Imaginary Sonicscape

Infobox Album |
Name = Imaginary Sonicscape
Type = studio
Artist = Sigh


Released = July 4, 2001
Recorded = Sep 2000 - Apr 2001
Genre = Avant-garde metal, experimental Music
Length = 63:32
Label = Century Media JVC Victor (Japan only)
Producer = Sigh
Reviews = show
1=Allmusic Rating|4.5|5
2=Review by William York
Publication date: Unknown
[http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:5n851v03zzba External link] |
Last album = ""
(1999)
This album = "Imaginary Sonicscape"
(2001)
Next album = "Gallows Gallery"
(2005)

"Imaginary Sonicscape" is the fifth studio album by Japanese black metal band Sigh, released on July 4, 2001. Produced by Sigh, it was the band's first record released on Century Media Records. The musical styles of "Imaginary Sonicscape" further explored the experimental tendancies of the band's previous album "" with further psychedelic elements to the band's sound.

Production

After leaving their previous record label Cacophonous Records for Century Media due to lack of promotion, Sigh entered the studio to record "Imaginary Sonicscape" in September of 2000 at Studio Zen/Electric Space Studio.Cite web|url=http://www.sighjapan.com/bio.htm|title=Sigh Biography|author=|accessdate=2008-07-29|publisher=Sigh] Cite web|url=http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/interviews/3696-sighs-mirai-talks-ultimate-metal.html|title=SIGH's Mirai talks with Ultimate Metal|author=Ultimate Metal|accessdate=2008-07-29|publisher=Ultimate Metal] The album took many months to perfect under the direction of Yukito Okazaki from the stoner metal band Eternal Elysium. While the band's new sound has been influenced by jazz music, classical music and Frank Zappa, while the lyrics of the album were based on the band's views on life and death. Band member Mirai described it as "Most of they [sic] lyrics on the album are about life and death and fear of getting old, fear of losing somebody you love.". The style of the album draws from many genres outside of the extreme metal sound, occasionally drifting into sounds ranging from dub reggae, giggling babies, jazz fusion and disco. front man Mirai explained that the band has "never intend to make it musically varied or weird. I always choose the best way to express the feeling. Sometimes it could be heavy guitars while sometimes it could be a classical piano solo. And as a result, sometimes the song has lots of different elements. It's just a result, not a purpose."Cite web|url=http://www.metal-rules.com/zine/content/view/911/0/|title= Sigh - Mirai Kawashima|author=Metal-rules.com|accessdate=2008-07-29|publisher=Metal-rules.com] The band finished recording the album in March of 2001.cite album-notes
title = Imaginary Sonicscape
albumlink = Imaginary Sonicscape
bandname = Sigh
year = 2001
notestitle =
url =
first =
last =
authorlink =
coauthors =
pages =
format = CD liner
publisher = Century Media
publisherid = 8047-2
location =
mbid = 586892ba-92bb-4f69-b06b-edd71a48cd97]

Reception

"Imaginary Sonicscape" was released on July 4, 2001. The album failed to chart in the United States.Cite web|url=http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:5n851v03zzbal|title=allmusic ((( Imaginary Sonicscape > Overview )))|author=William York|accessdate=2008-07-29|publisher=Allmusic] The album was well received from the extreme metal audience. The British extreme music magazine "Terrorizer" placed the album as the 11th best album of 2001.Cite web|url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/terroris.htm#2001|title=Terrorizer Albums of the year|author=|accessdate=2008-07-29|publisher=Terrorizer] William York of the music database Allmusic gave the album four and a half stars out of five noting that "On one hand, this is great Heavy Metal, and on the other, it's genuinely twisted experimental/psychedelic music. An amazing, weird album, and also the best place for newcomers to start with this band."

Track listing

tracklist
all_writing = Mirai and Sigh except where noted
all_lyrics =
all_music =
writing_credits =
lyrics_credits =
music_credits =
title1 = Corpsecry - Angelfall
length1 = 6:42
title2 = Scarlet Dream
length2 = 5:11
title3 = Nietzschean Conspiracy
note3 = Bård Eithun, Mirai
length3 = 5:24
title4 = A Sunset Song
length4 = 6:49
title5 = Impromptu (Allegro Maestoso)
note5 = Mirai
length5 = 1:24
title6 = Dreamsphere (Return to the Chaos)
length6 = 6:51
title7 = Ecstatic Transformation
length7 = 5:35
title8 = Slaughtergarden Suite"
# "At Dawn"
# "The Dead Are Born"
# "Destiny"
# "Slaughtergarden"
# "Aftermath
note8 =
length8 = 10:57
title9 = Bring Back the Dead
length9 = 6:40
title10 = Requiem - Nostalgia
length10 = 7:52

Personnel

*Mirai - Fender Rhodes, Hammond, minimoog, Yamaha acoustic piano, Hohner clavinet, Yamaha string machine, Roland vocoder, other keyboards, sampling, programming, modulator, effects, Speak & Spell, recorder, melodeon, bass, vocals
*Shinichi - Fender Stratocaster, Fender Telecaster, Takamine acoustic guitar, Yamaha RX5
*Satoshi - drums, tambourine, triangle, bongo, hand claps, suspended cymbal, bar chimes, vibraslap

Technical personnel

* Yukito Okazaki - engineering
* Sigh - producer
* Alan Douches - mastering
* Stephen O'Malley - cover design
* Tenkotsu Kawaho - photography

Notes