallery’s LoFi aesthetic that brings a smile to my face. The raw production and drastic shift in direction following Imaginary Sonicscape proved divisive, particularly for Sigh’s label at the time, given they refused to distribute the album.1 It’s an altogether different beast than what came before, leaning into blues-tinged and psychedelic rock arrangements that recall a bizarre cross-section of Pink Floyd, The Animals, and a dash of Rob Zombie. The album also flies by, making it a quick romp with singalong bops. With the benefit of hindsight, it’s easier to see the threads that tie Gallows Gallery not just to its predecessor, but to the future journeys Sigh would guide listeners through. Ultimately, Gallows Gallery serves as a transition album, even for a band that constantly reinvents itself, and proves a kooky, succinct platter that hemorrhages fun.

#6. Heir to Despair (2018) — As Kronos detailed in his review of Heir to Despair, Sigh’s eleventh album finds them at their most direct and stripped down. This direction began on Graveward, but Heir to Despair further dials down the weird in favor of a more straightforward, if still offbeat, metal record. While this might seem a disappointment to some fans, hearing Sigh take on a less variegated platter allowed them to shine in a new light. “Homo Homini Lupus” rings with Maidenesque grandeur while “In Memories Delusional” instantly recalls Ozzy classic “Bark at the Moon,” at least before Mirai devolves into feral madman phrasing. Following Heir to Despair’s concept of a descent into madness, the album progresses in a clever thread from direct rocker in the front half to the idiosyncratic plunge into a psychological fracture during “Hands of the String Puller” and the title track. I think that Heir to Despair gets slept on because it’s Sigh’s most subtle work, but it rewards listeners who check expectations at the door and dare to Despair.

#5. Scenes from Hell (2010) — Sigh with horns! And not just the sweet, sweet sax that Dr. Mikannibal lends. Scenes from Hell boasts a bona fide mini orchestra,2 and it immediately sets Sigh’s eighth album apart from what came before. Another distinguishing factor is the sheer flexibility and audacity of their songwriting. One of Sigh’s defining characteristics is their plasticity, selecting what elements they want to use to invigorate an album and writing music around them to ensure the band remains fresh and exciting. Scenes from Hell begins with “Prelude to the Oracle,” where the brass section bounces between the raucous energies of a high school band section, mariachi madness, and cinematic action sequences, the latter of which gets amplified on follow-up “L’Art de Mourir” with the injection of classical strings and galloping drums. The rest of the album plays out in similar fashion, making for an excellently delectable Hellscape.

#4. Shiki (2022) — Billed as a more personal album for Mirai, Shiki ponders mortality through the lens of seasons as his autumn wanes into winter. Similar to Heir to Despair, Shiki’s instrumentation forgoes the widespread multifariousness Sigh is known for, or at least reins it in as more emphasis is placed on drums, guitars, and vocals. The latter becomes especially important given the intimacy of the subject matter. I understand academically that listeners may not always appreciate Mirai’s frantic deliveries, yet I find his acidity and bite a perfect match for the chaotic beauty of Sigh’s music. Not too much on Shiki veers from this approach, but the vocals are a touch higher in the mix and occasionally draw out in tortured howls I find particularly effective. Despite being more straightforward than many Sigh offerings, Shiki still incorporates a healthy amount of flute and keys, along with some killer shredding (“Mayonaka no Kaii”) to keep the music lively and exciting. And though I sense that Sigh always makes the music they want to, there’s an earnestness on Shiki that elevates it above the various other contenders vying for the upper echelon of their corpus.

#3. Hangman’s Hymn – Musikalische Exequien (2007)3 — Sigh goes Maiden on Hangman’s Hymn, describing the final moments and conscious thoughts of a man as he’s charged, condemned, and executed. “Hallowed Be Thy Name” is one of my all-time favorite songs, so magnifying that concept into a full-blown album presents a thrilling prospect—and boy does Sigh deliver. Though the album unfolds as a damnation of one flawed man, Hangman’s Hymn acts as a microcosm for humanity’s deserved judgment more broadly, where the solution is “Salvation in Flame.” Though bleak, Sigh furnishes this message with hellishly fun bombast. Fusing Teutonic thrash with German classical arrangements, Mirai forges an unforgettable funereal soundtrack that fumes with hellfire and musical opulence. “Inked in Blood,” “Me-Devil,” and “Salvation in Flame / Confutatis” are some of my favorite songs in Sigh’s discography, exquisitely melding the ‘ugliness’ of 80s German thrash with classical baroque underpinnings. Death never sounded so alive.

#2. Imaginary Soniscape (2001) — The first time I heard Imaginary Sonicscape, something clicked. Sigh’s fifth LP wasn’t my introduction, but it’s what cemented them as a band I would always follow. Not just a fever dream of key-drenched psychedelia,[1, Although it’s definitely that, too.] Imaginary Sonicscape swells with experimentation and an unfathomable, irresistible fearlessness. “Scarlet Dream” borrows from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera” with its half-step chromatic runs and adds an improbable 90s hip-hop synth, inducing a faint Faith No More undercurrent, while “A Sunset Song” meshes Beach Boys’ good vibes with smooth Michael McDonald butteriness and raw Celtic Frost edge. This thing should be a disaster, but it’s a masterpiece. A complete departure from what came before, Imaginary Sonicscape is weird yet accessible, heavy yet mellow, and an hour that disappears in a marvelous flash. Each song proves essential, and though front-loaded with my favorite tracks, bangers abound throughout and devise a record that would be the feather in the cap of many a discography. And yet…

#1. In Somniphobia (2012) — …In Somniphobia just edges into the top spot with its master-crafted auditory blitzkrieg of eclectic instruments and styles. From the slick lick that opens “Purgatorium” through the sultry sax on “Amnesia” to “Equal”‘s Moron Police-level power pop jauntiness backing the gritty refrain of ‘kill me now,’ every second of In Somniphobia exudes the peak confluence of Sigh’s intrepid creativity and musical execution. The concept of the album emboldens its soundtrack, as it explores the fragility of reality when sleep eludes or assails us. In Somniphobia deftly conjures nightmarish fluidity with constantly shifting, genre-bending while simultaneously wrangling engrossing melodies with megaton hooks. AMG Himself nailed the Iconic rating, and for my money, In Somniphobia is not only the deadliest weapon in Sigh’s arsenal, but one of the best albums this century.

Creeping Ivy

Sigh slashed their way into my life in 2022, when the bizarrely progressive strains of Shiki slaughtered my ears. Immediately, I explored much of their back catalogue, whether through the simple act of streaming (Heir to Despair, Imaginary Sonicscape) or the crapshoot destiny of crate digging (Scorn Defeat, In Somniphobia). Going through the entire Sigh discography for this ranking was a real treat—few metal bands can boast the consistent longevity and persistent creativity of Mirai Kawashima and crew. Here, AMG Faithful stands my humble offering to the inimitable Sigh!

#12. Graveward (2015) — Sigh have no bad albums, so Graveward occupying my bottom spot should not be interpreted as any sort of slight. It’s more impressive, off-the-wall stuff for sure, but it hews a bit too close to musical theater for my taste. Graveward does, like many Sigh records, grow more interesting as it goes; I especially dig the burst of orchestral blackened punk that is “Out of the Grave.” Having to follow a certain album, however, was always going to be a challenge—at this point in their storied career, Graveward feels like Sigh Sighing to me.

#11. Infidel Art (1995) — Superficially, Infidel Art seems like a marked step up from Sigh’s debut. “Izuna” and “The Zombie Terror” kick things off with kick-ass fluctuations between blackened plods, propulsive power chords, and ear-worm riffs that make the orchestral elements more central than Scorn Defeat. Gravitating towards sustained doom from “Desolation” onwards, the album ends up petering out for me in its back half. Having said that, Infidel Art portends great things to come, with “Suicidogenic” offering a late-album glimpse into Sigh’s potential for marrying macabre cinematics with metallic mobility.

#10. Heir to Despair (2018) — Shiki is the first Sigh album that, I would say, sounds like ‘modern’ metal; to my ears, Heir to Despair initiated this development. Its status as a sort of transition album makes it interesting within the band’s trajectory, but it’s also a bit tepid by Sigh standards. Going for a more patient variety of avant-garde metal, Heir possesses some killer highlights: opener “Aletheia” boasts one of the band’s most infectious riffs, “In Memories Delusional” shreds on guitar/vocal fronts, and “Homo Homini Lupus” has some sweet Phil black metal vocals. “Heresy” I–III, however, doesn’t quite cut it for me—without this (totally weird and cool) experiment in its midst, Heir to Despair might have ranked a bit higher.

#9. Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (1999) — Situated between two Sigh albums I love, Scenario IV is an album I’m intrigued by more than I love. I do enjoy it, muchly; “Infernal Cries” has some of my favorite riffing from the band, and who amongst us can resist peering “In the Mind of a Lunatic”? Getting real, though, I’ll say that Scenario IV was the first time I felt the length of a Sigh album when listening to their discography in order. Hinging between two of my top Sigh albums, Scenario IV is an album I listen to as a precursory lull of sorts (and one I can see making great leaps up my ranking upon re-listens).

#8. Hangman’s Hymn (2007) — Switching to the middle of my ranking, I’ll say this: sometimes, a first impression is a lasting impression. I Saw the World’s End before I heard Hangman’s Hymn, and what I heard was the kind of breakneck, kooky, blackened extreme metal I’d come to know and love from Sigh. Going back to the rawer original for this ranking left me equally floored; from “Introitus/Kyrie” to “Hangman’s Hymn/In Paradisum/Das Ende,” Sigh never pumps the brakes. Hangman’s Hymn didn’t necessarily need to be re-recorded, I would say, but the fact that Sigh chose to re-record it unavoidably inflects my perception of the original: great, but maybe not singular.

#7. Gallows Gallery (2005) — Seven and eight on my ranking are somewhat interchangeable, but Gallows Gallery gets the nod as, to me, the more unique mid-aughts Sigh album. If Gallows Gallery is, indeed, Sigh doing power metal, then it’s almost assuredly my favorite power metal album of all time. Guitar heroics will always put a smile on my face—”Pale Monument” and “Silver Universe” deliver the melodies, harmonies, and shred I can never get enough of. Having only clean vocals limits my enjoyment of this as a Sigh album, but when I adjust, I always have a damn good time with this record.

#6. Scorn Defeat (1993) — Scorn Defeat might be the obvious candidate as Sigh’s weakest album, as it’s the most imitative and least experimental of the bunch. Indeed, the band’s debut sounds like Venom worship with hints of the insanity to come. Growing stronger as it goes, Scorn Defeat nevertheless reveals Sigh’s potential via the harpsichord intro to “The Knell,” the incredible ivory twinkling of “Gundali,” and the choral midsection in “Taste Defeat.” Hearing Scorn Defeat early in my discovery of the Sigh discography frames my relationship with it: a harbinger of things to come that simultaneously scratches the itch for first-wave fun.

#5. Scenes from Hell (2010) — Scenes from Hell tops the middle of my ranking by wrapping bonkers mid-period Sigh in the crustier production of the early albums. Initiating the now-central fixture of Dr. Mikannibal into the fold, Scenes holds a special place in the Sigh discography, and it’s one that, for me, flirts with novelty in the best possible way. Grandiose yet gritty, the two funerals at the heart of Scenes showcase Sigh masterfully wielding orchestral elements as both central fixtures and subtle touches, never losing touch with the album’s punky black core. Hell’s soundtrack supersedes Heaven’s; this I always knew; what I didn’t know was how lively and fun this soundtrack actually is.

#4. Shiki (2022) — Shiki introduced me to the wonderfully weird world of Sigh, and it’s an album I still hold in very high regard. I tend to love progressive music that embraces enabling constraints, and Shiki sees Sigh continuing the shift they made towards relative restraint on Heir to Despair (2018) with this meditation on mortality. Getting older sucks, but it sucks a lot less with a soundtrack of killer doom riffs (“Kuroi Kage”), bitchin’ bongo solos (“Skikabane”), and jazzy noir interludes (“Mayonaka No Kaii”). Having Frédéric Leclerq and Mike Heller on board as guest musicians helps reinvigorate the band (as adding Dr. Mikannibal did on Scenes from Hell)—Shiki ascends to the top of metal modernity by enlisting top-tier veterans.

#3. Hail Horror Hail (1997) — Sigh truly became Sighcotic on their third album, the one I reach for when I want slow-burning nightmare fuel at an aesthetic distance. It took a few spins for Hail Horror Hail to fully sink its murderous hooks into me; once it did, it easily clawed its way towards the top of my ranking. Going for a more black n’ roll sound off the bat with the anthemic title track, “12 Souls” starts to give me the scaries, but “The Dead Sing” has me roving between fear and joy in a manner that can be called sublime. Hardest one to get into, most rewarding one to get into—this is my experience with Hail Horror Hail.

#2. In Somniphobia (2012) — Sorting out the Sigh discography ended up being a two-horse race, with In Somniphobia slightly falling behind my winner. I found Sigh’s ninth in my local vinyl shop (and valiantly haggled the owner down $15), and it immediately floored me with its near-perfect balance of metallic speed, grandiose classicism, jazzy swagger, and a bunch of other things. Getting the Lucid Nightmare Suite alone would’ve made this Sigh’s second best; “L’excommunication a Minuit” gets my blood boiling with its Mortal Kombat riff, while “Amongst the Phantoms of Abandoned Tumbrils” brings me down with its haunting accordion compressions. Hearing In Somniphobia on double vinyl, however, made me realize that Sides A/D are an enveloping EP of sorts—best twofer ever!

#1. Imaginary Sonicscape (2001) — Sonicscapes don’t get any more imaginary than this. In a discography where no two albums sound all that much alike, Imaginary Sonicscape truly sounds like no other Sigh record, which is precisely why it’s my favorite. Gushing about this album must be done in a concise manner, so I’ll leave it at this: “A Sunset Song” was the track that sold me on the album, full stop, and it’s still one of my favorite Sigh songs. Hearing this chaotic dreamsphere of crying corpses, Nietzschean conspiracies, and ecstatic transformations always feels like hearing it for the first time, and I love introducing people to it (metalheads, but anyone with a taste for the avant-garde).

Angry Metal Guy Staff Ranking

Combining the aforementioned analyses with the wisdom of more tenured staff, please enjoy the aggregated ranking below:

1. 1. Infidel Art (1995)
   2. Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (1999)
   3. Scorn Defeat (1993)
   4. Graveward (2015)
   5. Hail Horror Hail (1997)
   6. Heir to Despair (2018)
   7. Gallows Gallery (2005)
   8. Hangman’s Hymn (2007)
   9. Shiki (2022)
   10. Scenes from Hell (2010)
   11. Imaginary Sonicscape (2001)
   12. In Somniphobia (2012)

For any uncultured readers who need a quick study on one of the best bands in the biz, check out the below.

