SIGH

[kuyashii 124]

On 10/7/2018 at 4:31 PM, Bear said:

 

His speaking is so pleasant to listen to. I'd second the "What's in my bag" thing!

[Bear 1817]

Album is out and is, of course, way, way, way better than anything else released in 2018. And as usual they've found a way to renew themselves. A very different Sigh album that is as good as it is strange. 10/10

[Bear 1817]

This album is something else for sure. Oh dear, oh dear.

 

Diverse as fuck, but always keeping a red thread throughout each song which keeps ut together.

 

Mirai singing in Japanese is so fucking cool.

 

The Jethro Tull influence is quite obvius with the flute, but it sounds immense. You also hear influences from pretty much all the other Sighthings albums.

 

Heresy (Part 1: Oblivium) is just stunning. Gorgeous track. The same type of "different" as Somniphobia, The Tranquilizer Song and Nietzschean Conspiracy. Part II and III are also amazing, and together they form something completely unique. Just mindblowing.

 

Biggest difference from Graveward is that You's guitar playing is more integrated into the sound. The tracks are suited a lot better to his style. What a guitarist by the way. Does some truly incredible stuff during the album.

 

Some ingenius stuff going on with the vocals too. Is that throat singing on several of the tracks?  Sound so good.

 

Will write more later when it's gotten more time to sink in. Album of the year tho. Close to perfection and probably one of their best.

[Jigsaw9 6783]

Glad to hear it seems to be living up to expectations! I'll only be able to listen to it tomorrow, stoked to spin it!

[Bear 1817]

Oh yeah! Production sounds top notch too. Need to listen toit with different speakers and shit, but sounds really neat and crispy.

 

I don't think Junichi have ever played better or more interesting than on this either. Sublime performances all over tbh.

 

[Jigsaw9 6783]

Just wrapping up my first listen, and have to bow down at the altar of Sigh.  Lovin' the more exotic sounds, synths and the flute this time around. Also that weird trilogy in the middle is just perfect, haha. Mirai singing in Japanese is something I need more of!

Edited November 18, 2018 by Jigsaw9

[Tokage 5930]

Title track is the best thing on the new album imo, but the whole thing's good. Japanese singing and the kinda 'throat singing'-type parts are dope as well

[Peace Heavy mk II 7200]

Love the new album. Idk why Mirai thought everyone would hate it

[Bear 1817]

I think he consider this his most personal work till now, and he just didn't think people would get it because of how personal he is. He said he didn't think the other band members would like it very much either because of how personal it is.

[Bear 1817]

 

 

 

That's really cool.

[Bear 1817]

http://www.metalinjection.net/editorials/this-is-armageddon/this-is-armageddon-sighs-mirai-kawashima-on-early-days-of-norwegian-black-metal-varg-was-always-boasting-about-burning-down-churches-and-told-me-to-do-the-same-in-japan

 

Quote

 

Q:  For fun, let's assume the next Sigh album is one that abandons all the usual elements, focusing on bare bones, straight-up compositions. Mirai goes on to explain what such an album might sound like…

 

MIRAI: Actually I sometimes think of making an album like that. I do love early thrash metal like Venom, Sodom, Whiplash, At War, Kreator etc. I also love punk/hardcore stuff like Misfits, Ramones, Minor Threat, 7 Seconds, Circle Jerks, etc. So, I sometimes have an urge to start up a band that plays very simple rock n roll. But, at the same time, I've always questioned myself why I have to make new music when there's already so much great music in this world. There are so many rock n roll albums that it is impossible to listen to all of them in your life. Why should I add another album on top of that? Of course, I am not sure if I have to make an album as Sigh, either. But, probably an album like Heir To Despair never existed before, so some kind of justification could be made for that. I'd rather listen to Misfits again than trying to make a simple rock album. I must say, our album Hangman's Hymn was the album that abandoned most of Sigh's usual elements. It's got only crazy thrash and classical elements and nothing else.

 

 

 

Great interview.

[kuyashii 124]

I don't think I've heard a band implement japanese folk music influences so well on their sound. Not a fan of the electronic-heavy song Mirai was saying nobody would like, but it doesn't make the album less good. Definitely one of the highlights of the year for me. Great to hear them going for a clean production (which can't be described as a "sellout" of any sort because the music is still as weird as ever).

[Bear 1817]

https://www.kerrang.com/features/how-black-metal-infected-japan/?fbclid=IwAR2cIvIZzppNSZrciME_4RgyWaTkrWAwiExWbTgNaij84p-1oAQ_V2Vv2bo

 

 

 

New interview with Mira. It's a fun little read with him remembering the old days when he was in touch with Varg of Burzum, Euronymous of Mayhem etc. Fun stuff.

[hopefully_benign 56]

Scorn Defeat is a top 20 black metal album, maybe even top 10. It's like that scene at the end of the movie Jigoku where giant orges are just smashing and eating humans for 20 minutes in neon buddhist hell, in music form.

Infidel Art was pretty cool too, although the circus elements were already creeping in.

 

I think the last one I heard was Scenes From Hell. They totally lost me there, not that it was much worse than anything else they did after the 90s, but that's just where it really sank in for me that they're releasing totally interminable stuff now (if you get past the "there's a sitar solo and techno breakdown in the same song so it's super innovative"-factor).

If their last album is supposed to be "the most personal one yet" maybe I'll give it a spin. I'm sure I'm not missing much skipping what I missed.

Edited September 12, 2020 by hopefully_benign

[felipar 143]

This instagram is always posting scans of old zines and there are some interesting Sigh pictures between them (some of those pictures are actually very funny rofl looks more like shironuri than corpse painting)