JAIME REGADAS
Sigismunda Mourns (The Desolate Heart)
Release date: November 26, 2017
It was just last month when I reviewed Jamie Regadas’ EP The Old Room and his new single was released just today. I liked the title immediately; it sounded like something Cradle Of Filth or Theatre Of Tragedy would have written (which should be considered a high compliment as their lyrics have always been above the grade). And the cover art has the same impressions of gothic horror you’d find in the underground (Sigismunda Mourning Over the Heart of Guiscardo by William Hogarth who is also the artist behind A Rake’s Progress). Sudden bursts of inspiration like choosing classic paintings to represent your work are a nice touch but you need ability to back up a statement as bold as that. This song fortunately shows that potential. Furthermore this is not to be confused with black or goth metal as Regadas’ influences are from elsewhere. As my review of The Old Room indicated his influences include classic and psychedelic rock like Frank Zappa and Pink Floyd. Here he draws from progressive rock like Yes and Rush, especially in the keyboards. The production tends to sound thin but the variances in the keyboards sound becoming of the current season and the coming of winter. There are hints of Ray Manzarek (Doors) sound wise; obviously a great deal of planning went into the arrangements and multi layered atmospheres. Luckily those are incorporated without hints of mechanical preparation as if Regadas was making an overdone effort to be contrastive. While I don’t think it was intentional, there were some moments that reminded me of symphonic metal; this makes sense as many similar roots are shared by that genre. If anything this proves musical expression can cross over instinctively, and it can be done in an honest manner that’s not conspicuously exaggerated. I’ve made this point consistently but it fits here as much as it did then. -Dave Wolff
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