The life of the unpaid, overworked metal reviewer is not an easy one. The reviewing collective at AMG lurches from one new release to the next, errors and n00bs strewn in our wake. But what if, once in a while, the collective paused to take stock and consider the discography of those bands that shaped many a taste? What if multiple aspects of the AMG collective personality shared with the slavering masses their personal rankings of that discography, and what if the rest of the personality used a Google sheet some kind of dark magic to produce an official guide to, and an all-around definitive aggregated ranking of, that band’s entire discography? Well, if that happened, we imagine it would look something like this…

For my money, Japan’s Sigh reigns uncontested as the standard for avant-garde metal, resting on a throne forged from a stellar back catalogue over thirty years in the making. Though the band has mustered an appreciable following, how Sigh isn’t a much bigger deal in the metalsphere boggles the mind. From modest, key-forward black metal roots to totally unhinged, free-for-all arrangements, Sigh never holds back from the extraordinary visions mastermind Mirai Kawashima wields. Fully integrating orchestral might, from winds, strings and brass to sundry keys the world over, Sigh’s discography consistently challenges the definitions and boundaries of metal.

With new album Goh-Ka arriving soon, we here at Angry Metal Guy felt compelled to honor this legendary and influential act with due consideration and a thoughtful dissertation. Whether you’re new to Sigh’s oddball antics or a longtime subscriber to their wonderfully outlandish hijinks, you can’t go wrong diving into any part of the band’s history. But in case you don’t want to jump in blind, outlined below is our definitive guide to appreciating one of metal’s most remarkable personalities.

– Grin Reaper

The Rankings

Grin Reaper

Each release within Sigh’s discography is unique, and as I weigh any one album against the others, I find myself categorizing each based on what instruments or styles feature most prominently. Imaginary Sonicscape indulges in keys and synths, Scenes from Hell spotlights big fat brass, and Scenario IV lumbers with thunderous umbrage. Yet no matter the prevailing mood, Sigh’s phasers are set to thrill. This has been a difficult ranking to assess and assemble, but also an incredibly rewarding one since I got to spend so much time blasting cherished records. At the very least, I hope reading this inspires you to either discover or revisit an unquestionably impeccable discography.

#12. Scorn Defeat (1993) — Sigh’s debut, Scorn Defeat sits squarely under the black metal banner while manifesting in utterly different ways than the burgeoning second wave fomenting in Norway at the time. Though it’s a strong LP that exhibits plenty of character, Scorn Defeat still ranks at the bottom when assessing Sigh’s overarching canon. Mirai Kawashima’s unhinged vocals and the tremolo riffing satisfy black metal appetites, yet the key-driven dirge of “Gundali” that morphs into a captivating piano feature and the crawling trudges in “Ready for the Final War” and “Taste Defeat” completely subvert expectations of the genre. Although interesting ideas reside on Scorn Defeat, I rarely return to it unless I’m listening to Sigh’s discography in full.

#11. Infidel Art (1995) — Picking up where Scorn Defeat left off, Infidel Art finds Sigh writing almost exclusively long-form tracks, with only “Suicidogenic” clocking under the eight-minute mark. Though the girthy durations don’t weigh down the front of the album, by the time “The Last Elegy” arrives on the heels of “Desolation,” Infidel Art begins to buckle. Luckily, “Suicidogenic” restores momentum, beginning with a flowery piano ballad supported by uplifting strings when a sinister chord progression waylays the build and diverts into a balls-out blackened thrasher that ends on the coy grace of a forlorn flute. The track presages Sigh’s unconventional song structures that would become an enduring hallmark of their sound, and the tandem of “Suicidogenic” and “Beyond Centuries” defines the best ending duo in Sigh’s discography until Gallows Gallery.

#10. Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (1999) — Though lively moments dot Scenario IV: Dead Dreams, Sigh’s fourth LP frequently decelerates to lurching paces. On one hand, this gives songs like “Diabolic Suicide,” “Infernal Cries,” and “Iconoclasm in the 4th Desert” time to breathe. On the other, the accumulation of doomy moments dampens Scenario IV’s momentum, particularly during the album’s back half. Even so, I enjoy listening to this bridge between early Sigh’s blackened roots and the experimental mayhem that came after. I also admire the creative programming employed by Kawashima and its enmeshment within Scenario IV’s other elements, foreshadowing Imaginary Sonicscape’s untamed ingenuity. Also, that guitar solo on “Severed Ways” is magnificent. In all, Scenario IV presents beautiful and bestial moments that often excite but occasionally drag.

#9. Hail Horror Hail (1997) — Hail Horror Hail rips straight outta hell from the start, with the title track slinging classic rock riffs, punky snarls, and a string-and-flute interlude to rousing effect. It’s the album where Sigh properly inaugurates the inclusion of diverse instrumentation and psychedelia that Scenario IV augmented and Imaginary Sonicscape fully realized. The airy flute interplay with distorted guitar on “42 49” and the bizarre synth injections on “12 Souls” enrich the album’s fore with unconventional depth, but Hail’s middle sags a tad before “Curse of Izanagi” fully reignites my interest with unorthodox cinematic drama. Hail Horror Hail would be a top treasure in most discographies, yet such is Sigh’s burden and a testament to the quality of their other albums.

#8. Graveward (2015) — Inspired by classic Italian horror films and their soundtracks, Graveward embodies both a raw, DIY aesthetic and grandiose-to-the-point-of-camp schtick. More than most albums in Sigh’s oeuvre, Graveward splits fan opinions given its relatively scaled-back flamboyance, but I think this is a disservice to what Sigh accomplishes here. I largely attribute this attitude to following In Somniphobia, an impossible charge for a band putting out a new record after their last one met universal acclaim. Rather than outdoing themselves by going bigger, Kawashima et al. shifted to a direction that toes the line between garage rock spunk and their signature blend of orchestral shenanigans. Although the album might seem underwhelming relative to Sigh’s other records, “Kaedit Nos Pestis,” “The Tombfiller,” and “The Casketburner” supply hooks aplenty and catchy refrains that separate Graveward above their early era, while “Graveward” and “The Trial by the Dead” radiate lovable old-school cinematic pomp.

#7. Gallows Gallery (2005) — There’s something about Gallows Gallery’s LoFi aesthetic that brings a smile to my face. The raw production and drastic shift in direction following Imaginary Sonicscape proved divisive, particularly for Sigh’s label at the time, given they refused to distribute the album.1 It’s an altogether different beast than what came before, leaning into blues-tinged and psychedelic rock arrangements that recall a bizarre cross-section of Pink Floyd, The Animals, and a dash of Rob Zombie. The album also flies by, making it a quick romp with singalong bops. With the benefit of hindsight, it’s easier to see the threads that tie Gallows Gallery not just to its predecessor, but to the future journeys Sigh would guide listeners through. Ultimately, Gallows Gallery serves as a transition album, even for a band that constantly reinvents itself, and proves a kooky, succinct platter that hemorrhages fun.

#6. Heir to Despair (2018) — As Kronos detailed in his review of Heir to Despair, Sigh’s eleventh album finds them at their most direct and stripped down. This direction began on Graveward, but Heir to Despair further dials down the weird in favor of a more straightforward, if still offbeat, metal record. While this might seem a disappointment to some fans, hearing Sigh take on a less variegated platter allowed them to shine in a new light. “Homo Homini Lupus” rings with Maidenesque grandeur while “In Memories Delusional” instantly recalls Ozzy classic “Bark at the Moon,” at least before Mirai devolves into feral madman phrasing. Following Heir to Despair’s concept of a descent into madness, the album progresses in a clever thread from direct rocker in the front half to the idiosyncratic plunge into a psychological fracture during “Hands of the String Puller” and the title track. I think that Heir to Despair gets slept on because it’s Sigh’s most subtle work, but it rewards listeners who check expectations at the door and dare to Despair.

#5. Scenes from Hell (2010) — Sigh with horns! And not just the sweet, sweet sax that Dr. Mikannibal lends. Scenes from Hell boasts a bona fide mini orchestra,2 and it immediately sets Sigh’s eighth album apart from what came before. Another distinguishing factor is the sheer flexibility and audacity of their songwriting. One of Sigh’s defining characteristics is their plasticity, selecting what elements they want to use to invigorate an album and writing music around them to ensure the band remains fresh and exciting. Scenes from Hell begins with “Prelude to the Oracle,” where the brass section bounces between the raucous energies of a high school band section, mariachi madness, and cinematic action sequences, the latter of which gets amplified on follow-up “L’Art de Mourir” with the injection of classical strings and galloping drums. The rest of the album plays out in similar fashion, making for an excellently delectable Hellscape.

#4. Shiki (2022) — Billed as a more personal album for Mirai, Shiki ponders mortality through the lens of seasons as his autumn wanes into winter. Similar to Heir to Despair, Shiki’s instrumentation forgoes the widespread multifariousness Sigh is known for, or at least reins it in as more emphasis is placed on drums, guitars, and vocals. The latter becomes especially important given the intimacy of the subject matter. I understand academically that listeners may not always appreciate Mirai’s frantic deliveries, yet I find his acidity and bite a perfect match for the chaotic beauty of Sigh’s music. Not too much on Shiki veers from this approach, but the vocals are a touch higher in the mix and occasionally draw out in tortured howls I find particularly effective. Despite being more straightforward than many Sigh offerings, Shiki still incorporates a healthy amount of flute and keys, along with some killer shredding (“Mayonaka no Kaii”) to keep the music lively and exciting. And though I sense that Sigh always makes the music they want to, there’s an earnestness on Shiki that elevates it above the various other contenders vying for the upper echelon of their corpus.

#3. Hangman’s Hymn – Musikalische Exequien (2007)3 — Sigh goes Maiden on Hangman’s Hymn, describing the final moments and conscious thoughts of a man as he’s charged, condemned, and executed. “Hallowed Be Thy Name” is one of my all-time favorite songs, so magnifying that concept into a full-blown album presents a thrilling prospect—and boy does Sigh deliver. Though the album unfolds as a damnation of one flawed man, Hangman’s Hymn acts as a microcosm for humanity’s deserved judgment more broadly, where the solution is “Salvation in Flame.” Though bleak, Sigh furnishes this message with hellishly fun bombast. Fusing Teutonic thrash with German classical arrangements, Mirai forges an unforgettable funereal soundtrack that fumes with hellfire and musical opulence. “Inked in Blood,” “Me-Devil,” and “Salvation in Flame / Confutatis” are some of my favorite songs in Sigh’s discography, exquisitely melding the ‘ugliness’ of 80s German thrash with classical baroque underpinnings. Death never sounded so alive.

#2. Imaginary Soniscape (2001) — The first time I heard Imaginary Sonicscape, something clicked. Sigh’s fifth LP wasn’t my introduction, but it’s what cemented them as a band I would always follow. Not just a fever dream of key-drenched psychedelia,[1, Although it’s definitely that, too.] Imaginary Sonicscape swells with experimentation and an unfathomable, irresistible fearlessness. “Scarlet Dream” borrows from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera” with its half-step chromatic runs and adds an improbable 90s hip-hop synth, inducing a faint Faith No More undercurrent, while “A Sunset Song” meshes Beach Boys’ good vibes with smooth Michael McDonald butteriness and raw Celtic Frost edge. This thing should be a disaster, but it’s a masterpiece. A complete departure from what came before, Imaginary Sonicscape is weird yet accessible, heavy yet mellow, and an hour that disappears in a marvelous flash. Each song proves essential, and though front-loaded with my favorite tracks, bangers abound throughout and devise a record that would be the feather in the cap of many a discography. And yet…

#1. In Somniphobia (2012) — …In Somniphobia just edges into the top spot with its master-crafted auditory blitzkrieg of eclectic instruments and styles. From the slick lick that opens “Purgatorium” through the sultry sax on “Amnesia” to “Equal”‘s Moron Police-level power pop jauntiness backing the gritty refrain of ‘kill me now,’ every second of In Somniphobia exudes the peak confluence of Sigh’s intrepid creativity and musical execution. The concept of the album emboldens its soundtrack, as it explores the fragility of reality when sleep eludes or assails us. In Somniphobia deftly conjures nightmarish fluidity with constantly shifting, genre-bending while simultaneously wrangling engrossing melodies with megaton hooks. AMG Himself nailed the Iconic rating, and for my money, In Somniphobia is not only the deadliest weapon in Sigh’s arsenal, but one of the best albums this century.

Creeping Ivy

Sigh slashed their way into my life in 2022, when the bizarrely progressive strains of Shiki slaughtered my ears. Immediately, I explored much of their back catalogue, whether through the simple act of streaming (Heir to Despair, Imaginary Sonicscape) or the crapshoot destiny of crate digging (Scorn Defeat, In Somniphobia). Going through the entire Sigh discography for this ranking was a real treat—few metal bands can boast the consistent longevity and persistent creativity of Mirai Kawashima and crew. Here, AMG Faithful stands my humble offering to the inimitable Sigh!

#12. Graveward (2015) — Sigh have no bad albums, so Graveward occupying my bottom spot should not be interpreted as any sort of slight. It’s more impressive, off-the-wall stuff for sure, but it hews a bit too close to musical theater for my taste. Graveward does, like many Sigh records, grow more interesting as it goes; I especially dig the burst of orchestral blackened punk that is “Out of the Grave.” Having to follow a certain album, however, was always going to be a challenge—at this point in their storied career, Graveward feels like Sigh Sighing to me.

#11. Infidel Art (1995) — Superficially, Infidel Art seems like a marked step up from Sigh’s debut. “Izuna” and “The Zombie Terror” kick things off with kick-ass fluctuations between blackened plods, propulsive power chords, and ear-worm riffs that make the orchestral elements more central than Scorn Defeat. Gravitating towards sustained doom from “Desolation” onwards, the album ends up petering out for me in its back half. Having said that, Infidel Art portends great things to come, with “Suicidogenic” offering a late-album glimpse into Sigh’s potential for marrying macabre cinematics with metallic mobility.

#10. Heir to Despair (2018) — Shiki is the first Sigh album that, I would say, sounds like ‘modern’ metal; to my ears, Heir to Despair initiated this development. Its status as a sort of transition album makes it interesting within the band’s trajectory, but it’s also a bit tepid by Sigh standards. Going for a more patient variety of avant-garde metal, Heir possesses some killer highlights: opener “Aletheia” boasts one of the band’s most infectious riffs, “In Memories Delusional” shreds on guitar/vocal fronts, and “Homo Homini Lupus” has some sweet Phil black metal vocals. “Heresy” I–III, however, doesn’t quite cut it for me—without this (totally weird and cool) experiment in its midst, Heir to Despair might have ranked a bit higher.

#9. Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (1999) — Situated between two Sigh albums I love, Scenario IV is an album I’m intrigued by more than I love. I do enjoy it, muchly; “Infernal Cries” has some of my favorite riffing from the band, and who amongst us can resist peering “In the Mind of a Lunatic”? Getting real, though, I’ll say that Scenario IV was the first time I felt the length of a Sigh album when listening to their discography in order. Hinging between two of my top Sigh albums, Scenario IV is an album I listen to as a precursory lull of sorts (and one I can see making great leaps up my ranking upon re-listens).

