Released in 2022, Shiki is the new studio album by Japanese black metal legends Sigh, offered here on CD at a mid-range price. A cult band formed in 1989 around Mirai Kawashima, Sigh has established itself as one of the most daring and respected projects in extreme metal, blending old-school roots with avant-garde experimentation. With Shiki, the band delivers one of its darkest and most powerful records in years, fusing primitive black metal, epic heavy metal, and deeply melancholic atmospheres. The album stands out for its integration of traditional Japanese instruments such as the shakuhachi and shinobue flutes, enhancing a mystical and ceremonial ambiance. Conceptually centered on the themes of the four seasons and the passage of time, Shiki is an introspective and elegiac work. The album also features renowned guests such as Frédéric Leclercq (Kreator) and Mike Heller (Fear Factory), and was mixed and mastered by Lasse Lammert in Germany.