Cult Japanese black metal legends Sigh have announced details of their new album Shiki to be released on August 26 on Peaceville.

Shiki, an opus of dark & eclectic blackened heavy metal, shrouded in traditional eastern influences, marks the latest chapter in the Sigh legacy and includes some of the band’s heaviest and darkest material for some years; a fine hybrid of at times primitive black metal akin to early influences such as Celtic Frost amid more epic melodic heavy metal riffing and solos. It will take you on a journey through the strange and the psychedelic, incorporating a whole eclectic mix of genre styles & experimentation throughout their career. Highlighting that Sigh has remained a vital creative force in the avantgarde field whilst maintaining their old school roots.

Immerse yourself in Sigh’s new world through the first single “Mayonaka No Kaii” and the accompanying illustrated video from animator extraordinaire Costin Chioreanu.

“The song is kind of a culmination of what Sigh have been up to. Whistle scream, throat singing, Uriah Heep like vocal harmonies, vocoder, flute solo, shakuhachi solo, Hammond solo and the great guitar solo by Fred - it's got everything! Although it's only 5-minute long, it's a very dramatic song with many aspects. The title stands for ‘a strange incident at midnight’, and it's based on actual weird experience I had .. Long story short, I experienced midnight twice in one night! You can read the details at the end of the video. We have been working with Costin for a long time, so we were 100% sure that he'd be the best guy to visualize my eerie experience, and how did it turn out? You all see for yourselves!” Mirai Kawashima.

The word "Shiki" itself has various meanings in Japanese such as four seasons, time to die, conducting an orchestra, ceremony, motivation, colour. The two primary themes for the album are "four seasons" and "time to die". The concept and artwork is based around a traditional Japanese poem, and on Shiki Mirai explores how at this stage of life he himself is going through autumn, with winter coming soon, and so empathizes with the contrasting sentimental feelings from watching cherry blossoms (a symbol of spring) in full bloom.

Joining Mirai and Dr Mikannibal for this release are Frédéric Leclercq of Kreator, plus US drummer extraordinaire, Mike Heller of Fear Factory and Raven, along with an appearance by longtime member Satoshi Fujinami on bass. Shiki was recorded across multiple studios, and mixed and mastered by Lasse Lammert at LSD studios in Germany. The album utilises a whole host of instruments to give further texture and dynamics to the compositions and eerie atmosphere, incorporating traditional oriental instruments such as the Shakuhachi & Sinobue flutes.

Sigh, featuring mainman Mirai Kawashima, Satoshi Fujinami & Kazuki Ozeki formed in 1989/90 and following their initial demos, Shinichi Ishikawa was brought in, and Sigh set about recording the masterpiece debut Scorn Defeat for Euronymous’ Deathlike Silence Productions, going on to become one of the country’s greatest and most revered metal exports.

Shiki will be released on August 26 on CD / black vinyl LP / limited edition green vinyl LP and digital. Preorder here.

Tracklisting:

“Kuroi Inori”
“Kuroi Kage”
“Shoujahitsumetsu”
“Shikabane”
“Satsui – Geshi No Ato”
“Fuyu Ga Kuru”
“Shouku”
“Kuroi Kagami”
“Mayonaka No Kaii”
“Touji No Asa” 

“Mayonaka No Kaii”: