Sigh

An early photo of Sigh

SIGH, hailing from the capital city of Tokyo, is probably Japan's most famous extreme metal export. Upon their initial formation in 1989, they were primarily a band that covered old-school thrash and speed metal (and Venom, too).  They eventually decided to try to write some original material after months of performing covers, and the result was 1990's Desolation demo.  Desolation can best be described as an old-school black metal style, but with jarring guitar patterns and highly atmospheric keyboard playing.  It was a bit odd, and that oddness would become Sigh's signature over the years.

Here is Sigh's Desolation demo in its entirety

After another 1990 demo (Tragedies), Sigh's unique sound caught the attention of record labels the world over, and they signed with Wild Rags Records and released the Requiem For Fools 7" in 1992.  This, in turn, caught the attention of Mayhem's Euronymous.  He signed Sigh to his Deathlike Silence Productions, and the phenomenal full-length Scorn Defeat was released in 1993.  Scorn Defeat is a unique release, with the dark and evil atmosphere one expects from black metal, but more of their angular and unusual guitar riffing--as well as the aforementioned keyboard playing--made this album stand apart from the then blossoming Scandinavian black metal scene.

Off of Scorn Defeat, this is "Ready for the Final War"

With Scorn Defeat, Sigh had arrived on the world black metal stage.  Unfortunately, the events surrounding Norway's Inner Circle led to the demise of Deathlike Silence Productions, and this left Sigh without a record label. They then signed with Cacophonous Records and released a slew of albums, including a split EP with Greek black metallers Kawir, an EP of Venom covers and their 1995 and 1997 albums, Infidel Art and Hail Horror Hail. While Infidel Art can be seen as a continuation of their 1993 debut, Hail Horror Hail is where Sigh's oddness and slightly avant-garde tendencies began to dominate their sound.

"Desolation" is off of 1995's Infidel Art

Title track from 1997's Hail Horror Hail

Hail Horror Hail marked a definite turning point in their sound.  While the music rested upon an extreme metal foundation, the members of Sigh were not afraid to experiment with epic synth passages that resembled horror movie soundtracks, as well as unconventional instruments. Jazz, funk, even reggae--all of this was fair game. I think it's fair to say that Sigh's appeal to the average black metal fan diminishes more and more with each release.  For the adventurous, however, their more recent output is worth checking out.

An example of their increasing experimentation,

this is "Scarlet Dream" from 2001's Imaginary Sonicscape

Select Discography:

Desolation (demo) (1990)
Tragedies (demo) (1990)
Requiem for Fools EP (1992)
Scorn Defeat (full-length) (1993)
Infidel Art (full-length) (1995)
Hail Horror Hail (full-length) (1997)
Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (full-length) (1999)
Imaginary Sonicscape (full-length) (2001)

Next time: SHUB NIGGURATH