The Romantic-era of classical music, which existed throughout the whole of the 19th century, introduced to the world some of the most important and prolific composers to have ever lived. Names such as Ludwig van Beethoven (who bridged the transitional period between the Classical and Romantic eras), Franz Liszt, Frédéric Chopin, Franz Peter Schubert, and later Richard Wagner, all experimented with darker themes and arrangements previously unheard of within the compositions of their paterfamilias. Fast-forward nigh 200 years, and it is easy to forgive those who draw parallels between the expositions of the Romantic-era and the elite of today's symphonic-infused black metal. As we all know, Norway's Dimmu Borgir have been crowned the reigning kings of the genre, much to the dismay of those of us in the know. What is this 'know' I speak of? Well, It is an oft-overlooked band from the land of the rising sun. A band whom appeared on the scene just as the frozen clime of Scandinavia was giving birth to the first generation of 'true' black metal bands. That band is Sigh. Unlike the aforementioned Norwegian Christ-haters, whose symphonic elements are akin to that of a Hollywood blockbuster, Sigh mainman Mirai Kawashima could easily have existed alongside the greatest composers of the 19th Century. Case in point, Sigh's new studio album, Scenes From Hell, which treads similar territory as the beautifully bombastic sounds of Schubert's 'Piano Sonata D. 960' along with the virtuosic temperament of Franz Liszt's 'Hungarian Rhapsody No.2'. It is immediately apparent that Mirai has thoroughly studied the compositions of his classical brethren, as the album is rife with exquisite melodies, dissonant harmonies, and counterpoint techniques. Perhaps the defining moments of this album come in the form of the songs 'The Soul Grave' and 'The Summer Funeral', which perfectly meld the classical elements with the horror-drenched black metal we have come to expect of Mirai and crew. Unlike previous albums such as 2001's Imaginary Sonicscape, which drifted off into an acid-induced miasma of psychedelia, Scenes From Hell is a much more structured affair in focus and execution, becoming the standard-bearer of all that is symphonic and black. Dimmu and their like could stand to learn a thing or two from Mr. Kawashima. It just doesn't get any better than this, folks.