#8. Hangman’s Hymn (2007) — Switching to the middle of my ranking, I’ll say this: sometimes, a first impression is a lasting impression. I Saw the World’s End before I heard Hangman’s Hymn, and what I heard was the kind of breakneck, kooky, blackened extreme metal I’d come to know and love from Sigh. Going back to the rawer original for this ranking left me equally floored; from “Introitus/Kyrie” to “Hangman’s Hymn/In Paradisum/Das Ende,” Sigh never pumps the brakes. Hangman’s Hymn didn’t necessarily need to be re-recorded, I would say, but the fact that Sigh chose to re-record it unavoidably inflects my perception of the original: great, but maybe not singular.

#7. Gallows Gallery (2005) — Seven and eight on my ranking are somewhat interchangeable, but Gallows Gallery gets the nod as, to me, the more unique mid-aughts Sigh album. If Gallows Gallery is, indeed, Sigh doing power metal, then it’s almost assuredly my favorite power metal album of all time. Guitar heroics will always put a smile on my face—”Pale Monument” and “Silver Universe” deliver the melodies, harmonies, and shred I can never get enough of. Having only clean vocals limits my enjoyment of this as a Sigh album, but when I adjust, I always have a damn good time with this record.

#6. Scorn Defeat (1993) — Scorn Defeat might be the obvious candidate as Sigh’s weakest album, as it’s the most imitative and least experimental of the bunch. Indeed, the band’s debut sounds like Venom worship with hints of the insanity to come. Growing stronger as it goes, Scorn Defeat nevertheless reveals Sigh’s potential via the harpsichord intro to “The Knell,” the incredible ivory twinkling of “Gundali,” and the choral midsection in “Taste Defeat.” Hearing Scorn Defeat early in my discovery of the Sigh discography frames my relationship with it: a harbinger of things to come that simultaneously scratches the itch for first-wave fun.

#5. Scenes from Hell (2010) — Scenes from Hell tops the middle of my ranking by wrapping bonkers mid-period Sigh in the crustier production of the early albums. Initiating the now-central fixture of Dr. Mikannibal into the fold, Scenes holds a special place in the Sigh discography, and it’s one that, for me, flirts with novelty in the best possible way. Grandiose yet gritty, the two funerals at the heart of Scenes showcase Sigh masterfully wielding orchestral elements as both central fixtures and subtle touches, never losing touch with the album’s punky black core. Hell’s soundtrack supersedes Heaven’s; this I always knew; what I didn’t know was how lively and fun this soundtrack actually is.

#4. Shiki (2022) — Shiki introduced me to the wonderfully weird world of Sigh, and it’s an album I still hold in very high regard. I tend to love progressive music that embraces enabling constraints, and Shiki sees Sigh continuing the shift they made towards relative restraint on Heir to Despair (2018) with this meditation on mortality. Getting older sucks, but it sucks a lot less with a soundtrack of killer doom riffs (“Kuroi Kage”), bitchin’ bongo solos (“Skikabane”), and jazzy noir interludes (“Mayonaka No Kaii”). Having Frédéric Leclerq and Mike Heller on board as guest musicians helps reinvigorate the band (as adding Dr. Mikannibal did on Scenes from Hell)—Shiki ascends to the top of metal modernity by enlisting top-tier veterans.

#3. Hail Horror Hail (1997) — Sigh truly became Sighcotic on their third album, the one I reach for when I want slow-burning nightmare fuel at an aesthetic distance. It took a few spins for Hail Horror Hail to fully sink its murderous hooks into me; once it did, it easily clawed its way towards the top of my ranking. Going for a more black n’ roll sound off the bat with the anthemic title track, “12 Souls” starts to give me the scaries, but “The Dead Sing” has me roving between fear and joy in a manner that can be called sublime. Hardest one to get into, most rewarding one to get into—this is my experience with Hail Horror Hail.

#2. In Somniphobia (2012) — Sorting out the Sigh discography ended up being a two-horse race, with In Somniphobia slightly falling behind my winner. I found Sigh’s ninth in my local vinyl shop (and valiantly haggled the owner down $15), and it immediately floored me with its near-perfect balance of metallic speed, grandiose classicism, jazzy swagger, and a bunch of other things. Getting the Lucid Nightmare Suite alone would’ve made this Sigh’s second best; “L’excommunication a Minuit” gets my blood boiling with its Mortal Kombat riff, while “Amongst the Phantoms of Abandoned Tumbrils” brings me down with its haunting accordion compressions. Hearing In Somniphobia on double vinyl, however, made me realize that Sides A/D are an enveloping EP of sorts—best twofer ever!

#1. Imaginary Sonicscape (2001) — Sonicscapes don’t get any more imaginary than this. In a discography where no two albums sound all that much alike, Imaginary Sonicscape truly sounds like no other Sigh record, which is precisely why it’s my favorite. Gushing about this album must be done in a concise manner, so I’ll leave it at this: “A Sunset Song” was the track that sold me on the album, full stop, and it’s still one of my favorite Sigh songs. Hearing this chaotic dreamsphere of crying corpses, Nietzschean conspiracies, and ecstatic transformations always feels like hearing it for the first time, and I love introducing people to it (metalheads, but anyone with a taste for the avant-garde).

Angry Metal Guy Staff Ranking

Combining the aforementioned analyses with the wisdom of more tenured staff, please enjoy the aggregated ranking below:

1. 1. Infidel Art (1995)
   2. Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (1999)
   3. Scorn Defeat (1993)
   4. Graveward (2015)
   5. Hail Horror Hail (1997)
   6. Heir to Despair (2018)
   7. Gallows Gallery (2005)
   8. Hangman’s Hymn (2007)
   9. Shiki (2022)
   10. Scenes from Hell (2010)
   11. Imaginary Sonicscape (2001)
   12. In Somniphobia (2012)

For any uncultured readers who need a quick study on one of the best bands in the biz, check out the below.

The life of the unpaid, overworked metal reviewer is not an easy one. The reviewing collective at AMG lurches from one new release to the next, errors and n00bs strewn in our wake. But what if, once in a while, the collective paused to take stock and consider the discography of those bands that shaped many a taste? What if multiple aspects of the AMG collective personality shared with the slavering masses their personal rankings of that discography, and what if the rest of the personality used a Google sheet some kind of dark magic to produce an official guide to, and an all-around definitive aggregated ranking of, that band’s entire discography? Well, if that happened, we imagine it would look something like this…

For my money, Japan’s Sigh reigns uncontested as the standard for avant-garde metal, resting on a throne forged from a stellar back catalogue over thirty years in the making. Though the band has mustered an appreciable following, how Sigh isn’t a much bigger deal in the metalsphere boggles the mind. From modest, key-forward black metal roots to totally unhinged, free-for-all arrangements, Sigh never holds back from the extraordinary visions mastermind Mirai Kawashima wields. Fully integrating orchestral might, from winds, strings and brass to sundry keys the world over, Sigh’s discography consistently challenges the definitions and boundaries of metal.

With new album Goh-Ka arriving soon, we here at Angry Metal Guy felt compelled to honor this legendary and influential act with due consideration and a thoughtful dissertation. Whether you’re new to Sigh’s oddball antics or a longtime subscriber to their wonderfully outlandish hijinks, you can’t go wrong diving into any part of the band’s history. But in case you don’t want to jump in blind, outlined below is our definitive guide to appreciating one of metal’s most remarkable personalities.

– Grin Reaper

The Rankings

Grin Reaper

Each release within Sigh’s discography is unique, and as I weigh any one album against the others, I find myself categorizing each based on what instruments or styles feature most prominently. Imaginary Sonicscape indulges in keys and synths, Scenes from Hell spotlights big fat brass, and Scenario IV lumbers with thunderous umbrage. Yet no matter the prevailing mood, Sigh’s phasers are set to thrill. This has been a difficult ranking to assess and assemble, but also an incredibly rewarding one since I got to spend so much time blasting cherished records. At the very least, I hope reading this inspires you to either discover or revisit an unquestionably impeccable discography.

#12. Scorn Defeat (1993) — Sigh’s debut, Scorn Defeat sits squarely under the black metal banner while manifesting in utterly different ways than the burgeoning second wave fomenting in Norway at the time. Though it’s a strong LP that exhibits plenty of character, Scorn Defeat still ranks at the bottom when assessing Sigh’s overarching canon. Mirai Kawashima’s unhinged vocals and the tremolo riffing satisfy black metal appetites, yet the key-driven dirge of “Gundali” that morphs into a captivating piano feature and the crawling trudges in “Ready for the Final War” and “Taste Defeat” completely subvert expectations of the genre. Although interesting ideas reside on Scorn Defeat, I rarely return to it unless I’m listening to Sigh’s discography in full.

#11. Infidel Art (1995) — Picking up where Scorn Defeat left off, Infidel Art finds Sigh writing almost exclusively long-form tracks, with only “Suicidogenic” clocking under the eight-minute mark. Though the girthy durations don’t weigh down the front of the album, by the time “The Last Elegy” arrives on the heels of “Desolation,” Infidel Art begins to buckle. Luckily, “Suicidogenic” restores momentum, beginning with a flowery piano ballad supported by uplifting strings when a sinister chord progression waylays the build and diverts into a balls-out blackened thrasher that ends on the coy grace of a forlorn flute. The track presages Sigh’s unconventional song structures that would become an enduring hallmark of their sound, and the tandem of “Suicidogenic” and “Beyond Centuries” defines the best ending duo in Sigh’s discography until Gallows Gallery.

#10. Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (1999) — Though lively moments dot Scenario IV: Dead Dreams, Sigh’s fourth LP frequently decelerates to lurching paces. On one hand, this gives songs like “Diabolic Suicide,” “Infernal Cries,” and “Iconoclasm in the 4th Desert” time to breathe. On the other, the accumulation of doomy moments dampens Scenario IV’s momentum, particularly during the album’s back half. Even so, I enjoy listening to this bridge between early Sigh’s blackened roots and the experimental mayhem that came after. I also admire the creative programming employed by Kawashima and its enmeshment within Scenario IV’s other elements, foreshadowing Imaginary Sonicscape’s untamed ingenuity. Also, that guitar solo on “Severed Ways” is magnificent. In all, Scenario IV presents beautiful and bestial moments that often excite but occasionally drag.

#9. Hail Horror Hail (1997) — Hail Horror Hail rips straight outta hell from the start, with the title track slinging classic rock riffs, punky snarls, and a string-and-flute interlude to rousing effect. It’s the album where Sigh properly inaugurates the inclusion of diverse instrumentation and psychedelia that Scenario IV augmented and Imaginary Sonicscape fully realized. The airy flute interplay with distorted guitar on “42 49” and the bizarre synth injections on “12 Souls” enrich the album’s fore with unconventional depth, but Hail’s middle sags a tad before “Curse of Izanagi” fully reignites my interest with unorthodox cinematic drama. Hail Horror Hail would be a top treasure in most discographies, yet such is Sigh’s burden and a testament to the quality of their other albums.

#8. Graveward (2015) — Inspired by classic Italian horror films and their soundtracks, Graveward embodies both a raw, DIY aesthetic and grandiose-to-the-point-of-camp schtick. More than most albums in Sigh’s oeuvre, Graveward splits fan opinions given its relatively scaled-back flamboyance, but I think this is a disservice to what Sigh accomplishes here. I largely attribute this attitude to following In Somniphobia, an impossible charge for a band putting out a new record after their last one met universal acclaim. Rather than outdoing themselves by going bigger, Kawashima et al. shifted to a direction that toes the line between garage rock spunk and their signature blend of orchestral shenanigans. Although the album might seem underwhelming relative to Sigh’s other records, “Kaedit Nos Pestis,” “The Tombfiller,” and “The Casketburner” supply hooks aplenty and catchy refrains that separate Graveward above their early era, while “Graveward” and “The Trial by the Dead” radiate lovable old-school cinematic pomp.

#7. Gallows Gallery (2005) — There’s something about Gallows Gallery’s LoFi aesthetic that brings a smile to my face. The raw production and drastic shift in direction following Imaginary Sonicscape proved divisive, particularly for Sigh’s label at the time, given they refused to distribute the album.1 It’s an altogether different beast than what came before, leaning into blues-tinged and psychedelic rock arrangements that recall a bizarre cross-section of Pink Floyd, The Animals, and a dash of Rob Zombie. The album also flies by, making it a quick romp with singalong bops. With the benefit of hindsight, it’s easier to see the threads that tie Gallows Gallery not just to its predecessor, but to the future journeys Sigh would guide listeners through. Ultimately, Gallows Gallery serves as a transition album, even for a band that constantly reinvents itself, and proves a kooky, succinct platter that hemorrhages fun.

#6. Heir to Despair (2018) — As Kronos detailed in his review of Heir to Despair, Sigh’s eleventh album finds them at their most direct and stripped down. This direction began on Graveward, but Heir to Despair further dials down the weird in favor of a more straightforward, if still offbeat, metal record. While this might seem a disappointment to some fans, hearing Sigh take on a less variegated platter allowed them to shine in a new light. “Homo Homini Lupus” rings with Maidenesque grandeur while “In Memories Delusional” instantly recalls Ozzy classic “Bark at the Moon,” at least before Mirai devolves into feral madman phrasing. Following Heir to Despair’s concept of a descent into madness, the album progresses in a clever thread from direct rocker in the front half to the idiosyncratic plunge into a psychological fracture during “Hands of the String Puller” and the title track. I think that Heir to Despair gets slept on because it’s Sigh’s most subtle work, but it rewards listeners who check expectations at the door and dare to Despair.

#5. Scenes from Hell (2010) — Sigh with horns! And not just the sweet, sweet sax that Dr. Mikannibal lends. Scenes from Hell boasts a bona fide mini orchestra,2 and it immediately sets Sigh’s eighth album apart from what came before. Another distinguishing factor is the sheer flexibility and audacity of their songwriting. One of Sigh’s defining characteristics is their plasticity, selecting what elements they want to use to invigorate an album and writing music around them to ensure the band remains fresh and exciting. Scenes from Hell begins with “Prelude to the Oracle,” where the brass section bounces between the raucous energies of a high school band section, mariachi madness, and cinematic action sequences, the latter of which gets amplified on follow-up “L’Art de Mourir” with the injection of classical strings and galloping drums. The rest of the album plays out in similar fashion, making for an excellently delectable Hellscape.

#4. Shiki (2022) — Billed as a more personal album for Mirai, Shiki ponders mortality through the lens of seasons as his autumn wanes into winter. Similar to Heir to Despair, Shiki’s instrumentation forgoes the widespread multifariousness Sigh is known for, or at least reins it in as more emphasis is placed on drums, guitars, and vocals. The latter becomes especially important given the intimacy of the subject matter. I understand academically that listeners may not always appreciate Mirai’s frantic deliveries, yet I find his acidity and bite a perfect match for the chaotic beauty of Sigh’s music. Not too much on Shiki veers from this approach, but the vocals are a touch higher in the mix and occasionally draw out in tortured howls I find particularly effective. Despite being more straightforward than many Sigh offerings, Shiki still incorporates a healthy amount of flute and keys, along with some killer shredding (“Mayonaka no Kaii”) to keep the music lively and exciting. And though I sense that Sigh always makes the music they want to, there’s an earnestness on Shiki that elevates it above the various other contenders vying for the upper echelon of their corpus.

