Bear

No, I have not. I remember their debut album as a very good, semi-progressive melodic death metal album, but it must've been 10+ years since I heard it now. The second one I remember as rather good as well. Then it turned to shit with the third, going in a more metalcore inspired direction ala newer Soilwork (Figure Number Five/Stabbing the Drama), so I gave up on the band pretty fast. But I am sure fans of post-melodic death metal era Soilwork and In Flames could like it a lot.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
And I am back on a Rhapsody kick. Seriously, this band's first four first albums are so good. Especially Legendary Tales and Dawn of Victory. This is what symphonic power metal should sound like. One of the very few bands that plays power metal in this vein that are capable of keeping it interesting. Grand, epic and cheesy as fuck of course.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrBIBfay_xQ

Been ages since I last posted here (not exactly the self-pic taking type xD)... got a new shirt, yay~
 

I'm not sure how many of my thoughts you will be able to hear for yourself. I listened once on my MP3 player and once at my computer with all the fancy, precise audio equipment. Before I begin, I have to really give it to Sigh. Each album of theirs has forgiving production which scales well across many different types of devices. There were times when I was able to pick out certain elements at my computer that I couldn't do with my MP3 player.
 
 
Scorn Defeat
 
Their most focused black metal release. The raw production on this album suits the music and is actually a plus not a minus. But it's the only album that's this raw and lacks the depths of supporting instrumentation later albums have, so it gets put into it's own group here.
 
Infidel Art / Ghastly Funeral Theatre / Hail Horror Hail
 
All three of these still have pretty raw, unpolished production but we can begin to see a shift towards their current sound even this far back. There's a clear focus on the guitar and other "major instruments" that carry the melody, which all in all is a really good choice.
 
Hangman's Hymn
 
I would describe the balance as 60% arrangements, 40% metal. There's something very "constrained" about the production to my ears. It's as if they knew that both stepping to their black metal sound while increasing the role and number of supporting instruments in the mix would make it difficult to balance in the studio, so they made conscious compromises all around. As such, nothing really stands out but nothing gets buried either.  The guitar reminds me somewhat of German thrash metal, so the guitar tone gives this album it's particular feel.
 
Scenes from Hell
 
This one is easy. The drum kit - especially the cymbals - have a distinctive tone to them. To be fair though, it's most pronounced on the drum fills for the opening track. Most of the time, it's buried deep enough in the mix to not be a problem.
 
In Somniphobia
 
This album has a rather flat rhythm guitar and punchy orchestral arrangements. It's guitar tone sounds like it was taken straight from demos they recorded in the 90's and after Hangman's Hymn and Scenes from Hell hearing the guitars take a backseat is way different. It became way more noticeable when comparing the opening of "Purgatorium" to the opening of either "Prelude to the Oracle" or "Kaedit Nos Pestis". I would label this as their most orchestrally focused release. Even though Graveward takes the cake in terms of how massive it is, it also does a better job of emphasizing the metal side of the band.

Nice review!
 
Not the best but in my top five for sure. It's not my favourite Sigh-album either, far from it to be honest. But it's a very good album, and a grower for sure. The elements (mainly the production and new guitarist You) I didn't like in the begining I now like very much, and everything hits me. Even though I still think the production is very off and odd, like on Scenes From Hell. And despite all the recording tracks included it still comes off as one of their most straight-forward and easy-listening albums. I'd say only Scorn Defeat and Hangman's Hymn are more of an easy listening experience of all their albums.
 
 
Also, I adore the camp factor of the album. It gives it a nice horror film-score-esque feeling, which is something I am sure Mirai would love to hear as horror films inspire him quite a lot.

Fantastic album: probably one of the best albums of the year for me after the first listen. I love how they are a bizarre mix of super srs but campy at the same time.
 
Favorite song off of this CD is definitely The Tombfiller. Love how catchy it is! 

Artist: Sigh Album: Graveward 1. Kaedit Nos Pestis 2. Graveward 3. The Tombfiller 4. The Forlorn 5. The Molesters of My Soul 6. Out Of The Grave 7. The Trial by the Dead 8. The Casketburner 9. A Messenger from Tomorrow... I. The Message, II. Foreboding, III. Doomsday 10. Dwellers in Dream
Rating: | Are you brave enough to try?
 
