Before SIGH decided to become an avant-garde and unorthodox extreme metal band, they were an excellent up and coming black metal band from the Far East – a unique band from Asia who drew the interest of MAYHEM’s Euronymous and his label Deathlike Silence Productions. The direction of Scorn Defeat paved the way for SIGH classics such as Infidel Art and Ghastly Funeral Theatre before they ditched the traditional black metal sound.

The first part of the disc is the Scorn Defeat album proper, and epic songs like “A Victory of Dakini,” “Weakness Within,” and “Taste Defeat” still sound as refreshing as they were the first time around. Some VENOM covers and rough tracks from the Requiem for Fools EP and split with KAWIR are also featured on here. The gem of this reissue however, are the Desolation and Tragedies demos, which showcase SIGH in their raw and promising form. Since the demos are rare and almost impossible to find, this is a great addition for SIGH fans of any era.

Scorn Defeat still holds up well in this day and age of digital recording and over-compressed guitars. Unlike 99% of reissues, this one isn’t just repackaged with two live tracks and new liner notes, or a simple remastering of the same songs – this release actually contains listenable substance that matters. This reissue clocks in at 105 minutes, so fans who already own the original won’t feel cheated for picking this one up again. (Deepsend Records)