#3. Hangman’s Hymn – Musikalische Exequien (2007)3 — Sigh goes Maiden on Hangman’s Hymn, describing the final moments and conscious thoughts of a man as he’s charged, condemned, and executed. “Hallowed Be Thy Name” is one of my all-time favorite songs, so magnifying that concept into a full-blown album presents a thrilling prospect—and boy does Sigh deliver. Though the album unfolds as a damnation of one flawed man, Hangman’s Hymn acts as a microcosm for humanity’s deserved judgment more broadly, where the solution is “Salvation in Flame.” Though bleak, Sigh furnishes this message with hellishly fun bombast. Fusing Teutonic thrash with German classical arrangements, Mirai forges an unforgettable funereal soundtrack that fumes with hellfire and musical opulence. “Inked in Blood,” “Me-Devil,” and “Salvation in Flame / Confutatis” are some of my favorite songs in Sigh’s discography, exquisitely melding the ‘ugliness’ of 80s German thrash with classical baroque underpinnings. Death never sounded so alive.

#2. Imaginary Soniscape (2001) — The first time I heard Imaginary Sonicscape, something clicked. Sigh’s fifth LP wasn’t my introduction, but it’s what cemented them as a band I would always follow. Not just a fever dream of key-drenched psychedelia,[1, Although it’s definitely that, too.] Imaginary Sonicscape swells with experimentation and an unfathomable, irresistible fearlessness. “Scarlet Dream” borrows from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera” with its half-step chromatic runs and adds an improbable 90s hip-hop synth, inducing a faint Faith No More undercurrent, while “A Sunset Song” meshes Beach Boys’ good vibes with smooth Michael McDonald butteriness and raw Celtic Frost edge. This thing should be a disaster, but it’s a masterpiece. A complete departure from what came before, Imaginary Sonicscape is weird yet accessible, heavy yet mellow, and an hour that disappears in a marvelous flash. Each song proves essential, and though front-loaded with my favorite tracks, bangers abound throughout and devise a record that would be the feather in the cap of many a discography. And yet…

#1. In Somniphobia (2012) — …In Somniphobia just edges into the top spot with its master-crafted auditory blitzkrieg of eclectic instruments and styles. From the slick lick that opens “Purgatorium” through the sultry sax on “Amnesia” to “Equal”‘s Moron Police-level power pop jauntiness backing the gritty refrain of ‘kill me now,’ every second of In Somniphobia exudes the peak confluence of Sigh’s intrepid creativity and musical execution. The concept of the album emboldens its soundtrack, as it explores the fragility of reality when sleep eludes or assails us. In Somniphobia deftly conjures nightmarish fluidity with constantly shifting, genre-bending while simultaneously wrangling engrossing melodies with megaton hooks. AMG Himself nailed the Iconic rating, and for my money, In Somniphobia is not only the deadliest weapon in Sigh’s arsenal, but one of the best albums this century.

Creeping Ivy

Sigh slashed their way into my life in 2022, when the bizarrely progressive strains of Shiki slaughtered my ears. Immediately, I explored much of their back catalogue, whether through the simple act of streaming (Heir to Despair, Imaginary Sonicscape) or the crapshoot destiny of crate digging (Scorn Defeat, In Somniphobia). Going through the entire Sigh discography for this ranking was a real treat—few metal bands can boast the consistent longevity and persistent creativity of Mirai Kawashima and crew. Here, AMG Faithful stands my humble offering to the inimitable Sigh!

#12. Graveward (2015) — Sigh have no bad albums, so Graveward occupying my bottom spot should not be interpreted as any sort of slight. It’s more impressive, off-the-wall stuff for sure, but it hews a bit too close to musical theater for my taste. Graveward does, like many Sigh records, grow more interesting as it goes; I especially dig the burst of orchestral blackened punk that is “Out of the Grave.” Having to follow a certain album, however, was always going to be a challenge—at this point in their storied career, Graveward feels like Sigh Sighing to me.

#11. Infidel Art (1995) — Superficially, Infidel Art seems like a marked step up from Sigh’s debut. “Izuna” and “The Zombie Terror” kick things off with kick-ass fluctuations between blackened plods, propulsive power chords, and ear-worm riffs that make the orchestral elements more central than Scorn Defeat. Gravitating towards sustained doom from “Desolation” onwards, the album ends up petering out for me in its back half. Having said that, Infidel Art portends great things to come, with “Suicidogenic” offering a late-album glimpse into Sigh’s potential for marrying macabre cinematics with metallic mobility.

#10. Heir to Despair (2018) — Shiki is the first Sigh album that, I would say, sounds like ‘modern’ metal; to my ears, Heir to Despair initiated this development. Its status as a sort of transition album makes it interesting within the band’s trajectory, but it’s also a bit tepid by Sigh standards. Going for a more patient variety of avant-garde metal, Heir possesses some killer highlights: opener “Aletheia” boasts one of the band’s most infectious riffs, “In Memories Delusional” shreds on guitar/vocal fronts, and “Homo Homini Lupus” has some sweet Phil black metal vocals. “Heresy” I–III, however, doesn’t quite cut it for me—without this (totally weird and cool) experiment in its midst, Heir to Despair might have ranked a bit higher.

#9. Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (1999) — Situated between two Sigh albums I love, Scenario IV is an album I’m intrigued by more than I love. I do enjoy it, muchly; “Infernal Cries” has some of my favorite riffing from the band, and who amongst us can resist peering “In the Mind of a Lunatic”? Getting real, though, I’ll say that Scenario IV was the first time I felt the length of a Sigh album when listening to their discography in order. Hinging between two of my top Sigh albums, Scenario IV is an album I listen to as a precursory lull of sorts (and one I can see making great leaps up my ranking upon re-listens).

#8. Hangman’s Hymn (2007) — Switching to the middle of my ranking, I’ll say this: sometimes, a first impression is a lasting impression. I Saw the World’s End before I heard Hangman’s Hymn, and what I heard was the kind of breakneck, kooky, blackened extreme metal I’d come to know and love from Sigh. Going back to the rawer original for this ranking left me equally floored; from “Introitus/Kyrie” to “Hangman’s Hymn/In Paradisum/Das Ende,” Sigh never pumps the brakes. Hangman’s Hymn didn’t necessarily need to be re-recorded, I would say, but the fact that Sigh chose to re-record it unavoidably inflects my perception of the original: great, but maybe not singular.

#7. Gallows Gallery (2005) — Seven and eight on my ranking are somewhat interchangeable, but Gallows Gallery gets the nod as, to me, the more unique mid-aughts Sigh album. If Gallows Gallery is, indeed, Sigh doing power metal, then it’s almost assuredly my favorite power metal album of all time. Guitar heroics will always put a smile on my face—”Pale Monument” and “Silver Universe” deliver the melodies, harmonies, and shred I can never get enough of. Having only clean vocals limits my enjoyment of this as a Sigh album, but when I adjust, I always have a damn good time with this record.

#6. Scorn Defeat (1993) — Scorn Defeat might be the obvious candidate as Sigh’s weakest album, as it’s the most imitative and least experimental of the bunch. Indeed, the band’s debut sounds like Venom worship with hints of the insanity to come. Growing stronger as it goes, Scorn Defeat nevertheless reveals Sigh’s potential via the harpsichord intro to “The Knell,” the incredible ivory twinkling of “Gundali,” and the choral midsection in “Taste Defeat.” Hearing Scorn Defeat early in my discovery of the Sigh discography frames my relationship with it: a harbinger of things to come that simultaneously scratches the itch for first-wave fun.

#5. Scenes from Hell (2010) — Scenes from Hell tops the middle of my ranking by wrapping bonkers mid-period Sigh in the crustier production of the early albums. Initiating the now-central fixture of Dr. Mikannibal into the fold, Scenes holds a special place in the Sigh discography, and it’s one that, for me, flirts with novelty in the best possible way. Grandiose yet gritty, the two funerals at the heart of Scenes showcase Sigh masterfully wielding orchestral elements as both central fixtures and subtle touches, never losing touch with the album’s punky black core. Hell’s soundtrack supersedes Heaven’s; this I always knew; what I didn’t know was how lively and fun this soundtrack actually is.

#4. Shiki (2022) — Shiki introduced me to the wonderfully weird world of Sigh, and it’s an album I still hold in very high regard. I tend to love progressive music that embraces enabling constraints, and Shiki sees Sigh continuing the shift they made towards relative restraint on Heir to Despair (2018) with this meditation on mortality. Getting older sucks, but it sucks a lot less with a soundtrack of killer doom riffs (“Kuroi Kage”), bitchin’ bongo solos (“Skikabane”), and jazzy noir interludes (“Mayonaka No Kaii”). Having Frédéric Leclerq and Mike Heller on board as guest musicians helps reinvigorate the band (as adding Dr. Mikannibal did on Scenes from Hell)—Shiki ascends to the top of metal modernity by enlisting top-tier veterans.

#3. Hail Horror Hail (1997) — Sigh truly became Sighcotic on their third album, the one I reach for when I want slow-burning nightmare fuel at an aesthetic distance. It took a few spins for Hail Horror Hail to fully sink its murderous hooks into me; once it did, it easily clawed its way towards the top of my ranking. Going for a more black n’ roll sound off the bat with the anthemic title track, “12 Souls” starts to give me the scaries, but “The Dead Sing” has me roving between fear and joy in a manner that can be called sublime. Hardest one to get into, most rewarding one to get into—this is my experience with Hail Horror Hail.

#2. In Somniphobia (2012) — Sorting out the Sigh discography ended up being a two-horse race, with In Somniphobia slightly falling behind my winner. I found Sigh’s ninth in my local vinyl shop (and valiantly haggled the owner down $15), and it immediately floored me with its near-perfect balance of metallic speed, grandiose classicism, jazzy swagger, and a bunch of other things. Getting the Lucid Nightmare Suite alone would’ve made this Sigh’s second best; “L’excommunication a Minuit” gets my blood boiling with its Mortal Kombat riff, while “Amongst the Phantoms of Abandoned Tumbrils” brings me down with its haunting accordion compressions. Hearing In Somniphobia on double vinyl, however, made me realize that Sides A/D are an enveloping EP of sorts—best twofer ever!

#1. Imaginary Sonicscape (2001) — Sonicscapes don’t get any more imaginary than this. In a discography where no two albums sound all that much alike, Imaginary Sonicscape truly sounds like no other Sigh record, which is precisely why it’s my favorite. Gushing about this album must be done in a concise manner, so I’ll leave it at this: “A Sunset Song” was the track that sold me on the album, full stop, and it’s still one of my favorite Sigh songs. Hearing this chaotic dreamsphere of crying corpses, Nietzschean conspiracies, and ecstatic transformations always feels like hearing it for the first time, and I love introducing people to it (metalheads, but anyone with a taste for the avant-garde).

Angry Metal Guy Staff Ranking

Combining the aforementioned analyses with the wisdom of more tenured staff, please enjoy the aggregated ranking below:

1. 1. Infidel Art (1995)
   2. Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (1999)
   3. Scorn Defeat (1993)
   4. Graveward (2015)
   5. Hail Horror Hail (1997)
   6. Heir to Despair (2018)
   7. Gallows Gallery (2005)
   8. Hangman’s Hymn (2007)
   9. Shiki (2022)
   10. Scenes from Hell (2010)
   11. Imaginary Sonicscape (2001)
   12. In Somniphobia (2012)

For any uncultured readers who need a quick study on one of the best bands in the biz, check out the below.

🇺🇦 #NowPlaying on #KEXP's #VarietyMix

Pink Floyd:
🎵 Fearless

#PinkFloyd

https://jamallbufford.bandcamp.com/track/pink-floyd-fearless

https://open.spotify.com/track/7AalBKBoLDR4UmRYRJpdbj

🇺🇦 #NowPlaying on #KEXP's #VarietyMix

Pink Floyd:
🎵 Fearless

#PinkFloyd

https://jamallbufford.bandcamp.com/track/pink-floyd-fearless

https://open.spotify.com/track/7AalBKBoLDR4UmRYRJpdbj

🇺🇦 #NowPlaying on #KEXP's #VarietyMix

Pink Floyd:
🎵 Fearless

#PinkFloyd

https://jamallbufford.bandcamp.com/track/pink-floyd-fearless

https://open.spotify.com/track/7AalBKBoLDR4UmRYRJpdbj

🇺🇦 #NowPlaying on #KEXP's #VarietyMix

Pink Floyd:
🎵 Fearless

#PinkFloyd

https://jamallbufford.bandcamp.com/track/pink-floyd-fearless

https://open.spotify.com/track/7AalBKBoLDR4UmRYRJpdbj

🇺🇦 #NowPlaying on #KEXP's #VarietyMix

Pink Floyd:
🎵 Fearless

#PinkFloyd

https://jamallbufford.bandcamp.com/track/pink-floyd-fearless

https://open.spotify.com/track/7AalBKBoLDR4UmRYRJpdbj

https://www.europesays.com/es/745010/ David Gilmour eligió sus 6 canciones favoritas de Pink Floyd #DavidGilmour #Entertainment #Entretenimiento #ES #España #Music #Música #PinkFloyd #Spain

I see you on the Dark Side of the Moon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdRM9Tl6mXQ&list=RDNdRM9Tl6mXQ&start_radio=1

#RogerWaters #PinkFloyd #Israel #Gaza

I see you on the Dark Side of the Moon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdRM9Tl6mXQ&list=RDNdRM9Tl6mXQ&start_radio=1

#RogerWaters #PinkFloyd #Israel #Gaza

I see you on the Dark Side of the Moon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdRM9Tl6mXQ&list=RDNdRM9Tl6mXQ&start_radio=1

#RogerWaters #PinkFloyd #Israel #Gaza

I see you on the Dark Side of the Moon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdRM9Tl6mXQ&list=RDNdRM9Tl6mXQ&start_radio=1

#RogerWaters #PinkFloyd #Israel #Gaza

I see you on the Dark Side of the Moon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdRM9Tl6mXQ&list=RDNdRM9Tl6mXQ&start_radio=1

#RogerWaters #PinkFloyd #Israel #Gaza

Sometimes a new band starts up and chooses a godawful name—like Illwind. I’m not just referring to associations with flatulence either—though that certainly doesn’t help. It’s just a difficult name to research, especially for a band with such a small web presence. Google will direct you to the Radiohead song, “Ill Wind,” or a 1960s psychedelic band from Boston called Ill Wind, among other surprisingly numerous use cases for the term “ill wind.” In fact, I began to have some doubts the band was real, but further research shows they do have a label (Personal Records) as well as a list of band members who have a history in Peruvian bands like Arcada, Argul, and Cobra.1 Having established this as a legitimate act with some experienced musicians, the final piece of the puzzle to solve is whether Illwind’s debut album, The Unfolding at the End of Light, is any good.

Illwind is a stoner doom outfit that creatively blends genres in some pretty groovy ways. Epic opener “Crimson Skies” gives you the first hint that things aren’t what they seem on the surface. After the song opens with the slow, plodding pace of funeral doom, vocalist Marcos Coifman’s baritone upends expectations by calling to mind the epic tones of Sorcerer and Visigoth. The funeral doom transforms into classic stoner doom with hints of Black Sabbath before ending on a series of elaborate guitar solos that have the spirit of ’70s rock acts like Lynyrd Skynyrd and the psychedelia of Pink Floyd and Blood Incantation. That The Unfolding at the End of Light ends on a cover by The Stooges, “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” tells us that Illwind doesn’t exactly have modernity in mind, and yet what they have crafted sounds fresh and sometimes exciting.