Listening to a new Sigh record for the first time is an experience like no other. I'm sure by this point that the band tries to make each album larger, weirder, and more grandiose than the last. They've succeeded with flying colors for the last few attempts, and their tenth album "Graveward" refines the symphonic avant-garde direction birthed on 2010's "Scenes From Hell" and developed further with 2012's "In Somniphobia". A band that brands their metal as a "celluloid phantasmagoria" sounds pretentious to the core, but this is that odd band that actually can deliver what they promise. In fact, their music is so out there that their albums come with labels that warn that "if you find that some parts of this album are strange; it isn’t because the music is in itself strange, but because your conscious self is ill-equipped to comprehend the sounds produced on this recording". What a warning.

I'll come out right now and say that there's not a single thing I would change about this album.

I can't deny that "Graveward" is the product of a band that's been scraping every corner of their musical melting pot for over fifteen years. The compositions are as well-thought out and intriguing as ever, reflecting the two and a half years it took to compose and record, and they improve with each listen. The production is crisp, clean, and unusually devoid of any quirks. Every Sigh album has something about the mastering that's a bit off and this is the first time when the balancing act done in the studio between the metal antics of the band and the epic aspirations of the orchestra is nothing less than stupendous. I'm equally as impressed by how well the band plays with so many other instruments accompanying them: each song had over 100 recording tracks exceeding 100GB of audio to select from in the final mixes. There are even guest performances from Trivium's Matthew Heafy, DragonForce's Fred Leclercq, Shining Sweden's Niklas Kvarforth, Rotting Christ's Sakis Tolis, and The Meads of Asphodel's Metatron, although they are buried deep and are more Easter eggs than anything else. Most bands would crumble performing music this complex and yet Sigh makes it seem effortless. I almost take it for granted how memorable each song is and how good the flow of the album is.

From the entertaining opening melody, this is a relentless smorgasbord of every instrument you can think of and then some. This will either make or break your experience. I happen to find it too much fun for an album that revels in death, suffering, and the afterlife. I attribute most of this to the intentionally campy atmosphere which moves between tranquil, creepy, beautiful, tragic, and even menacing. The discretion shown with using these elements provides the maximum impact when they are in full swing like on "Kaedit nos Pestis" and "Graveward". Then the band has moments where they emphasize their metal side like on "The Forlorn", and "The Molesters of my Soul", and additional orchestrations support the band rather than compete for the user's attention. Then there's "A Message From Tomorrow", which is the climax to an already outstanding album. It's absolutely incredible and manages to remain a satisfying climax even if it departs from the thematic direction of the album. This track alone deserves a listen.

At its core, "Graveward" is very much a black metal record. But with so many elements, twists, turns, and strokes of genius, this album surpasses any type of simple classification. Its chaotic nature may come off as a gimmick to some, but even if it is, it's one that requires incredible amounts of musicianship to achieve. Those very same qualities make this album so much fun to listen to and leave me in awe at how creative one band can be. "Graveward" is not a record for everyone but it welcomes anyone to try it once.


Support the band! Purchase Graveward for $10 from Bandcamp and support the artists!

I think Crazy Lips has some sort of semi-sequel, ''Chi wo sû uchû'', focusing more on the special agent played by Hiroshi Abe and his sidekick, and as far as i can remember it was just as fucked up and bizarre as Crazy Lips. Even less horror than Crazy Lips, tho.

That's some of the charm with tapes, as well as VHS which I also happen to collect a bit of. You can see/hear what part you love the most after some while. It's a shame that the quality of the tapes and VHS' sinks so fast, but it's still a part of the charm for me. I loved it as young when we borrowed VHS films from friends and we would always be able to see what point of the film they liked best, usually it was a scene with lots of blood and violence or nudity. Always...

Abyssal - Antikatastaseis
 
 
 
Shit, that is some stunning artowork. Looks amazing! The album sounds pretty good as well.
 
https://profoundlorerecords.bandcamp.com/album/antikatastaseis

No, I have not. I remember their debut album as a very good, semi-progressive melodic death metal album, but it must've been 10+ years since I heard it now. The second one I remember as rather good as well. Then it turned to shit with the third, going in a more metalcore inspired direction ala newer Soilwork (Figure Number Five/Stabbing the Drama), so I gave up on the band pretty fast. But I am sure fans of post-melodic death metal era Soilwork and In Flames could like it a lot.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
And I am back on a Rhapsody kick. Seriously, this band's first four first albums are so good. Especially Legendary Tales and Dawn of Victory. This is what symphonic power metal should sound like. One of the very few bands that plays power metal in this vein that are capable of keeping it interesting. Grand, epic and cheesy as fuck of course.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrBIBfay_xQ

I got the job. But I got a mail yesterday and they've put me up working with the new first graders. Why the fuck do they want me to work with the kindergarten kids who just started on school is beyond me. They're too small. Way too small. Give me someone older to work with. Christ.

