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I Sigh sono una delle migliori band metal giapponesi di sempre. Partiti dal black metal (sono stati messi sotto contratto addirittura dalla "Euronymous Deathlike Silence Production"), il gruppo ha subito una singolare evoluzione, che li ha portati a lasciare in parte le atmosfere black per diventare una vera e propria band di avant-metal in cui riff di scuola metal anni '80 si fondono con basi e inserti elettronici, tastiere tipicamente settantiane (mellotron su tutte) e una dose di improvvisazione che non guasta mai; tutto ciò fa da supporto all'acido scream del cantante e leader Mirai Kawashima.
Il culmine di questo percorso artistico è "Imaginary Sonicscape", pubblicato nel 2001.
L'opener "Corpsecry-Angelfall" parte con un veloce e diretto riff su cui si innesta il primo mini-assolo di tastiere. Il brano è probabilmente il più lineare dell'album anche se il brano si interrompe bruscamente sul 5° minuto per lasciar spazio a un finale di soli violini. Il viaggio psichedelico inizia veramente con "Scarlet Dream" farcita di pesanti riff ma anche di synth e batteria elettronica e 3 tipi di voci: lo scream, una voce filtrata al computer e nel ritornello un coro femminile; da notare l'intermezzo orientaleggiante-elettronico.
Scioccante: non ci sono parole per descrivere "Nitzchean Conspiracy", una canzone trip-hop in piena regola. Sembra di sentire degli oscuri Massive Attack dietro le vellutate note del sax e dei violini. Ancora peggio "A Sunset Song": su una base di basso e batteria in stile pop-rock si inseriscono dapprima un assolo jazz di tastiera e in seguito una base dance con trombe campionate, oltre ai mai scontati e violenti riff di chitarra. Ormai abbiamo capito che da questa band ci si può aspettare di tutto. Dopo l'intermezzo per pianoforte "Improptu (Allegro Maestoso)" arriva "Dreamsphere (Return to the Chaos)" in cui si sente maggiormente l'influsso orientale grazie ai violini in sottofondo che compaiono qua e là nel brano.
Anche se sono passati 34 anni, il ricordo dei Deep Purple deve essere ancora forte in Giappone, visto che "Ecstatic Transformation" sembra proprio un brano dei Deep Purple: il ritmo vagamente blues, gli assoli alla Blackmore e quelli alla Lord vanno a braccetto con i synth e l'elettronica e anche con un contraltare di violini, per quache secondo, nella parte centrale del brano. Segue la lunga (quasi 11 minuti) "Slaughtergarden Suite", divisa in 6 parti; difficile descrivere tutte le sensazioni che questo brano heavy, psichedelico e sinfonico nello stesso tempo provoca nell'ascoltatore. L'unico (per fortuna) calo dell'album è "Bring Back the Dead": non che sia brutta, ma, al contrario degli altri brani, non si segnala per niente in particolare. La chiusura è affidata a "Requiem-Nostalgia", che inizia con un tema sinfonico che si ripete più volte nel brano, il cui ritornello molto melodico presenta anche il flauto, oltre al fatto di essere cantato in giapponese.
Un album che piacerà in particolare ai fruitori di musica più "open minded".
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Elenco tracce testi e video
04 A Sunset Song (06:49)
My eyes, cold as ice,
None shall ever overcome the horrible destiny,
Sympathized but paralyzed,
When identity is lost death may be the only way to ease me
Tear me apart till I die,
Tear me apart, sacrifice,
Tear me apart and hear my cry,
Tear me apart to kill my pride,
Something I'll have to lose,
In return to reach the truth,
Something I can't lose,
Even if my death is abused,
Something I'll have to lose,
In return to reach the truth,
Something I can't lose,
Even if I'll never be soothed,
I will never believe in those lies,
Nothing sacred, Nothing divine,
When pondering on the life fragile,
Helpless resistance I will resign,
Finite is my life, still searching for my shrine,
As long as I feel so scared,
The mask which I wear, My fear leading me nowhere,
Now my lie is a farce I cannot bear,
Tear me apart till I die,
Tear me apart, sacrifice,
Tear me apart and hear my cry,
Tear me apart to kill my pride,
I don't need the dreams to believe in,
As I know I'll never be relieved,
As I see the fantasy is a deceit,
As I know no one shares my grief
07 Ecstatic Transformation (05:35)
Dancing to the ancient rhythm midnight
Come with me and I
Start to create a new life
It requires another death
Seeking for a pleasure through pain
Secret pleasure I gain
Nothing sane, nothing insane
Life requires another death
You have to realize that a creation of life is a creation of death
Midnight ritual, so sensual
One-way trip to heavenly bliss
Midnight funeral, so bestial
One-way trip with my deadly kiss
Ecstatic transformation, Anti-mass annihilation
Sensual reincarnation
Life requires another death
Easy mass procreation, Imaginary expiration
Constructive incineration
It requires another death
[Chorus:]
I'm always ready to come to heaven or hell if you'd call so
I'm always ready to loose the beast that can't be my foe
[Guitar solo by Shinichi]
Enthusiastic, you'll be the beast
Beautiful, lustful, I'll be the beast
Now I'm ready to feast
Life requires another death
Hypnotized by lust you scream
No love needed in the rite supreme
Ecstasy in this sanctuary so heavenly
Don't be afraid to destroy
[Guitar solo by Shinichi]
[Hammond solo by Mirai]
08 Slaughtergarden Suite: I. At Dawn / II. The Dead Are Born / III. Destiny / IV. Slaughtergarden / V. Aftermath (10:57)
09 Bring Back the Dead (06:40)
Once beloved now lost forever
Wings of Angel torn by malignance
Why wasn't it me?