At heart, this is a work of stoner doom, with a plodding, relaxed pace and enough reverb on the guitar to give off the genre’s usual chill vibes. Illwind aims for exploration, falling securely in the school of Windhand, YOB, and Black Sabbath. They’re in no hurry, but they also don’t hold back the hooks. The guitars from Mauricio Guerrero hit all the right notes, providing distinctive stoner riffs from one song to another. And just when the tracks are about to hit their quota of stoner, he and fellow guitarist Andrés Rhor get creative with solos that transport you to another time and place like Bill and Ted stepping into a magic phone booth. It’s no hallucination if you see their solos come to life—they breathe and grow and take over a tune in a way that can be exhilarating.

How much you enjoy this depends on your level of tolerance of the stoner doom genre itself. Illwind are at their best when they go off the stoner script. The main issue is their stoner stuff can be a bit generic. This is especially true of some of the longer songs, like “God of Sleep” and the thirteen-minute “Lucifer’s Mule,” which grow repetitive. It works best in smaller doses: “Portal” and “Wanderer,” both around five minutes, provide the perfect amount of stoner riffs before breaking into the classic-sounding solos. Coifman’s voice, similarly, is good in doses, but over time his monotonous delivery adds to a feeling of stagnancy. Admittedly, though, when he opens up “Lucifer’s Mule” by singing “Tell me Lucifer” in his best impression of Ozzy, it’s a highlight of the record.

The Unfolding at the End of Light proves a good debut for a band whose members have experience in a mix of genres, from black metal to heavy metal to stoner doom. As innovative as Illwind proves to be in blending several old school genres, they’re not quite so innovative in their base genre of stoner doom. They write and play some good stuff, and with some refined songwriting, they could perfect their blend of genres or even give their stoner riffs a little more pizzazz. In the end, though, I think Illwind achieve success. This is a chill record with some outstanding moments that will have you stop and just say, “Whoa.”

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Personal Records
Website: Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: July 3rd 2026

David Gilmour
"The Luck And Strange Concerts" (2025)
https://gamusik.netsan.fr/Collection/Musique/David-Gilmour/The-Luck-And-Strange-Concerts/16837

#VinylOfTheDay #Vinyl #NowSpinning #NowListening
David-Gilmour #PinkFloyd

Mes écoutes de la semaine du 02 February 2026

#OrenAmbarchi #JohanBerthling #AndreasWerliin, #TheBartlebees, #MichelCloup, #TheFall, #LucFerrari, #FrenchCowboy, #TheOne, #TheGlove, #GoodSadHappyBad, #Labradford, #JulienLedru, #LullabyeArkestra, #LasseMarhaugKasselJaeger, #RobMazurek, #GabrieleMitelli #RobMazurek, #MoljebkaPvlse, #Moonshake, #NLF3, #GaryNuman, #OiseauxTempête, #PinkFloyd, #ElianeRadigue, #Razen, #RomeoSuspect, #JackRose, #Simon, #Garfunkel, #TanzMeinHerz, #TheoryOfGhosts, #JozefVanWissem, #Various, #AnnaVonHausswolff

#music #record

Mes écoutes de la semaine du 05 janvier 2026

#OrenAmbarchi #JohanBerthling #AndreasWerliin, #FéliciaAtkinson, #EdgarOlivierCharles, #DedalusEnsemble, #BeatriceDillon, #HidekiUmezawa, #EtSans, #ThFaithHealers, #BernardinoFemminielli, #BrigitteFontaine, #EikoIshibashi, #JimORourke, #Katerine, #TheLas, #MichelleHeleneMackenzie, #StefanMaier, #Olivia Block, #HedvigMollestadTrio, #KristenNoguèsJohnSurman, #AlbertoNovello #RobMazurek, #Ø, #Osees, #JeffParker, #BernardParmegiani, #FrançoisBayle, #Perio, #PinkFloyd, #Polyphème, #Prolapse, #MatthiasPuech, #Salaryman, #ServerFarms, #SoftCell, #Stereolab, #TheStoneRoses, #Various,

#music #record

Mes écoutes de la semaine du 20 Octobre 2025

#AddNToX, #Alcatraz, #ArcadeFire, #Archive, #Artús, #AlainBashung, #BertrandBetsch, #BlackRebelMotorcycleClub, #Brassy, #TheCharlatans, #Clogs, #DaftPunk, #AlabasterDeplume, #EinstuerzendeNeubauten, #EnsembleNistNah, #FantômeJosepha, #BrigitteFontaine, #JanaIrmert, #7038634357, #EikoIshibashi, #JimORourke, #Katerine, #LandOfKush, #JérômeMinière, #Ø, #Perio, #PinkFloyd, #Prolapse, #JackRose, #Tortoise, #Various, #VéroniqueVincent, #AksakMaboulwithTheHoneymoonKillers

#music #record

Mes écoutes de la semaine du 06 October 2025 :

#DominiqueA, #BenniHemmHemm, #BertrandBetsch, #BoardsOfCanada, #Clogs, #RobertoDelgado, #TheDurianBrothers, #EnsembleSkalectrik, #LaFresto, #GastrDelSol, #Gnod, #WhiteHills, #CharbelHaber #JosephGhosn #FadiTabbal, #TheHouseOfLove, #Hydroplane, #RobertMazurek #ExplodingStarOrchestra, #GetatchewMekuria #TheEx, #Guests, #JérômeMinière, #Ø, #OhSees, #Perio, #PinkFloyd, #BenoitPioulard, #JamesPlotkin, #PaalNilssenLove, #Pram, #SixOrgansOfAdmittance, #Sparks, #Spunk, #Vainio, #Vigroux, #Various, #IannisXenakis

#music #record

Mes écoutes de la semaine du 08 Septembre 2025 :

#AerialM, #Anadol, #Anadol, #MarieKlock, #AphexTwin, #ApparatOrganQuartet, #Bablicon, #KarlBartos, #RomainBaudoin, #Bauhaus, #BossaBosa, #CapsulesDiscobole, #PascalComelade, #CulDeSac, #DeadCanDance, #TheDivineComedy, #Exhaust, #FlyPanAm, #FolkDevils, #LaFresto, #Hyperculte, #JackieOMotherfucker, #Katerine, #LucrateMilk, #GaryNuman, #PianoMagic, #PinkFloyd, #RienVirgule, #Stereolab, #Tortoise, #TubewayArmy, #UCM, #Various

#music #record

#Erfolgreich​e #Konzept​alben aufzunehmen, war eines der Markenzeichen von #PinkFloyd. Ein besonders opulentes Exemplar erschien heute vor 45 Jahren. Wir erzählen seine Geschichte im Artikel des Tages https://www.dwds.de/wb/roter%20Faden

Stuck in the Filter: May 2024’s Angry Misses

By Kenstrosity

I thought the onset of summer would mean a total solar beatdown. Instead, it’s brought the rain. Absolutely chucking down rain. But, if you thought that bad weather leads to mercy from me, you’re dead wrong. In fact, I pushed my minions even harder to dredge up as many waterlogged nuggets of notable ore from our perpetually overtaxed filtration system.

And so, as my “staff,” who are definitely paid (don’t look into it) dry off in the industrial-grade wind tunnel, allow me to introduce May’s Filter entries for a public I truly don’t care about at all (don’t look into it). BEHOLD!

Iceberg’s Divisive Defenstrations

Cobra The Impaler // Karma Collision [May 24th, 2024 – Listenable Records]

Belgium’s Cobra The Impaler bill themselves as carrying the torch of classic-era Mastodon, a band hitting so many spectrums of metal comparing one’s music to theirs is a much safer bet than not. Led by primary songwriter and ex-Aborted guitarist Tace DC, the band sit somewhere in the murky grey between progressive and technical modern metal. The aforementioned Mastodon worship is strong here—especially in opener “Magnetic Hex”—although the crystal clean production by Jens Borgren really prevents the use of the term “sludge.” Elsewhere there are prog-metal moments of Virus/Vector-era Haken (“Karma Collision,” “The Fountain”) and some of the relentless, drums-in-front compositions of Gojira (“Karma Collision,” “The Assassins of the Vision”). Vocalist Manuel Remmerie’s also has his work cut out for him, delivering plenty of admirable cleans in both high and low registers alongside full-throated screams and somewhat less effective pitched growls. The instrumental performances here are top-notch, professional in the verse/chorus sections, and continuously—sometimes outstandingly—creative in the free-form bridges. There is some tightening to be done with the accessibility of the choruses—they fall flat against the superior instrumental sections— but there are moments of brilliance and a ton of potential in this five-piece.

Capstan // The Mosaic [May 24th, 2024 – Fearless Records]

Anyone who’s plugged into the post-hardcore scene should know that Florida’s Capstan transcend the—rightfully deserved—vitriol thrown at the style. I don’t think any Fearless band has ever been reviewed here, but Capstan’s latest opus The Mosaic deserves a shoutout to whomever hasn’t run screaming from these halls. Led by vocalist Anthony DeMario—sure to be a divisive figure with his unapologetic pop punk cleans—the band has continuously augmented their Warped-core sound with the mathy guitar noodlings of Chon or Polyphia, and an impressive triple vocalist attack for thick, elaborate harmonies. This album, clocking in at over an hour, doesn’t pull any punches, showcasing trip-hop, breakdown-laced numbers (“Bete Noire”), full throated anthems about self-loathing and heartbreak (“Misery Scene”) and even lighter, crooning ballads (“What Can I Say”). Synergy and professionalism are where the band shine; everything has is slickly produced and the performances—especially those vocals—are whip-smart. Plenty of editing could have been done, but you can tell how much fun the band is having. Anyone with a passing interest or nostalgia for 2000’s post-hardcore should check this out. Plus their drummer plays with traditional grip, and watching a jazz guy slam out breakdowns is pretty rad in my book.

GardensTale’s Dose of Decay

Strychnos // Armageddon Patronage [May 17th, 2024 – Dark Descent Records]

I don’t always check out albums that set the comment section and/or Discord abuzz, but when I do, it rarely results in anything less than interesting. Case in point, the bottomless evil of Strychnos, a Danish outfit that struggled to get off the ground in the early 00’s, eked out a single EP in the 10’s, and suddenly started shitting out heaving platters of malicious black/death since the pandemic. Armageddon Patronage is the second full-length off their new production line, and it brings every horseman along for its deadly ride. War is embodied by the lethal double feature that starts the charge, with swelling riffs battering the unjust to fertilizer. The unflinching and unfeeling brutality of Famine seethes from “Choking Salvation,” and out the beaks of “Pale Black Birds” pours Pestilence with slavering enthusiasm. Frontman Martin Leth Anderson, who also handles bass for Undergang, employs a bellowing growl that encapsulates hopelessness and suffering, and the excellent, malevolent riffs usher an effective aura of utter destruction. Death, however, comes not at the end, but during the doom-laden centerpiece, the despondent “Endless Void Dimension” with its atmospheric Gregorian chanting. I have no qualms becoming a patron to this spiteful chunk of armageddon.

Dear Hollow’s Shtanky Shwamp of Shrieks

Saidan // Visual Kill: The Blossoming of Psychotic Depravity [May 24th, 2024 – Self-Released]

Saidan do things a little differently. The Nashville duo’s themes rooted in Japanese folklore and the formidable and mysterious yokai in particular, combined with a relentlessly riffy and punk-driven tour-de-force of black metal proportions are always food for thought in the act’s brief and formidable history. Seamlessly transitioning between punk chord progressions and bouncy drums to blastbeats and kvlt tremolo to groovy riffs and rhythms, anchored by Splatterpvnk’s ripping vocals, it never shies away from punishment. However, interwoven with this assault is a distinctly melodic undercurrent that brightens the progressions and gives purpose and a sense of fun – a hyper-melodic black metal act would be jealous. You won’t be able to shake the grooves of “Desecration of a Lustful Illusion,” the symphonic black intensity of “Genocidal Bloodfiend” and “Veins of the Wicked” hit you like a cyclone, and the classic thrash solos and anime-theme-song vibe of “Sick Abducted Purity,” “Visual Kill,” and “Switchblade Paradise” are guaranteed to get your head banging – plus, the interlude “seraphic lullaby” and instrumental closer “suffer” ain’t half bad. Visual Kill is like if Powerglove wrote a black metal album that you could actually take seriously, backed up with the technicality, songwriting chops, and sheer unbridled energy to make it work.

Parfaxitas // Weaver of the Black Moon [May 31st, 2024 – Terratur Possessions]

The minds behind Parfaxitas should need little introduction, although the moniker will likely not ring any bells. Representing three separate scenes and their respective contributions to black metal lore, two American stringsmen from acts Merihem, Suffering Hour, and Manetherean, Icelandic drummer B.E. from Almyrkvi, Sinmara, Slidhr, and Wormlust, and Norwegian vocalist K.R. From Whoredom Rife collide. Weaver of the Black Moon combines the blueprint of second-wave Norwegian black with the obsidian dissonance of Icelandic, and the experimental edge of American acts, making it a tour-de-force of both vicious sound and tortured atmosphere. Dissonance rains down like acid, a backdrop, and shroud of otherworldly sounds that shimmer and crunch in ways that recall both the winding passages of Suffering Hour and the psychedelic rawness of Wormlust simultaneously. Hammered by vicious blastbeats and guided by tortured barks, the guitar and meandering fluid bass guide listeners from untouchable intensity (“Thou Shalt Worship No Other”) to haunting and hypnotic atmosphere (“Ravens of Dispersion”) – stealing the show. Parfaxitas features a whole lot of firepower, culminating in epic closer “Fields of Nightmares,” a crescendo of punishing and otherworldly proportions.

Aseitas // Eden Trough [May 30th, 2024 – Total Dissonance Worship]

After Aseitas’ formidable 2020 album False Peace, which narrowly missed my AOTY’s, the Portland trio is back with another album – which could easily be classified as an EP in its tidy thirty-minute runtime. Eden Trough condenses the lofty and decadent ambition of its predecessor for an album devoted to complete takedown in winding riffs, punishing death metal, and ravaging vocals. From the thick and punishing signature shifts of “Libertine Captor” and “Alabaster Bones,” complete with shifting riffs and a liminal sense of melody, to the more droning and haunting “Break the Neck of Every Beautiful Thing,” to the epic and cosmic psychedelia of ten-minute centerpiece “Tiamat,” Aseitas’ shows its tantalizing and gradual progression to an echelon of indispensable in the world of dissonant death. Offering influences of convulsive mathcore, mammoth post-metal, and unhinged yet intensely calculated technicality, Eden Trough is a must-listen for the long-time fan, as well as proffering a snapshot to the curious of what makes Aseitas so special to begin with.