I got the job. But I got a mail yesterday and they've put me up working with the new first graders. Why the fuck do they want me to work with the kindergarten kids who just started on school is beyond me. They're too small. Way too small. Give me someone older to work with. Christ.

Nice review, boy. Tried the song though and thought it was awful. Not my cup of tea at all. I do remember appreciating some of their older albums, though.

Ew.

Artist: cali≠gari Album: 12 01. わるいやつら (Warui yatsura) 02. 脳核テロル (Noukaku Terror) 03. 颯爽たる未来圏 (Sassou taru mirai-ken) 04. セックスと嘘 (Sex to uso) 05. トゥナイトゥナイ ヤヤヤ (Tonight Toniyayaya) 06. ギムレットには早すぎる (Gimlet ni wa hayasugiru) 07. とある仮想と (Toaru kasou to) 08. 紅麗死異愛羅武勇 (Crazy I Love You) 09. バンバンバン (Ban Ban Ban) 10. フィラメント (Filament) 11. あの人はもう来ない (Ano hito wa mou konai) 12. さよならだけが人生さ (Sayonara dake ga jinsei sa)
Rating: | A fine achievement from the masters of weird.
 
When I heard the sad news that long-time drummer Makoto was out of cali≠gari, the future did not seem very bright for the band. At least, that's what I thought. cali≠gari have been kind of slacking off in terms of releases these past few years anyway – sporadic activity, lots of live-only and fanclub-only cash grabs, you name it. I, however, cannot hate them no matter what they do, as long as they deliver quality tunes I can get into. This album continues to prove that statement right, while at the same time asserting that they remain a force to be reckoned with, even as a three-piece.

12 is another typical cali≠gari full-length (as much as you can call such a quirky band 'typical'), packed with catchy melodies and occasional crazy outbursts. The band manages to find a decent balance between those two extremes. Gone are the days of totally mental freak-outs, like "Hakkyou Channel" for example, but they can still pack a punch when needed. Case in point, take the frantic trance-like pummeling punk of an opener "Warui yatsura", or the follow-up track "Noukaku Terror." These filthy little beasts contrast well with the album's brighter and airier compositions such as the gorgeous revamped version of "Tonight Toniyayaya" (proving that the creative juices are still flowing) or the sweet closing track "Sayonara dake ga jinsei sa", reminiscent of another old tune of farewell, "Good Bye."

The best bits of 12, however, are the instances where the band isn't afraid to openly show their love for '80s new wave and pop nostalgia. Songs like "Sex to uso", "Gimlet ni wa hayasugiru" and the like are characterized by big fat slappin' bass goodness, twinkly synths, sharp cleaned-up guitar tones and… is that saxophone I'm hearing?? Clearly, they spared no creative expense when arranging these fine pieces of 'updated throwback' music. There’s even a nod towards a sort of proto-VK atmosphere (very much like what they did around 1998-1999) in tracks like the swift "Sassou taru mirai-ken," the post-punk tinged sax-o-rama of "Crazy I Love You", and the aforementioned "Sayonara…". Altogether, these colorful elements make this full-length both enjoyable for hardened, long-time cali≠gari fanatics and those new to the band's curious antics.

Overall, 12 paints a picture of a band of 'professional eccentrics' who still know how to rock out as well as craft some interesting songs. The days of youth are gone, of course, so one mustn't expect an onslaught of all-out craziness. They more than make up for that with a big bunch of catchy moments that blends their past styles and influences into a powerful mixture that sounds anything but dated. In short, this is probably the best cali≠gari has done since their comeback. I cannot wait to see & hear what the future holds!


Support the band! 12 @ iTunes (Jp)
12 @ CDJapan
12 @ Yesasia

Lycaon, right? :V

He's a monster behind the kit. Far from my favourite of course, but a beast anyway. Tight, fast and technical but not without feeling and groove when needed. Was very impressed with him live too.

Thought Cannibal Corpse did very well yesterday. Went on stage 10 but announced 11:10 that they suddenly had to play their last song, which was Hammer SMashed Face. I believe they had one more which they didn't get to play, though. I had t leave after the intro of HSF, which was a shame but as the intro is the best part of the song I wasn't all that devestated. Had to get to the bus and take the last bus home. Anyway, the sound was good, the band was tight and Corpsegrinder was in a fantastic mood. Made jokes, laughed and was cool as fuck.
 
