Japanese metal veterans Sigh have announced a new album titled Goh-ka, set to arrive September 4th through Peaceville Records.
The main trio of Sigh comprised of multi-instrumentalist Mirai Kawashima, vocalist Dr.Mikannibal, and guitarist Nozumu Wakai are joined by bassist Frédéric Leclercq (Kreator) and drummer Mike Heller (ex-Fear Factory). The album also sees Opeth frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt providing a guest guitar solo on “Unputenpu.”
Per a press release:
“The album title Goh-ka has a triple meaning, being: 業火 infernal fire scorching sinners, 劫火 a huge fire that burns down the world at the end of time, and 業果 karma. The primary theme permeating the album is Kuso-zu; a series of Buddhist paintings or illustrations depicting the nine stages of a human body’s decomposition after death, created to encourage meditation on the impermanence of life, the inevitability of death, and the detachment from physical beauty and worldly attachment. It openly shows the harsh reality that no matter how beautiful you are, you’ll be dead and rot sooner or later. And Kuso-shi is a poem based on these paintings. The artworks on the cover and in the booklet of ‘Goh-ka’ are therefore Kuso-zu themselves.”
Sigh are currently preparing for a special set of three European shows focusing on their old-school material in a trio format, followed by a run of US shows with Dreadnought in late July (tickets here), and then a European tour in September (tickets here).
Heavy Consequence named Shiki, the band’s previous studio album, one of the best of underground metal albums of 2022.
Watch the trailer for Sigh’s Goh-ka and see the artwork and tracklist below.
Goh-ka Artwork:
Goh-ka Tracklist:
01. Kuso-shi 1, 2, and 3
02. Jigoku-Zoshi 1: Unkamusho
03. Anzenshokon
04. Kuso-shi 4, 5, and 6
05. Shoso
06. Unputenpu
07. Jinmenjushin
08. Jigoku-Zoshi 2: Tokatsujigoku
09. Kushukankyo
10. Kuso-shi 7
11. Kuso-shi 8 and 9 / Mettaijakujo
