Sigh – In Somniphobia (2012)

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As one of the most cracked-out albums of 2012, today we have Sigh’s Black/Avant-garde masterpiece “In Somniphonia”. Hailing from Japan, Sigh never ceases to amaze people with their extreme combination of Black Metal with almost everything else under the sun. The band’s sound is as complex as it is entertaining, mixing it up with all kinds of samples and a saxophone.

Packing 11 tracks for around 64 minutes of pure madness, “In Somniphonia” is one of those albums that you will either love it and embrace it, or hate it and discard it immediately. Since the opening track “Purgatorium”, the band delivers very rich drums paired with melodic guitars and all kinds of ‘strange’ sounds surrounding Mirai Kawashima’s harsh vocals. The classical elements in this track make it very contrasting and interesting to hear.

With similar vibe to a 70’s movie/TV show theme song, “The Transfiguration Fear Lucid Nightmares” delivers a very melodic/cinematic sound that will hook you immediately. There is a certain feeling similar to what Diablo Swing Orchestra delivers but with much more madness and chaos. The chorus section is super weird and awesome at the same time. The atmospheric piece “Lucid Nightmare” has a very eerie and deranged feeling to it due to the spoken sections, making it a nice ‘breather’ track.

Our favorite song in this release is the super catchy and psychedelic “Somniphobia”. The whole circus theme is juts outstanding and gives a very creepy feeling to the track, and the sax just rounds things up very nicely. “Amnesia” is our second favorite track in this release due to its experimental jazzy feeling and Sigh just nails it with the sexy saxophone and atmosphere created. Every track in this release features a lush atmosphere that is very intoxicating and contributes to the overall feeling of this album, a perfect example being “Amongst the Phantoms of Abandoned Tumbrils” and its dramatic vibe.

The band excels in creating very unexpected melodies like on “Fall to the Thrall” and “Equale I) Prelude II) Fugato III) Coda”, where all those extra samples and weird sounds just make the song truly magical while still maintaining a good dose of Metal. The band sounds like a more approachable (and better sounding) version of The Meads Of Asphodel.

If you are looking for an album that will amaze you since the first track, “In Somniphonia” is definitely for you (considering that you have a very open mind). The band delivers excellent compositions that border on the line of genius with a little bit of madness in between. The replay value alone on this release is worth your hard earned money.

Band: Sigh Album: In Somniphobia
Label: Candlelight Records

Release: March 12th, 2012

Oficial Site myspace
Genre: Black/Avant-garde Metal

Country: Japan

Rating: 93/100
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