Hail Horror Hail

Hail Horror Hail

Track Listings

1. Hail Horror Hail

2. 42 49

3. 12 Souls

4. Burial

5. Dead Sing

6. Invitation to Die

7. Pathetic

8. Curse of Izanagi

9. Seed of Eternity

Tracks:

Hail Horror Hail
42 49
12 Souls
Burial
Dead Sing
Invitation to Die
Pathetic
Curse of Izanagi
Seed of Eternity

Album Description

Ever since their beginning demos and even up to their debut album Scorn Defeat, originally recorded for Deathlike Silence Productions in 1993, Sigh have never actually fit into the black metal paradigm. While the music reflected their love of Bathory and early 1980's thrash and black metal, the lyrics, themes, and images were always based on their country's culture, or occult traditions. Sigh were always there to rebel against any pre-concieved notions of what black metal was suppose to be, carving their own blend and brand of distinct music, but always with a black metal flavor. While Infidel Art (1995), and Ghastly Funeral Theatre (1997), disrupted the traditional black metal formula by introducing more avant-gardisms into the music, it wasn't until Hail Horror Hail (1997) that the band completely shattered the black metal ideal. That album, while retaining Mirai's shrieking vokills and the band's ongoing onslaught of old school blackness, interjected sound-effects and completely different genres of music in a cut and paste Naked City/John Zorn fashion. It was a new attempt at making the audio equalivent of a film. Just like in film when scenes and locations abruptly jump, Sigh did the same with Hail Horror Hail. Moving from black metal to classical music to jazz, to sound effects, all deliberately inserted within the same track, Sigh created what they dubbed " a movie without pictures, a celluloid phantasmagoria." Since then Sigh have only gotten stranger, only pushing themselves to create original and challenging music, which they have achieved once again with Imaginary Sonicscape, the band's debut for Century Media and first for North America. 2004.

Customer Reviews:

Out of place........2004-09-13

I'm just as much a fan of synth/progressive metal as the next, but I don't find Sigh to be up to level with my musical tastes. Unlike Tristania, where synths and violins intermix, Sigh rather plays the usual metal with occasional screaming then blasts the synth and makes it all seem out of place. A few of their songs at the end that are just synth are all right... Maybe buy the album just for Invitation to Die... But I suggest Dimmu Borgir, Tristania, Peccatum, In Flames, or even Naglfar instead. Sigh just makes me feel like they play music to play music, rather than feel the music to produce something that doesn't feel awkward. If the idea of out-of-place synth intruiges you, check it out for the hell of it anyway.

Very evil sounding.........2001-05-30

Sigh's 'HHH' is a true masterpiece! This is probably their most twisted album ever.. Now if you're expecting this to be like their 'scorn..' album think again, sure they are still using the piano and spooky keys here and there, but this is more experimental. The musik: Oh my, describing the musik on here is pretty hard.. and has to be heard to be believed. lets just say it's more than just guitars, drums, bass, vocals.. also present, some truly scary keys, horns, samplings from movies, funeral organ, and some others. Guitars: crazy. some really killer solos as well, the playing is pretty much kept on mid-paced, and is really catchy at times listen to '42-49' and you'll see.Drums: again this is kept at mid-pace, but these do get fast on the song '12 souls' nice drumming, but if you like chaotic drumming, you won't like.Vocals: I wish these sounded like the ones on 'scorn defeat..' Miria has changed his vocal style quite a bit. not as grim as they use to be, but still good. not highpitched at all.. more deep-raspy throated.Keys/synths/sampling: the album's best part.. totally haunting and will send chills all over your body, listen to the song '12 souls' and you'll know what I mean.Overall a truly killer album that must be heard.. if you like twisted/experimental black metal. some highlights: the whole album is pretty much it. but if i had to pick some.. definitely '12 souls' this song is just so crazy. it's supposenly about a family of 12 slaughtered , listen to the amazin solo and the samplings in the beginning/middle/end.. sounds like i'm in a funhouse surrounded by murderous clowns, also the intro to this: i'm not even gonna try to describe it.. the outro is really nice, and feels like you've just escaped a murder. Also the songs '42-49' , 'the dead sing' , 'curse of izanagi' all slay, but of course so do the rest of the songs.. Definitely pick this up! All hail SIGH!!!!

