UMUR "Ameneon" is the debut full-length studio album by Norwegian rock/metal act Seigmen. The album was released in two editions in April 1993. One through the 1:70 label and one through the Voices of Wonder label.

The music on the album continues the dark and bleak rock/metal style that was initiated on the "Pluto (1992)" EP. There´s an atmosphere of deep depression and despair about the music, which runs through every fiber of the album. The tracks are heavy and atmospheric but occasionally also a bit more aggressive and energetic. The drumming is especially busy throughout the album. The musicianship is strong although lead vocalist Alex Møklebust are more distinct sounding and passionate than technically skilled. His gloomy (and occasionally aggressive) vocal style suits the music very well though (the lyrics are in the Norwegian language). The two guitarists play a central role in the music complimenting each other well with heavy riffs and atmospheric leads and motifs.

The quality of the material is generally high, but I have to mention the fantastic 9:01 minutes long "Mesusah" as the major highlight of the album. The Cure inspired opening to that track is brilliant and the chanting monotone vocals really add to the gloomy mood of the song. The bleak nature of the material might lead to the deception that the music isn´t catchy and memorable, but after a few spins, that proves to be a wrong perception of tracks that are both varied and intriguingly structured. One of the great assets of "Ameneon" is, that while there are recurring themes and what can be perceived as vers/chorus structures, Seigmen make an effort to challenge those conventional structures, which ultimately results in "Ameneon" being an album that´s worth listening to again and again. Stylistically the music on "Ameneon" is hard to nail, but references to acts like Joy Division, Bauhaus, Katatonia and a slight nod towards Tool, aren´t completely wrong. Dark and depressive rock with an occassional metal edge.

Generally I´d say the songwriting is more mature than the case was on "Pluto (1992)" and the sound production is also much stronger than the case was on the EP, so all in all "Ameneon" is a natural and positive step up for Seigmen and a 4 star (80%) rating is fully deserved.

Balthamel Seigmen - Ameneon

Seigmen seems to be quite an unknown metal act outside of Scandinavia, which is a pitty couse they rocks... if their is one reason there be that most of their albums are sung in Norwegian, but the musical quality of the music played on this album should be of interest to metal music fans world wide, as this is a very original and experimental metal music act that shows an uncanny abilaty to create unique atmopheres, you might get opiphanys when you listen to this album, it is in my opion quite a mark in the evolution of post-metal, i know i make a huge statement, but Seigmen should be regarded as one of many bands to predesses post-metal.

I Find very few metal acts out there who desplays such an intensity to an album as i find in this 93 release of the Norwegian act Seigmen, from first to last song you have varied riffs, atmopheric bass lines, rasping vocals, clean vocals, semi-growls, prestine clear and solid drums, that have never sounded better on a metal album (drummers is gonna love the drums on this record, atmophseric guitar playing, layering, soundshaping, shoegaze/post-rock elements etc there is alot to put your metal teaths in.

the music in itself on this album stylewise is a hybreed, of doom metal, gothich sounding metal, alternative metal and post-metal in its earlyes embryonic face, it also have an atmosphere similar to black metal but it is far from being black metal, more gothic/doom metal overall with several sub-genres of metal visitting, in and out of songs, the title track is a pure melancholic folk instrumental, and their is a classical piano interlude to the track Negativ,

I will state that, to fans of Tool, Neurosis, Melvins, Kyuss and other dark alternative, sludgy and atmophserical bands this album are recomendable

it is a good/even great addition to any fans of metal, if you want original, fresh, innovative metal in, the borders doom metal and gothic metal, then this album is probably one of the defining album in that respect.