Search - Sigh :: Imaginary Sonicscape

One of the best albums I have ever had the privilege of owni

Thomas C. | Switzerland | 03/15/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've had this album for years, and I just went on amazon to order their latest album which I haven't obtained yet and cannot wait to listen to. So, as I was browsing, looking to see what the fans thought of this album, and this definitely made me feel like adding my part of enthusiasm. This album *is* as good and as f*cked up, weird, mixed up with every style you can think of as everyone else says on this page.



One great thing about this album is, not one song sounds like any other, they all stand quite on their own. I forget if the guitarist is Satoshi or Shinichi, but anyway, whichever one it is, his soloing on this album is very tasteful over all, more Tony Iommi-sh type licks mixed with some jazz and classical influences. Quite fresh, I think it's that guy's best job up to date with lead guitar. Since one other person made a perfect description of most of the songs on the album, I'll just point out a few other things. The recording quality is better than previous Sigh albums, so you can hear all the noises and effects a lot better, it's a lot more synth heavy than the previous records (don't get me wrong, there was always a lot of synth on Sigh albums, but not like on this album), the variety of songs is incredible, and musically, it is definitely the band's best effort. The album is flawless as far as I'm concerned.



I'll just say a bit more about Slaughtergarden Suite, the 11 minute song, as it is my favorite on the album. Someone else said it was like a bad trip, well, the beginning certainly is. The track grips you with a very slow beat, broken by cymbal crashes and distorted guitar sounding very much like thunder, with weird vocoder-filled synth sounds creeping up outta nowhere, rocking your mind and your senses in a completely different direction. Shinichi (or Satoshi, whichever one it is that plays guitar @_#) pulls a wonderful intro solo, and then a second one during the slow first part of the song, where he gets his guitar to sound very much like a flute, in the phrasing and the tone, something I really liked.



Then you get a small build up, where Mirai says some pretty bloody things that I don't really remember, with noise building up to the point that your ears start to cringe. Just as it's about to become annoying, or even unbearable, the noise starts and the song breaks into some crazy kinda weird funky, rock groove, with a little simple guitar line playing over and over on some kinda hypnotic bass groove. Anyway, I just realized that my describing of the song could be quite long and could ruin the experience for some readers. But I could sum up my point to this! All the songs can be talked about this much, because there is just so much cool material on every track. It changes all the time, it grips you cause the music is good, it grips you cause the weird psychedelic sounds really do plunge you in some kinda trance, and.. you know, what, enough. Just do yourselves a favor, and BUY THIS ALBUM! If you like metal, or progressive rock and you can stand death metal vocals (fans of Opeth, gather! This music will please you!), this album will tickle your fancy. 5 stars, and I would give it more if I could."

Like a black metal Mr. Bungle...

J. G. Burtch | Halifax, NS, Canada | 11/22/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"... seriously, that's probably the easiest comparison. It's black metal, mixed with equal parts 80's thrash, classical, jazz, classic rock, and a dash of 80's pop and 90's electronics. So weird, all over the map and truly invigorating! I've been listening to this for 30 minutes and already know I've never heard anything like this. It just rocks so hard! Is that a hammond? Piano? Are those tamborines and wind chimes? They didn't just have hand-claps did they? Oh yes they did. These guys are great! It's dark one moment, positively poppy the next. What mood swings! And it all works together so well. This might be the most refreshing band I've heard in modern metal in... well... forever!"

Stunning

Zappaphile | 03/23/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sigh is a superb amalgamation of styles with a basis in death metal. Theirs is an ambitious and avant garde sound that is at once challanging and interesting. Imaginary Sonicscape is considered by many to be their magnum opus and justifiably so: the music reflects a deep and capable grasp of every genre featured, not just death metal. Sigh is in a world all their own."