Very satisfied with the gig. Happy to finally have seen the band live.

He's a monster behind the kit. Far from my favourite of course, but a beast anyway. Tight, fast and technical but not without feeling and groove when needed. Was very impressed with him live too.

6 Reasons Modern Movie CGI Looks Surprisingly Crappy
 
 
A lovely little piece on why modern CGI is so god damn boring and for most part awful. Worth a read for sure. Shit's spot on. I still say fuck CGI as it is used today. Point #4 stands extremely close to my heart. There is nothing wrong with using CGI, but use it as a helpful tool when there is no way around. If there's a way around, just fucking take it for gods sake. It's worth it at the end anyway.
 
 
 

Kung Fury - I've been following the development for this film since it's early kickstarter days, so I had some pretty high expectations. It's not a good film in any way possible, but it's such a cool and over the top mongoloid film that it's impossible not to enjoy it, especially i you grew up watching 80's action, martial arts and buddy cop action-comedies, something which I happened to do. The film is absolute nonesense, but it's damn fine nonesense and it's a blast from start to finish. It's a collection of every single film, TV-series and video game clichés from the 80's. Simple as that. A god damn blast! And lovely one-liners. Oh, and a lovely bad guy. How can one NOT love Kung Fhürer?
 
I will have to admit that they should've managed to get it even better with the kind of budget they had, though. I'm mainly thinking about the special effects. Don't get me wrong, though. This is a silly film where there's no need for good special effects. But I wish they'd tone down the CGI a bit and gone for more practical special effects like they did it in the 80's. But it's nothing serious.
 
The man himself has got a lot of projects at the moment, but I'm sure we can expect a sequel in a few years. I read that they had been asked about a full-lenght sequel with a pretty high budget. Would've been cool.
 

 
Sydney/Hard Eight - Paul Thomas Anderson's debut full-lenght film, and a very good one as well. Dark, gritty and character-driven noir with some amazing performances by Philip Baker Hall and Gwyneth Paltrow. John C. Reilly is good as well but the two first drives the film sort of speak. It's a calm film where you're introduced to some fantastic characters, and that's where the film shines, because thw characters are all great and believeable, and their actions seems realy and true. A really, really good film!
 

Captain America: The Winter Soldier - I was really surprised by The First Avenger which I, to my big surprise may I add, really liked. So my expectations were fairly high for this one, and I really, really liked this. Everything was turned up a notch from the first one. The story and plot is better, the characters feels a bit more complete here, the cast is fairly good, the villains are much more interesting and the special effects and action scenes looks ten times as good. While some of the special effects are rather poor, and some fights are way too shaky, zoomed and cut to pieces, others are actually really good and pwerful.
 
The film's got somewhat an old school vibe to it, without trying to be old school, and the plot is way more interesting than in most other super hero flicks. And don't get me wrong, this isn't some deep film with lots to dig into, at least not in my eyes. It's a popcorn film, but a very, very good popcorn film and miles better than the second best film set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's a thrilling thriller, and not just a super hero action flick.
 
I am also not known for being a big fan of Scarlett Johansson, but she delivered the goods here. Was very good.
 

 
Nightcrawler - I finally got to see this one, and what a god damn brilliant film it was. The plot is thrilling, suspenseful and engaging, the characters are despiseable but good and Jake Gyllenhaal gives us the best performance of his career till now. What a breathtaking performance that is. The attitude Jake brings to the screen makes his character, the sociopath Louis Bloom, to one of the most memorable characters of the 2000's as far as I am concerned, and if you're not impressed by this I doubt there's anything in the world of cinema that'll impress you. The overall tone of the film is dark and gritty, but it's still very funny at times and it's visually stunning and it'll keep you on the edge througout the entire film. But Jake Gyllenhaal i the best part of this film. Amazing!
 
Anyway, my expectations were sky high and I am so happy this film lived up to those. I am not disappointed at all. Nothing short of brilliant!
 

 
 
 
I'll also add that Jake Gyllenhaal (Nightcrawler) and Macon Blair (Blue Ruin) should have had the Oscars for best male in 2014 and 2013. No kidding. The fact that neither was even nomitated shows how much of a jooke the Oscars is. Fuck 'em all!