Dolphin Whisperer’s Progalicious Ponderings

Azure // Fym [May 23rd, 2024 – Self Release]

Are you way into high fantasy and exuberant, progressive albums that reflect that sentiment? If so, look no further than Azure’s third opus, Fym, which over its runtime recounts the tales of a mystical fox’s journey in a frightening and whimsical world. Normally I wouldn’t think twice about an album with such a storybook concept.1 But between Chris Sampson’s vocal navigations that ring as hyper-tenor and dolphin-like (“The Lavender Fox”)2 as they do sullen and heart-wrenching (“Kingdom of Ice and Light,” “Moonrise”), and Galen Stapley’s mystical fretboard wizardry that marries funk chords, soundtrack melodies, and dance-able shred, Azure packs too much sunshine in their prog for me to ignore. And at almost eighty minutes, they pack a lot of it too. However, each run through Fym’s pages finds a new rumbling bass bounce to propel a hop, a new vocal run to twirl my tongue (with notes that I couldn’t possibly hit), or a synthfully sinful refrain to stain my brain matter with happy juice—”The Azdinist // Den of Dawns” or “Agentic State” unite these ideas best—it’s truly a hard album to put down. Combining just about every era of Genesis with the acrobatics of Dream Theater, the play and ambition of the earliest of Pain of Salvation theatrics, and healthy dose of modern bastardizations (check the autotune/pitchshifting on “Doppelgänger”), Azure has made a mighty statement with Fym that I’m still digesting. And with as many inventive synth patches, harmonic vocal layers, and cinematic builds as this rainbow dose of prog pushes, it’ll be quite some time before I’ve made up my mind about it all. So I’ll continue in pieces. Or all at once. Whatever time allows because Fym is just that much fun.

PreHistoric Animals // Finding Love in Strange Places [May 16th, 2024 – Dutch Music Works]

And here we are with, what’s that, another prog concept album? This one’s a little less terrestrial though, featuring healthy infusions of a futuristic space drama and heavy-hitting synthwave doots and bounces. Over the course of their past couple works, PreHistoric Animals has found an ease in comfortable exploration with their King’s X-like tendency to grip with a barbed verse melody or chorus explosion, layered tastefully with harmonic vocal accompaniment and groove-heavy riffs. But, despite that comparison, it’s clear from the opening synth pulse of “The City of My Dreams” and “Living in a World of Bliss” that an electronic and hooky identity that’s caught between Toto and Yes imbues the edges of refrains that stick like honey to vocalist Stefan Altzar’s easy-on-the-ears narrative. Finding Love in Strange Places can get bogged down a touch in its word-driven nature, though, especially on the various interludes and certain longer tracks like “Unbreakable” and “Nothing Has Changed but Everything Is Different.” None of that fluff ever truly interrupts Finding Love’s heartbeat rhythms, which hold a steady if highly syncopated simplicity and form a hi-hat charming vessel that keeps the head nodding in progressive pomp. Oh, and it helps that guitarists Altzar and Daniel Magdic (ex-Pain of Salvation) have studied the slow-burn solo nature of greats like David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) and Brian May (Queen), with tasteful legato and searing ascensions aiding in earned crescendo at Finding Love’s best moments (“Living in a World of Bliss,” “The Secret of Goodness”). Having reliably churned out confident and catchy works every other years since 2018, PreHistoric Animals fly relatively low in the flock of modern prog, but these space-bound Swedes have earned a likely lifelong aquatic fan at this stage of their growing career. Give Love a chance!

Matrass // Cathedrals [May 17th, 2024 – La Tangente Label]

And, last but not least from my assortment, Matrass hails from France to bring you Cathedrals, which is… yes, you guessed it, another prog concept album! If you’re worried about another album of the synthtastic and 80s prog-themed variety, though, don’t fret about what Matrass brings to the table. Playing closer to post than progressive waters, Cathedrals flitters about dreamy, lounge jazz guitar passages before crushing down with Cult of Luna riffs and Tesseract-inspired, low-end atmospherics. But most important to the groove and cinematic lilt that defines Cathedrals is the methods by which vocalist Clémentine Browne navigates jangling verses with gentle croons and accented, rhythmic spoken word before frying down with screeching and hissing fervor against heavy chord crushes. That talent for establishing and reinforcing mood lands idiosyncratic in the realm of post acts, so her exact methods may not fit the bill for all fans of the rise-and-fall aesthetic the genre offers. And though Matrass remains largely iterative of this mood through its hour-long run, it’s that successful idea of atmosphere that allows peak tracks “Shreds,” “Adrift” (which features Browne on saxophone instead), and “Cathedrals” to conjure such powerful and drifting thoughts in my head. And when you’re in its valleys? Matrass still maintains a textural backdrop that spells high potential for this young act.

Saunders’ Sulfuric Stash

Desolus // System Shock [March 10th, 2024 – Hells Headbangers]

Who’s up for some explosive, throwback thrashy goodness? Although hailing from the States, Desolus take plenty of inspiration from classic German trash titans Kreator, Destruction and Sodom. Throw in classic Dark Angel vibes, a heavy, modern edge and crunchy production job, and the band’s debut System Shock ticks all the boxes for a thrashing great time. This shit is seriously jacked with unhinged, old-school aggression, spitfire riffs and stampeding percussion propelling the album’s ten speed-driven assaults. An utterly deranged, ’80s underground-inspired vocal performance adds further steel-plated authenticity to a retro-minded sound that manages to sound fresh and inspired. Aside from rare moments of slower melodic nuance on the otherwise blistering “Sea of Fire,” and the aptly titled “Interlude” providing a handy breather, Desolus crank speed and intensity to the max, rarely breaking from their relentless stride. The opening one-two salvo of “System Shock” and bonkers lunacy of “From Man to Machine” set a savage tone and gritty platform from which Desolus launch assault after assault of high-octane thrash mania. “Cures of the Technomancer” is an absolute riff beast with groove and speed for days, while “The Invasion Begins” deftly puts you in a false sense of bouncy melodic security before jamming the afterburners into a typically ferocious attack. Exuberant, nasty stuff.

Terminal Nation // Echoes of the Devil’s Den [May 3rd, 2024 – 20 Buck Spin]

The second album from Pittsburgh bruisers Terminal Nation hits with sledgehammer force, obliterating any semblance of subtlety in favor of an extra beefy, in-your-face hybrid of death metal and hardcore. Echoes of the Devil’s Den features a searing, politically charged and seriously pissed-off bite. High-profile guest vocal slots seamlessly blend into the vicious attack, including strong turns from Integrity‘s Dwid Hellion (“Release the Serpents”), Killswitch Engage‘s Jesse Leach (“Merchants of Bloodshed”) and Nails frontman Todd Jones. Jones features on “Written by the Victor,” a vicious tune that harnesses thick, neck-wrecking grooves and punishing, doom-laden death grooves. The album’s hardcore influence and political slant may turn off certain listeners, but those who don’t mind some hardcore in their death stew should find plenty to like here. The gritty, muscular exterior features nods to Bolt Thrower and All Shall Perish, while the weighty, mid-paced crush, chunky riffs and breakdowns are balanced by tasteful melodic counterpoints and livelier bursts of speed (“Dying Alive”). Not all works; the provocative, anti-police song “No Reform (New Age Slave Patrol)” musically has its moments; however, the heavy-handed lyrical approach sticks out like a sore thumb. Nevertheless, Echoes of the Devil’s Den swings and slugs you more often than it misses.

Steel Druhm’s Sewer Tarts

The Troops of Doom // A Mass to the Grotesque [May 31, 2024 – Alma Mater Records]

For their sophomore outing, Brazilian death-thrashers The Troops of Doom took their vintage Sepultura-esque sound and juiced it up considerably from what we heard on 2022s Antichrist Reborn. A Mass to the Grotesque still sounds a bunch like classic Sepultura but it’s much more refined, developed and expanded in scope. Yet it’s still a frenzied, thrashing assault full of lyrics about evil, demons, and all things anti-Christian. It sounds like something that should have dropped in as the 80s thrash wave started mutating into proto-death, and that is a beloved era of music for yours Steely. Songs like “Chapels of the Unholy” and “Dawn of Mephisto” sit right on the bleeding edge of thrash and early death, with Slayer-tastic riffs colliding with early examples of death grooves. What makes this so entertaining is how the band reaches outside of the Sepultura homage bubble to drag in new elements to expand their sound. Some songs feel slightly progressive (“Denied Divinity”) while elsewhere they shoehorn epic doom into the massive “Psalm 7:8 – God of Bizarre.” The straight-up riffbeasts are my favorites though, with “The Imposter King” being a big, fat, sweaty highlight. While these cats are always going to get compared to classic Sepultura, they made real efforts here to stake out their own identity. This is a wild, testosterone-fueled ride featuring the maximum allowable Satan, and I support that.

#20BuckSpin #2024 #AMassToTheGrotesque #Aborted #AllShallPerish #AlmaMaterRecords #Almyrkvi #AmericanMetal #ArmageddonPatronage #Aseitas #Azure #BelgianMetal #BlackMetal #BlackenedDeathMetal #BoltThrower #Capstan #Cathedrals #CHON #CobraTheImpaler #CultOfLuna #DanishMetal #DarkAngel #DarkDescentRecords #DeathMetal #Desolus #Destruction #DissonantDeathMetal #DreamTheater #DutchMusicWorks #EchoesOfTheDevilSDen #EdenTrough #FearlessRecords #FindingLoveInStrangePlaces #FrenchMetal #Fym #Genesis #GermanMetal #Gojira #Haken #Hardcore #HellsHeadbangers #Integrity #InternationalMetal #KarmaCollision #KillswitchEngage #KingsX #Kreator #LaTangenteLabel #ListenableRecords #Manetherean #Mastodon #Matrass #May24 #MelodicBlackMetal #Merihem #Nails #PainOfSalvation #Parfaxitas #PinkFloyd #Polyphia #PostHardcore #Powerglove #PreHistoricAnimals #ProgressiveMetal #Punk #Queen #Review #Reviews #Saidan #SelfReleased #Sinmara #Slidhr #Sodom #Strychnos #SufferingHour #SwedishMetal #SystemShock #TechnicalDeathMetal #TechnicalMetal #TerminalNation #TerraturPossessions #TesseracT #TheMosaic #TheTroopsOfDoom #TotalDissonanceWorship #UKMetal #Undergang #USMetal #VisualKillTheBlossomingOfPsychoticDepravity #WeaverOfTheBlackMoon #WhoredomeRife #Wormlust #Yes

Stuck in the Filter: May 2024’s Angry Misses

By Kenstrosity

I thought the onset of summer would mean a total solar beatdown. Instead, it’s brought the rain. Absolutely chucking down rain. But, if you thought that bad weather leads to mercy from me, you’re dead wrong. In fact, I pushed my minions even harder to dredge up as many waterlogged nuggets of notable ore from our perpetually overtaxed filtration system.

And so, as my “staff,” who are definitely paid (don’t look into it) dry off in the industrial-grade wind tunnel, allow me to introduce May’s Filter entries for a public I truly don’t care about at all (don’t look into it). BEHOLD!

Iceberg’s Divisive Defenstrations

Cobra The Impaler // Karma Collision [May 24th, 2024 – Listenable Records]

Belgium’s Cobra The Impaler bill themselves as carrying the torch of classic-era Mastodon, a band hitting so many spectrums of metal comparing one’s music to theirs is a much safer bet than not. Led by primary songwriter and ex-Aborted guitarist Tace DC, the band sit somewhere in the murky grey between progressive and technical modern metal. The aforementioned Mastodon worship is strong here—especially in opener “Magnetic Hex”—although the crystal clean production by Jens Borgren really prevents the use of the term “sludge.” Elsewhere there are prog-metal moments of Virus/Vector-era Haken (“Karma Collision,” “The Fountain”) and some of the relentless, drums-in-front compositions of Gojira (“Karma Collision,” “The Assassins of the Vision”). Vocalist Manuel Remmerie’s also has his work cut out for him, delivering plenty of admirable cleans in both high and low registers alongside full-throated screams and somewhat less effective pitched growls. The instrumental performances here are top-notch, professional in the verse/chorus sections, and continuously—sometimes outstandingly—creative in the free-form bridges. There is some tightening to be done with the accessibility of the choruses—they fall flat against the superior instrumental sections— but there are moments of brilliance and a ton of potential in this five-piece.

Capstan // The Mosaic [May 24th, 2024 – Fearless Records]

Anyone who’s plugged into the post-hardcore scene should know that Florida’s Capstan transcend the—rightfully deserved—vitriol thrown at the style. I don’t think any Fearless band has ever been reviewed here, but Capstan’s latest opus The Mosaic deserves a shoutout to whomever hasn’t run screaming from these halls. Led by vocalist Anthony DeMario—sure to be a divisive figure with his unapologetic pop punk cleans—the band has continuously augmented their Warped-core sound with the mathy guitar noodlings of Chon or Polyphia, and an impressive triple vocalist attack for thick, elaborate harmonies. This album, clocking in at over an hour, doesn’t pull any punches, showcasing trip-hop, breakdown-laced numbers (“Bete Noire”), full throated anthems about self-loathing and heartbreak (“Misery Scene”) and even lighter, crooning ballads (“What Can I Say”). Synergy and professionalism are where the band shine; everything has is slickly produced and the performances—especially those vocals—are whip-smart. Plenty of editing could have been done, but you can tell how much fun the band is having. Anyone with a passing interest or nostalgia for 2000’s post-hardcore should check this out. Plus their drummer plays with traditional grip, and watching a jazz guy slam out breakdowns is pretty rad in my book.

GardensTale’s Dose of Decay

Strychnos // Armageddon Patronage [May 17th, 2024 – Dark Descent Records]

I don’t always check out albums that set the comment section and/or Discord abuzz, but when I do, it rarely results in anything less than interesting. Case in point, the bottomless evil of Strychnos, a Danish outfit that struggled to get off the ground in the early 00’s, eked out a single EP in the 10’s, and suddenly started shitting out heaving platters of malicious black/death since the pandemic. Armageddon Patronage is the second full-length off their new production line, and it brings every horseman along for its deadly ride. War is embodied by the lethal double feature that starts the charge, with swelling riffs battering the unjust to fertilizer. The unflinching and unfeeling brutality of Famine seethes from “Choking Salvation,” and out the beaks of “Pale Black Birds” pours Pestilence with slavering enthusiasm. Frontman Martin Leth Anderson, who also handles bass for Undergang, employs a bellowing growl that encapsulates hopelessness and suffering, and the excellent, malevolent riffs usher an effective aura of utter destruction. Death, however, comes not at the end, but during the doom-laden centerpiece, the despondent “Endless Void Dimension” with its atmospheric Gregorian chanting. I have no qualms becoming a patron to this spiteful chunk of armageddon.