A Sigh can have many emotions/ reactions.......2001-03-07

Sigh was brought to my attention through various magazine interviews.

The music is quite a mix. Sigh's music adds a heavy dose of metal, but includes classical-like passages. It is very much intense and can provide a frightning feel in the right setting. Some of the songs are sung in japanese, but they still sound interesting and good. The vocals are varied, but extreme all the time. Meaning they are not clean or overly-growled, but they are unorthadox in nature. It is mostly a guitar driven album, but with orchestration on and off throughout. The album is supposed to be the soundtrack for a movie that is never to be made, if that makes sense. The music holds itself up very well though. The movie/album has horror, suspense and death.

It is hard to narrow down the sound or pinpoint other similar references. Each song is different and has a strange feel to it. Fans of Cradle of Filth, Igor Stravinski, Opeth, and other progressive or overly progressive fans may enjoy this. Unopen-minded individuals can pass.

This album will need a few listens before you become compfortable with it. If you don't have the time or ablility to listen instead of hear, don't bother.

I am unable to listen to this constantly. You need to be in the right mood to play Sigh. Headphones are recommended after the first few listens in order to catch most of the detail. This album is worth you time and your money.

Not for the weak and stupid.......2000-08-25

This is a piece of art that is only for a handful of people. It is pretty much hit or miss; if you understand it, you'll love it, but if you don't understand it, you won't appreciate it and frankly don't deserve to have anything to do with it.

Other reviews have described what the album sounds like, so I won't laboriously go over that. Needless to say, no other band has ever captured a sound like this, and Hail Horror Hail affirms the genius of main composer Mirai Kawashima. The album transcends genre, despite weak people all over the planet wanting to call it some sort of "black metal"; the fact is that Sigh is Sigh... no other label is needed beyond that.

On the back of the album is a warning label describing how bizarre a sound the work is and how it goes beyond what one would expect of music. This sums up the album quite nicely. Truly, Sigh is exclusively for people who are intelligent, intellectual, and most definately NOT mainstream. Everyone else just won't understand it, and I think negative reviews of Hail Horror Hail illustrate this fact beautifully.

These days, there are very few bands which truly stand out as being something unique, special, and trend defying, and I am happy to say that Sigh is at the vanguard, and will continue to be.

Sigh - Hail Horror Hail: Brilliance........2000-05-25

It's extremely difficult to try to describe the incredibly moody atmosphere, sickening musical transitions and genius musicianship on this album with a brief consumer review. But I'll try. Quite simply, this record is a twisted journey into the soundtrack of the insane. Distorted guitars launch into strangely jazzy Black-Metal, then suddenly morph into a trumpet-laden, imminent-doom style, then further morphing into a tense classically-driven piece, then the guitars detune and screech back into Black-Metal. But the album does so with incredible grace and expertise. I would recommend this to anyone who's into Proggressive Black-Metal (it conveys heavily occult themes dealing with Japanese mythology), or just plain weird music. (Note: There's even a startling Japanese Techno-Pop track, complete with Mirai's yelping BM howls. Quite a contrast ;)

Average customer rating:

I, Possession...
Honest Album!
took a while but i learnt that this was worth the dosh
Stands Out In Its League
One of this years finest albums

Hail Horror
Himsa
Manufacturer: Prosthetic Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Thrash & Speed Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Courting Tragedy and Disaster
The Truth
The Fall of Ideals
Sacrament
Life in Ruin

ASIN: B000E1XO80
Release Date: 2006-02-07

Tracks:

Anathema
Sleezevil
The Destroyer
Pestilence
Wither
Wolfchild
Seminal
They Speak In Swarms
Calling In Silent
Send Down Your Reign

Customer Reviews:

