Listen to Shiki here: 馃憠Shiki MP3馃憟
Flipping through a local metal calendar for bands visiting Glasgow, Scotland, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Japan's, Sigh, would be stopping by the land of kilts and haggis to bring their unique brand of dark despair and agony to our humble shores. Having been on the scene since 1990, I would only come to hear about these guys in 2022 during my days living abroad in China, and while I haven't always been a fan of slow-churning, avant-garde black metal, and its variants, it was difficult not to appreciate the impressive musicianship of this four-piece set-up.
Their music haunts with an atmospheric and dark aesthetic which is finely paired with their traditional garb, an eclectic arsenal of instruments, and their good ol'fashioned brand of Japanese pageantry and showmanship. Their latest record is a gem titled Shiki, however, I would first be introduced to their album, Heir to Despair, which to my mind has some of the best album art that I have seen from a metal band in a very long time. A refreshing move away from the obvious and obscenely violent, dark, and depressing covers from other bands, opting instead for a subtly creepy image of a content-looking woman watering a pot of withered flowers. I mean seriously, they need to use this in interpretive art classes or something.
Listen to Heir To Despair Here:馃憠Heir To Despair MP3
Sigh is a great addition to the music bank of those already familiar with some of the awesome acts that have come out of the Land of the Rising Sun. While it's hard to make comparisons, I would say that fans of Thailand's, Cthonic, will feel right at home with Sigh given the look, feel and general reverence for the native culture which pulses and flows through their music, skillfully complimenting/augmenting the modern instruments, arrangements and delivery. This band is an experience not to be missed.
For those in Glasgow, Sigh will be performing at The Cathouse on the 14th of August. 25 pounds a ticket and doors open at 19:00. Enjoy :).
PS: Get a taste of Sigh's energy by watching their live performance at Damnation Festival 馃憞.