Dear Hollow’s Shtanky Shwamp of Shrieks

Saidan // Visual Kill: The Blossoming of Psychotic Depravity [May 24th, 2024 – Self-Released]

Saidan do things a little differently. The Nashville duo’s themes rooted in Japanese folklore and the formidable and mysterious yokai in particular, combined with a relentlessly riffy and punk-driven tour-de-force of black metal proportions are always food for thought in the act’s brief and formidable history. Seamlessly transitioning between punk chord progressions and bouncy drums to blastbeats and kvlt tremolo to groovy riffs and rhythms, anchored by Splatterpvnk’s ripping vocals, it never shies away from punishment. However, interwoven with this assault is a distinctly melodic undercurrent that brightens the progressions and gives purpose and a sense of fun – a hyper-melodic black metal act would be jealous. You won’t be able to shake the grooves of “Desecration of a Lustful Illusion,” the symphonic black intensity of “Genocidal Bloodfiend” and “Veins of the Wicked” hit you like a cyclone, and the classic thrash solos and anime-theme-song vibe of “Sick Abducted Purity,” “Visual Kill,” and “Switchblade Paradise” are guaranteed to get your head banging – plus, the interlude “seraphic lullaby” and instrumental closer “suffer” ain’t half bad. Visual Kill is like if Powerglove wrote a black metal album that you could actually take seriously, backed up with the technicality, songwriting chops, and sheer unbridled energy to make it work.

Parfaxitas // Weaver of the Black Moon [May 31st, 2024 – Terratur Possessions]

The minds behind Parfaxitas should need little introduction, although the moniker will likely not ring any bells. Representing three separate scenes and their respective contributions to black metal lore, two American stringsmen from acts Merihem, Suffering Hour, and Manetherean, Icelandic drummer B.E. from Almyrkvi, Sinmara, Slidhr, and Wormlust, and Norwegian vocalist K.R. From Whoredom Rife collide. Weaver of the Black Moon combines the blueprint of second-wave Norwegian black with the obsidian dissonance of Icelandic, and the experimental edge of American acts, making it a tour-de-force of both vicious sound and tortured atmosphere. Dissonance rains down like acid, a backdrop, and shroud of otherworldly sounds that shimmer and crunch in ways that recall both the winding passages of Suffering Hour and the psychedelic rawness of Wormlust simultaneously. Hammered by vicious blastbeats and guided by tortured barks, the guitar and meandering fluid bass guide listeners from untouchable intensity (“Thou Shalt Worship No Other”) to haunting and hypnotic atmosphere (“Ravens of Dispersion”) – stealing the show. Parfaxitas features a whole lot of firepower, culminating in epic closer “Fields of Nightmares,” a crescendo of punishing and otherworldly proportions.

Aseitas // Eden Trough [May 30th, 2024 – Total Dissonance Worship]

After Aseitas’ formidable 2020 album False Peace, which narrowly missed my AOTY’s, the Portland trio is back with another album – which could easily be classified as an EP in its tidy thirty-minute runtime. Eden Trough condenses the lofty and decadent ambition of its predecessor for an album devoted to complete takedown in winding riffs, punishing death metal, and ravaging vocals. From the thick and punishing signature shifts of “Libertine Captor” and “Alabaster Bones,” complete with shifting riffs and a liminal sense of melody, to the more droning and haunting “Break the Neck of Every Beautiful Thing,” to the epic and cosmic psychedelia of ten-minute centerpiece “Tiamat,” Aseitas’ shows its tantalizing and gradual progression to an echelon of indispensable in the world of dissonant death. Offering influences of convulsive mathcore, mammoth post-metal, and unhinged yet intensely calculated technicality, Eden Trough is a must-listen for the long-time fan, as well as proffering a snapshot to the curious of what makes Aseitas so special to begin with.

Dolphin Whisperer’s Progalicious Ponderings

Azure // Fym [May 23rd, 2024 – Self Release]

Are you way into high fantasy and exuberant, progressive albums that reflect that sentiment? If so, look no further than Azure’s third opus, Fym, which over its runtime recounts the tales of a mystical fox’s journey in a frightening and whimsical world. Normally I wouldn’t think twice about an album with such a storybook concept.1 But between Chris Sampson’s vocal navigations that ring as hyper-tenor and dolphin-like (“The Lavender Fox”)2 as they do sullen and heart-wrenching (“Kingdom of Ice and Light,” “Moonrise”), and Galen Stapley’s mystical fretboard wizardry that marries funk chords, soundtrack melodies, and dance-able shred, Azure packs too much sunshine in their prog for me to ignore. And at almost eighty minutes, they pack a lot of it too. However, each run through Fym’s pages finds a new rumbling bass bounce to propel a hop, a new vocal run to twirl my tongue (with notes that I couldn’t possibly hit), or a synthfully sinful refrain to stain my brain matter with happy juice—”The Azdinist // Den of Dawns” or “Agentic State” unite these ideas best—it’s truly a hard album to put down. Combining just about every era of Genesis with the acrobatics of Dream Theater, the play and ambition of the earliest of Pain of Salvation theatrics, and healthy dose of modern bastardizations (check the autotune/pitchshifting on “Doppelgänger”), Azure has made a mighty statement with Fym that I’m still digesting. And with as many inventive synth patches, harmonic vocal layers, and cinematic builds as this rainbow dose of prog pushes, it’ll be quite some time before I’ve made up my mind about it all. So I’ll continue in pieces. Or all at once. Whatever time allows because Fym is just that much fun.

PreHistoric Animals // Finding Love in Strange Places [May 16th, 2024 – Dutch Music Works]

And here we are with, what’s that, another prog concept album? This one’s a little less terrestrial though, featuring healthy infusions of a futuristic space drama and heavy-hitting synthwave doots and bounces. Over the course of their past couple works, PreHistoric Animals has found an ease in comfortable exploration with their King’s X-like tendency to grip with a barbed verse melody or chorus explosion, layered tastefully with harmonic vocal accompaniment and groove-heavy riffs. But, despite that comparison, it’s clear from the opening synth pulse of “The City of My Dreams” and “Living in a World of Bliss” that an electronic and hooky identity that’s caught between Toto and Yes imbues the edges of refrains that stick like honey to vocalist Stefan Altzar’s easy-on-the-ears narrative. Finding Love in Strange Places can get bogged down a touch in its word-driven nature, though, especially on the various interludes and certain longer tracks like “Unbreakable” and “Nothing Has Changed but Everything Is Different.” None of that fluff ever truly interrupts Finding Love’s heartbeat rhythms, which hold a steady if highly syncopated simplicity and form a hi-hat charming vessel that keeps the head nodding in progressive pomp. Oh, and it helps that guitarists Altzar and Daniel Magdic (ex-Pain of Salvation) have studied the slow-burn solo nature of greats like David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) and Brian May (Queen), with tasteful legato and searing ascensions aiding in earned crescendo at Finding Love’s best moments (“Living in a World of Bliss,” “The Secret of Goodness”). Having reliably churned out confident and catchy works every other years since 2018, PreHistoric Animals fly relatively low in the flock of modern prog, but these space-bound Swedes have earned a likely lifelong aquatic fan at this stage of their growing career. Give Love a chance!

Matrass // Cathedrals [May 17th, 2024 – La Tangente Label]

And, last but not least from my assortment, Matrass hails from France to bring you Cathedrals, which is… yes, you guessed it, another prog concept album! If you’re worried about another album of the synthtastic and 80s prog-themed variety, though, don’t fret about what Matrass brings to the table. Playing closer to post than progressive waters, Cathedrals flitters about dreamy, lounge jazz guitar passages before crushing down with Cult of Luna riffs and Tesseract-inspired, low-end atmospherics. But most important to the groove and cinematic lilt that defines Cathedrals is the methods by which vocalist Clémentine Browne navigates jangling verses with gentle croons and accented, rhythmic spoken word before frying down with screeching and hissing fervor against heavy chord crushes. That talent for establishing and reinforcing mood lands idiosyncratic in the realm of post acts, so her exact methods may not fit the bill for all fans of the rise-and-fall aesthetic the genre offers. And though Matrass remains largely iterative of this mood through its hour-long run, it’s that successful idea of atmosphere that allows peak tracks “Shreds,” “Adrift” (which features Browne on saxophone instead), and “Cathedrals” to conjure such powerful and drifting thoughts in my head. And when you’re in its valleys? Matrass still maintains a textural backdrop that spells high potential for this young act.

Saunders’ Sulfuric Stash

Desolus // System Shock [March 10th, 2024 – Hells Headbangers]

Who’s up for some explosive, throwback thrashy goodness? Although hailing from the States, Desolus take plenty of inspiration from classic German trash titans Kreator, Destruction and Sodom. Throw in classic Dark Angel vibes, a heavy, modern edge and crunchy production job, and the band’s debut System Shock ticks all the boxes for a thrashing great time. This shit is seriously jacked with unhinged, old-school aggression, spitfire riffs and stampeding percussion propelling the album’s ten speed-driven assaults. An utterly deranged, ’80s underground-inspired vocal performance adds further steel-plated authenticity to a retro-minded sound that manages to sound fresh and inspired. Aside from rare moments of slower melodic nuance on the otherwise blistering “Sea of Fire,” and the aptly titled “Interlude” providing a handy breather, Desolus crank speed and intensity to the max, rarely breaking from their relentless stride. The opening one-two salvo of “System Shock” and bonkers lunacy of “From Man to Machine” set a savage tone and gritty platform from which Desolus launch assault after assault of high-octane thrash mania. “Cures of the Technomancer” is an absolute riff beast with groove and speed for days, while “The Invasion Begins” deftly puts you in a false sense of bouncy melodic security before jamming the afterburners into a typically ferocious attack. Exuberant, nasty stuff.

Terminal Nation // Echoes of the Devil’s Den [May 3rd, 2024 – 20 Buck Spin]

The second album from Pittsburgh bruisers Terminal Nation hits with sledgehammer force, obliterating any semblance of subtlety in favor of an extra beefy, in-your-face hybrid of death metal and hardcore. Echoes of the Devil’s Den features a searing, politically charged and seriously pissed-off bite. High-profile guest vocal slots seamlessly blend into the vicious attack, including strong turns from Integrity‘s Dwid Hellion (“Release the Serpents”), Killswitch Engage‘s Jesse Leach (“Merchants of Bloodshed”) and Nails frontman Todd Jones. Jones features on “Written by the Victor,” a vicious tune that harnesses thick, neck-wrecking grooves and punishing, doom-laden death grooves. The album’s hardcore influence and political slant may turn off certain listeners, but those who don’t mind some hardcore in their death stew should find plenty to like here. The gritty, muscular exterior features nods to Bolt Thrower and All Shall Perish, while the weighty, mid-paced crush, chunky riffs and breakdowns are balanced by tasteful melodic counterpoints and livelier bursts of speed (“Dying Alive”). Not all works; the provocative, anti-police song “No Reform (New Age Slave Patrol)” musically has its moments; however, the heavy-handed lyrical approach sticks out like a sore thumb. Nevertheless, Echoes of the Devil’s Den swings and slugs you more often than it misses.

Steel Druhm’s Sewer Tarts

The Troops of Doom // A Mass to the Grotesque [May 31, 2024 – Alma Mater Records]

For their sophomore outing, Brazilian death-thrashers The Troops of Doom took their vintage Sepultura-esque sound and juiced it up considerably from what we heard on 2022s Antichrist Reborn. A Mass to the Grotesque still sounds a bunch like classic Sepultura but it’s much more refined, developed and expanded in scope. Yet it’s still a frenzied, thrashing assault full of lyrics about evil, demons, and all things anti-Christian. It sounds like something that should have dropped in as the 80s thrash wave started mutating into proto-death, and that is a beloved era of music for yours Steely. Songs like “Chapels of the Unholy” and “Dawn of Mephisto” sit right on the bleeding edge of thrash and early death, with Slayer-tastic riffs colliding with early examples of death grooves. What makes this so entertaining is how the band reaches outside of the Sepultura homage bubble to drag in new elements to expand their sound. Some songs feel slightly progressive (“Denied Divinity”) while elsewhere they shoehorn epic doom into the massive “Psalm 7:8 – God of Bizarre.” The straight-up riffbeasts are my favorites though, with “The Imposter King” being a big, fat, sweaty highlight. While these cats are always going to get compared to classic Sepultura, they made real efforts here to stake out their own identity. This is a wild, testosterone-fueled ride featuring the maximum allowable Satan, and I support that.

#20BuckSpin #2024 #AMassToTheGrotesque #Aborted #AllShallPerish #AlmaMaterRecords #Almyrkvi #AmericanMetal #ArmageddonPatronage #Aseitas #Azure #BelgianMetal #BlackMetal #BlackenedDeathMetal #BoltThrower #Capstan #Cathedrals #CHON #CobraTheImpaler #CultOfLuna #DanishMetal #DarkAngel #DarkDescentRecords #DeathMetal #Desolus #Destruction #DissonantDeathMetal #DreamTheater #DutchMusicWorks #EchoesOfTheDevilSDen #EdenTrough #FearlessRecords #FindingLoveInStrangePlaces #FrenchMetal #Fym #Genesis #GermanMetal #Gojira #Haken #Hardcore #HellsHeadbangers #Integrity #InternationalMetal #KarmaCollision #KillswitchEngage #KingsX #Kreator #LaTangenteLabel #ListenableRecords #Manetherean #Mastodon #Matrass #May24 #MelodicBlackMetal #Merihem #Nails #PainOfSalvation #Parfaxitas #PinkFloyd #Polyphia #PostHardcore #Powerglove #PreHistoricAnimals #ProgressiveMetal #Punk #Queen #Review #Reviews #Saidan #SelfReleased #Sinmara #Slidhr #Sodom #Strychnos #SufferingHour #SwedishMetal #SystemShock #TechnicalDeathMetal #TechnicalMetal #TerminalNation #TerraturPossessions #TesseracT #TheMosaic #TheTroopsOfDoom #TotalDissonanceWorship #UKMetal #Undergang #USMetal #VisualKillTheBlossomingOfPsychoticDepravity #WeaverOfTheBlackMoon #WhoredomeRife #Wormlust #Yes

Stuck in the Filter: May 2024’s Angry Misses

By Kenstrosity

I thought the onset of summer would mean a total solar beatdown. Instead, it’s brought the rain. Absolutely chucking down rain. But, if you thought that bad weather leads to mercy from me, you’re dead wrong. In fact, I pushed my minions even harder to dredge up as many waterlogged nuggets of notable ore from our perpetually overtaxed filtration system.

And so, as my “staff,” who are definitely paid (don’t look into it) dry off in the industrial-grade wind tunnel, allow me to introduce May’s Filter entries for a public I truly don’t care about at all (don’t look into it). BEHOLD!

Iceberg’s Divisive Defenstrations

Cobra The Impaler // Karma Collision [May 24th, 2024 – Listenable Records]

Belgium’s Cobra The Impaler bill themselves as carrying the torch of classic-era Mastodon, a band hitting so many spectrums of metal comparing one’s music to theirs is a much safer bet than not. Led by primary songwriter and ex-Aborted guitarist Tace DC, the band sit somewhere in the murky grey between progressive and technical modern metal. The aforementioned Mastodon worship is strong here—especially in opener “Magnetic Hex”—although the crystal clean production by Jens Borgren really prevents the use of the term “sludge.” Elsewhere there are prog-metal moments of Virus/Vector-era Haken (“Karma Collision,” “The Fountain”) and some of the relentless, drums-in-front compositions of Gojira (“Karma Collision,” “The Assassins of the Vision”). Vocalist Manuel Remmerie’s also has his work cut out for him, delivering plenty of admirable cleans in both high and low registers alongside full-throated screams and somewhat less effective pitched growls. The instrumental performances here are top-notch, professional in the verse/chorus sections, and continuously—sometimes outstandingly—creative in the free-form bridges. There is some tightening to be done with the accessibility of the choruses—they fall flat against the superior instrumental sections— but there are moments of brilliance and a ton of potential in this five-piece.