Living in a shadow of death
I wish it was a dream
I won't believe in salvation, (I) shouldn't be saved
I wait for my condemnation in the cold flame
Repeated suicide in imagination, Watch the coward pray
Unexpected destination, a miserable slave
Die with a hope of live in despair
Death you're dying, Life you're losing
Spiritual suicide, Life I denied
Light the night divides, Pride I denied
Now I set a fire to cremate
The treasure that will never be the same
I won't wait for the fate, lost in this shade
Past will never change, too late to be saved
Life light as a feather, so is mine
Why wasn't it me when angel smiles
So I'll live on the lies when my conscience dies
How could I stand the slaughter in this paradise?
Bring Back the Dead, in this sorrow
Bring Back the Dead, regret will grow
Bring Back the Dead
As their voices get higher and the leading light glitters
Bring Back the Dead, Now I see
Bring Back the Dead, What it means
Bring Back the Dead
Until the moment my existence perishes in eternity
Eternal regret I own't forget
What I want (is a) punishment, for the dead
Why wasn't it me
Living in a shadow of death
I wish it was a dream
I am the one who is guilty but I can't see
Nothing is the same as it used to be, silence is my plea
Helpless slave to destiny, I'll never be free
Shattered is my humanity, Eternally
Die with a hope or live in despair
Death you're dying, Life you're losing
Spiritual suicide, Life I denied
Light the night divides, Pride I denied
I have no future, for which I would live
I live in the dreadful past to forgive
My sin, spawned by inner feelings I have killed
I cry out of the loneliness to be filled
What I want is a punishment, demon inside of me
Now I see no way to embrace this reality
Now I see no reason for me to be
Suicidal words are chanted repeatedly
Bring Back the Dead, succumb to fate
Bring Back the Dead, that's what I hate
Bring Back the Dead
No matter what they say I'm the only one to blame
Bring Back the Dead, I'll watch them pray
Bring Back the Dead, We'll meet in the end
Bring Back the Dead
That is the only hope that can ease my eternal pain
Bring Back the Dead, to succumb to fate
Bring Back the Dead, that's what I hate
Bring Back the Dead
Now you're gone but I want to know what should be done
Bring Back the Dead, I'll watch them pray
Bring Back the Dead, What'd they say?
Bring Back the Dead
Though I know it's nothing more than death as a human...
10 Requiem - Nostalgia (07:58)
Scream, I'm trying to scream, But will they hear my shriek?
Dream, or is it a dream? Resistance that is so weak
Visions turning red, confusion inside of my head
Now I see the light in the flame that is my burning pride
Drowning in the middle of the miserable dream
Nostalgia tears my flesh
Love was taught, Taught by death
Hate was sought, sought by life
Drowning in the middle of the miserable dream
But dream is fading away
Love was taught, Taught by death
Hate was sought, sought by life
Dying, am I dying? Will I be buried with my past?
Crying, I hear them crying, when my heart is beating so fast
Fears grown in my sight
The place where I'd hide
Now I see the light in the flame that is my burning pride
Drowning in the middle of the miserable dream
Nostalgia tears my flesh
Love was taught, Taught by death
Hate was sought, sought by life
Drowning in the middle of the miserable dream
But dream is fading away
Love was taught, Taught by death
Hate was sought, sought by life
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