I, Possession..........2007-03-17

Different than Courting Tragedy and Disaster slightly. The songs don't sound like they collectively wrote the album over time so much as the former did, as there are far less harmonies and extensive solos. But the energy is up five levels, the Tue Madsen sound is a bit better (aside from the sub-bass being a muddy blur as opposed to tight and punchy buss drum). Chad Davis varies beats to match the riffs, unlike the total-downbeat drumming on Courting. Pettibone careens through the lyrics like a train wreck (with a great voice that never tires of stale cookie monster growls). I don't think Himsa could ever do wrong. Anathema and Sleezevil are definitely not highlights, so the album really rips-open at the third track with The Destroyer, and cruises straight into the homeplate. Seminal is also another amazing shredder. I wish Himsa had put Lay Way The End, and I Possession (which may possibly be their best song recorded from this session) on the American release. Hail the Horror Kings. Like usual, I am quivering as I await the next Himsa release.

Honest Album! .......2006-12-16

Himsa is not just metacore band, they more traditional death thrash with pretty aggressive sound. Strange, why they call them metalcore, or even emo. Melo-death metal with thrash feel, and little hardcore. No pop-like choruses and melodies ala Atreyu and Killswitch Engage. It is close both to Swedish analogies (At the Gates, Early Soilwork, Dark Tranquility, The Duskfall) and USA Bay Area Thrash scene.
They don't use a lot of breakdowns, but lots of catchy aggressive riffing, harmonies and good solos, vox sometimes have hardcore feel. Music is not the most original, but has plenty enjoyable moments for lovers of death metal, thrash metal, as well traditional heavy metal. Just aggressive, yet catchy melodies: I started dancing, then freaking head banging, and just was brutalized! Intense! Every song is tight and there no bad songs really. Minus one point for not being the most original band, however QUALITY MUSIC, and very catchy and brutal! 9/10

took a while but i learnt that this was worth the dosh.......2006-10-06

I first bought this album having heard little from this band in hope that it would be a nice surprise. I listened to it twice and though it was a good metal album but nothing really grabbed my attention, I later proved myself wrong. Recently I decided to give it another go and listened to it another three or four times and it turned out to be one of those albums that needed getting used to. On closer inspection the drumming is fast, talented and brutal. The guitaring quick, chuggy and full of sweep picked solos As for the vocals they sound somewhere between a hardcore shout and a deep bellowing deathgrowl. The lyrics use a good amount of vocabulary with imaginative content. The music is well put together and well recorded. As far as horror metal goes these have become one of my new favourite contenders in that particular genre, I suggest if you're in the mood for a good old metal cd that's quick and sounds rifftastic then give this a whirl.

Stands Out In Its League.......2006-07-26

Himsa did it again with this outing. The beginning track, "Anathema", starts off things nice. "Sleezevil", the single off this album, is a fast-paced song. The guitar tone is heavier, and it just seems like the band put a lot of effort into this album. This isn't a watered down metalcore release. Nope. This band has been doing it since circa 1999 and they never fail, even with the switch of lead singers. A great album. Highly recommended.

One of this years finest albums.......2006-03-27

When I heard they were coming out with a new album, I though "Maybe I'll download some songs", I liked what I heard so I went out and bought the album, I wasn't dissapointed.

1) Anathema is fast paced and promises a good album 8/10
2) Sleezevil is the first single, and I think its one of the best of the album. 8.5/10
3) I really wouldn't listen to The Destroyer while in a room full of babies, because that song makes me want to go on a rampage. 10/10
4) Pestilence is a good haunting song. 7/10
5) Wither is alright, not too good. 6/10
6) Wolfchild is the best song off the whole album, its the song that pretty much defines himsa. 10/10
7) Seminal sounds alot like a song off courting tragedy.., its good. Love the vocal work. 7.5/10
8) They Speak In Swarms is another one that defines himsa. See what I said about wolfchild.
9) Calling In Silent is pretty alright. 7.7/10
10.) Send down your Reign is good, the vocals were a hit and miss though.

Overall I think this is a really good album for fans of metalcore, hardcore, or just metal in general.