-
-
Ad Space
(728 x 90)
Published on 5/8/08
Video
Sunn O))), Isis and other progressive metal bands are all about stretching the style to its disintegration point. Sigh is just as adventurous, though instead of arty austerity, the veteran Japanese black-metal outfit offers gleefully over-the-top eclecticism. Recent full-lengths found the band seasoning its dire sound with electronica and boogie rock. But Hangman’s Hymn abandons hippie trappings in favor of breakneck symphonic thrash. The lyrics, by conceptual mastermind Mirai Kawashima, chronicle an unrepentant sinner’s fiery demise: “I need to lead a life that sates my thirst,” he shrieks on “Me-Devil,” as synthesized fanfares play out his every hedonistic fantasy. Hangman’s Hymn occasionally pauses for a breather—a kyrie here, a Dies Irae there—but mostly, it’s a headlong sprint into eternal damnation, complete with demented cackles, witchy choirs and a phantasmagoric finale that reprises several devilishly catchy refrains. Sigh? More like Roar.
Rate & Comment