Capstan // The Mosaic [May 24th, 2024 – Fearless Records]

Anyone who’s plugged into the post-hardcore scene should know that Florida’s Capstan transcend the—rightfully deserved—vitriol thrown at the style. I don’t think any Fearless band has ever been reviewed here, but Capstan’s latest opus The Mosaic deserves a shoutout to whomever hasn’t run screaming from these halls. Led by vocalist Anthony DeMario—sure to be a divisive figure with his unapologetic pop punk cleans—the band has continuously augmented their Warped-core sound with the mathy guitar noodlings of Chon or Polyphia, and an impressive triple vocalist attack for thick, elaborate harmonies. This album, clocking in at over an hour, doesn’t pull any punches, showcasing trip-hop, breakdown-laced numbers (“Bete Noire”), full throated anthems about self-loathing and heartbreak (“Misery Scene”) and even lighter, crooning ballads (“What Can I Say”). Synergy and professionalism are where the band shine; everything has is slickly produced and the performances—especially those vocals—are whip-smart. Plenty of editing could have been done, but you can tell how much fun the band is having. Anyone with a passing interest or nostalgia for 2000’s post-hardcore should check this out. Plus their drummer plays with traditional grip, and watching a jazz guy slam out breakdowns is pretty rad in my book.

GardensTale’s Dose of Decay

Strychnos // Armageddon Patronage [May 17th, 2024 – Dark Descent Records]

I don’t always check out albums that set the comment section and/or Discord abuzz, but when I do, it rarely results in anything less than interesting. Case in point, the bottomless evil of Strychnos, a Danish outfit that struggled to get off the ground in the early 00’s, eked out a single EP in the 10’s, and suddenly started shitting out heaving platters of malicious black/death since the pandemic. Armageddon Patronage is the second full-length off their new production line, and it brings every horseman along for its deadly ride. War is embodied by the lethal double feature that starts the charge, with swelling riffs battering the unjust to fertilizer. The unflinching and unfeeling brutality of Famine seethes from “Choking Salvation,” and out the beaks of “Pale Black Birds” pours Pestilence with slavering enthusiasm. Frontman Martin Leth Anderson, who also handles bass for Undergang, employs a bellowing growl that encapsulates hopelessness and suffering, and the excellent, malevolent riffs usher an effective aura of utter destruction. Death, however, comes not at the end, but during the doom-laden centerpiece, the despondent “Endless Void Dimension” with its atmospheric Gregorian chanting. I have no qualms becoming a patron to this spiteful chunk of armageddon.

Dear Hollow’s Shtanky Shwamp of Shrieks

Saidan // Visual Kill: The Blossoming of Psychotic Depravity [May 24th, 2024 – Self-Released]

Saidan do things a little differently. The Nashville duo’s themes rooted in Japanese folklore and the formidable and mysterious yokai in particular, combined with a relentlessly riffy and punk-driven tour-de-force of black metal proportions are always food for thought in the act’s brief and formidable history. Seamlessly transitioning between punk chord progressions and bouncy drums to blastbeats and kvlt tremolo to groovy riffs and rhythms, anchored by Splatterpvnk’s ripping vocals, it never shies away from punishment. However, interwoven with this assault is a distinctly melodic undercurrent that brightens the progressions and gives purpose and a sense of fun – a hyper-melodic black metal act would be jealous. You won’t be able to shake the grooves of “Desecration of a Lustful Illusion,” the symphonic black intensity of “Genocidal Bloodfiend” and “Veins of the Wicked” hit you like a cyclone, and the classic thrash solos and anime-theme-song vibe of “Sick Abducted Purity,” “Visual Kill,” and “Switchblade Paradise” are guaranteed to get your head banging – plus, the interlude “seraphic lullaby” and instrumental closer “suffer” ain’t half bad. Visual Kill is like if Powerglove wrote a black metal album that you could actually take seriously, backed up with the technicality, songwriting chops, and sheer unbridled energy to make it work.

Parfaxitas // Weaver of the Black Moon [May 31st, 2024 – Terratur Possessions]

The minds behind Parfaxitas should need little introduction, although the moniker will likely not ring any bells. Representing three separate scenes and their respective contributions to black metal lore, two American stringsmen from acts Merihem, Suffering Hour, and Manetherean, Icelandic drummer B.E. from Almyrkvi, Sinmara, Slidhr, and Wormlust, and Norwegian vocalist K.R. From Whoredom Rife collide. Weaver of the Black Moon combines the blueprint of second-wave Norwegian black with the obsidian dissonance of Icelandic, and the experimental edge of American acts, making it a tour-de-force of both vicious sound and tortured atmosphere. Dissonance rains down like acid, a backdrop, and shroud of otherworldly sounds that shimmer and crunch in ways that recall both the winding passages of Suffering Hour and the psychedelic rawness of Wormlust simultaneously. Hammered by vicious blastbeats and guided by tortured barks, the guitar and meandering fluid bass guide listeners from untouchable intensity (“Thou Shalt Worship No Other”) to haunting and hypnotic atmosphere (“Ravens of Dispersion”) – stealing the show. Parfaxitas features a whole lot of firepower, culminating in epic closer “Fields of Nightmares,” a crescendo of punishing and otherworldly proportions.

Aseitas // Eden Trough [May 30th, 2024 – Total Dissonance Worship]

After Aseitas’ formidable 2020 album False Peace, which narrowly missed my AOTY’s, the Portland trio is back with another album – which could easily be classified as an EP in its tidy thirty-minute runtime. Eden Trough condenses the lofty and decadent ambition of its predecessor for an album devoted to complete takedown in winding riffs, punishing death metal, and ravaging vocals. From the thick and punishing signature shifts of “Libertine Captor” and “Alabaster Bones,” complete with shifting riffs and a liminal sense of melody, to the more droning and haunting “Break the Neck of Every Beautiful Thing,” to the epic and cosmic psychedelia of ten-minute centerpiece “Tiamat,” Aseitas’ shows its tantalizing and gradual progression to an echelon of indispensable in the world of dissonant death. Offering influences of convulsive mathcore, mammoth post-metal, and unhinged yet intensely calculated technicality, Eden Trough is a must-listen for the long-time fan, as well as proffering a snapshot to the curious of what makes Aseitas so special to begin with.

Dolphin Whisperer’s Progalicious Ponderings

Azure // Fym [May 23rd, 2024 – Self Release]

Are you way into high fantasy and exuberant, progressive albums that reflect that sentiment? If so, look no further than Azure’s third opus, Fym, which over its runtime recounts the tales of a mystical fox’s journey in a frightening and whimsical world. Normally I wouldn’t think twice about an album with such a storybook concept.1 But between Chris Sampson’s vocal navigations that ring as hyper-tenor and dolphin-like (“The Lavender Fox”)2 as they do sullen and heart-wrenching (“Kingdom of Ice and Light,” “Moonrise”), and Galen Stapley’s mystical fretboard wizardry that marries funk chords, soundtrack melodies, and dance-able shred, Azure packs too much sunshine in their prog for me to ignore. And at almost eighty minutes, they pack a lot of it too. However, each run through Fym’s pages finds a new rumbling bass bounce to propel a hop, a new vocal run to twirl my tongue (with notes that I couldn’t possibly hit), or a synthfully sinful refrain to stain my brain matter with happy juice—”The Azdinist // Den of Dawns” or “Agentic State” unite these ideas best—it’s truly a hard album to put down. Combining just about every era of Genesis with the acrobatics of Dream Theater, the play and ambition of the earliest of Pain of Salvation theatrics, and healthy dose of modern bastardizations (check the autotune/pitchshifting on “Doppelgänger”), Azure has made a mighty statement with Fym that I’m still digesting. And with as many inventive synth patches, harmonic vocal layers, and cinematic builds as this rainbow dose of prog pushes, it’ll be quite some time before I’ve made up my mind about it all. So I’ll continue in pieces. Or all at once. Whatever time allows because Fym is just that much fun.

PreHistoric Animals // Finding Love in Strange Places [May 16th, 2024 – Dutch Music Works]

And here we are with, what’s that, another prog concept album? This one’s a little less terrestrial though, featuring healthy infusions of a futuristic space drama and heavy-hitting synthwave doots and bounces. Over the course of their past couple works, PreHistoric Animals has found an ease in comfortable exploration with their King’s X-like tendency to grip with a barbed verse melody or chorus explosion, layered tastefully with harmonic vocal accompaniment and groove-heavy riffs. But, despite that comparison, it’s clear from the opening synth pulse of “The City of My Dreams” and “Living in a World of Bliss” that an electronic and hooky identity that’s caught between Toto and Yes imbues the edges of refrains that stick like honey to vocalist Stefan Altzar’s easy-on-the-ears narrative. Finding Love in Strange Places can get bogged down a touch in its word-driven nature, though, especially on the various interludes and certain longer tracks like “Unbreakable” and “Nothing Has Changed but Everything Is Different.” None of that fluff ever truly interrupts Finding Love’s heartbeat rhythms, which hold a steady if highly syncopated simplicity and form a hi-hat charming vessel that keeps the head nodding in progressive pomp. Oh, and it helps that guitarists Altzar and Daniel Magdic (ex-Pain of Salvation) have studied the slow-burn solo nature of greats like David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) and Brian May (Queen), with tasteful legato and searing ascensions aiding in earned crescendo at Finding Love’s best moments (“Living in a World of Bliss,” “The Secret of Goodness”). Having reliably churned out confident and catchy works every other years since 2018, PreHistoric Animals fly relatively low in the flock of modern prog, but these space-bound Swedes have earned a likely lifelong aquatic fan at this stage of their growing career. Give Love a chance!

Matrass // Cathedrals [May 17th, 2024 – La Tangente Label]

And, last but not least from my assortment, Matrass hails from France to bring you Cathedrals, which is… yes, you guessed it, another prog concept album! If you’re worried about another album of the synthtastic and 80s prog-themed variety, though, don’t fret about what Matrass brings to the table. Playing closer to post than progressive waters, Cathedrals flitters about dreamy, lounge jazz guitar passages before crushing down with Cult of Luna riffs and Tesseract-inspired, low-end atmospherics. But most important to the groove and cinematic lilt that defines Cathedrals is the methods by which vocalist Clémentine Browne navigates jangling verses with gentle croons and accented, rhythmic spoken word before frying down with screeching and hissing fervor against heavy chord crushes. That talent for establishing and reinforcing mood lands idiosyncratic in the realm of post acts, so her exact methods may not fit the bill for all fans of the rise-and-fall aesthetic the genre offers. And though Matrass remains largely iterative of this mood through its hour-long run, it’s that successful idea of atmosphere that allows peak tracks “Shreds,” “Adrift” (which features Browne on saxophone instead), and “Cathedrals” to conjure such powerful and drifting thoughts in my head. And when you’re in its valleys? Matrass still maintains a textural backdrop that spells high potential for this young act.

Saunders’ Sulfuric Stash

Desolus // System Shock [March 10th, 2024 – Hells Headbangers]

Who’s up for some explosive, throwback thrashy goodness? Although hailing from the States, Desolus take plenty of inspiration from classic German trash titans Kreator, Destruction and Sodom. Throw in classic Dark Angel vibes, a heavy, modern edge and crunchy production job, and the band’s debut System Shock ticks all the boxes for a thrashing great time. This shit is seriously jacked with unhinged, old-school aggression, spitfire riffs and stampeding percussion propelling the album’s ten speed-driven assaults. An utterly deranged, ’80s underground-inspired vocal performance adds further steel-plated authenticity to a retro-minded sound that manages to sound fresh and inspired. Aside from rare moments of slower melodic nuance on the otherwise blistering “Sea of Fire,” and the aptly titled “Interlude” providing a handy breather, Desolus crank speed and intensity to the max, rarely breaking from their relentless stride. The opening one-two salvo of “System Shock” and bonkers lunacy of “From Man to Machine” set a savage tone and gritty platform from which Desolus launch assault after assault of high-octane thrash mania. “Cures of the Technomancer” is an absolute riff beast with groove and speed for days, while “The Invasion Begins” deftly puts you in a false sense of bouncy melodic security before jamming the afterburners into a typically ferocious attack. Exuberant, nasty stuff.

Terminal Nation // Echoes of the Devil’s Den [May 3rd, 2024 – 20 Buck Spin]

The second album from Pittsburgh bruisers Terminal Nation hits with sledgehammer force, obliterating any semblance of subtlety in favor of an extra beefy, in-your-face hybrid of death metal and hardcore. Echoes of the Devil’s Den features a searing, politically charged and seriously pissed-off bite. High-profile guest vocal slots seamlessly blend into the vicious attack, including strong turns from Integrity‘s Dwid Hellion (“Release the Serpents”), Killswitch Engage‘s Jesse Leach (“Merchants of Bloodshed”) and Nails frontman Todd Jones. Jones features on “Written by the Victor,” a vicious tune that harnesses thick, neck-wrecking grooves and punishing, doom-laden death grooves. The album’s hardcore influence and political slant may turn off certain listeners, but those who don’t mind some hardcore in their death stew should find plenty to like here. The gritty, muscular exterior features nods to Bolt Thrower and All Shall Perish, while the weighty, mid-paced crush, chunky riffs and breakdowns are balanced by tasteful melodic counterpoints and livelier bursts of speed (“Dying Alive”). Not all works; the provocative, anti-police song “No Reform (New Age Slave Patrol)” musically has its moments; however, the heavy-handed lyrical approach sticks out like a sore thumb. Nevertheless, Echoes of the Devil’s Den swings and slugs you more often than it misses.

Steel Druhm’s Sewer Tarts

The Troops of Doom // A Mass to the Grotesque [May 31, 2024 – Alma Mater Records]

For their sophomore outing, Brazilian death-thrashers The Troops of Doom took their vintage Sepultura-esque sound and juiced it up considerably from what we heard on 2022s Antichrist Reborn. A Mass to the Grotesque still sounds a bunch like classic Sepultura but it’s much more refined, developed and expanded in scope. Yet it’s still a frenzied, thrashing assault full of lyrics about evil, demons, and all things anti-Christian. It sounds like something that should have dropped in as the 80s thrash wave started mutating into proto-death, and that is a beloved era of music for yours Steely. Songs like “Chapels of the Unholy” and “Dawn of Mephisto” sit right on the bleeding edge of thrash and early death, with Slayer-tastic riffs colliding with early examples of death grooves. What makes this so entertaining is how the band reaches outside of the Sepultura homage bubble to drag in new elements to expand their sound. Some songs feel slightly progressive (“Denied Divinity”) while elsewhere they shoehorn epic doom into the massive “Psalm 7:8 – God of Bizarre.” The straight-up riffbeasts are my favorites though, with “The Imposter King” being a big, fat, sweaty highlight. While these cats are always going to get compared to classic Sepultura, they made real efforts here to stake out their own identity. This is a wild, testosterone-fueled ride featuring the maximum allowable Satan, and I support that.

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