Despite being one of the greatest bands in the history of black metal, Sigh are an act who’ve carried very little about adhering to the conventions of the genre (or ANY genre, for that matter) since their 1990 inception. Their last album, 2022’s Shiki, was their most blackened in recent memory, coming off like a spiritual successor to such milestones as Infidel Art (1995) and Hail Horror Hail (1997). I highly anticipated what they would do with this sound next, which was foolish, because Sigh are a band who’ve never made the same album twice, as exhibited on their latest effort, Goh-Ka.
Upon a cursory glance, Goh-Ka sees Sigh retreating to the prog and avant-garde-isms of their Imaginary Sonicscape (2001) era, which was built upon further throughout the latter half of the ’10s following a lauded flirtation with symphonic black metal (2007’s Hangman’s Hymn is arguably the subgenre’s finest hour). This, however, only provides a partial glimpse of the portrait, because Goh-Ka is far more than a rehashing of tropes established a quarter century ago; it very well may be Sigh’s most unpredictable and unhinged album to date, which speaks volumes considering the scope of their canon. Through the course of its nearly hour runtime, no listener is safe.
The better part of Goh-Ka consists of a piece entitled “Kuso-shi”, which is divvied up into 9 separate passages. The opening track, consisting of passages 1, 2, and 3, is an out and out slab of progressive folk metal, highlighting native Japanese instrumentation like flute and koto, coupled with an exotic atmosphere and crushing metallic riffs. 4, 5, and 6 arrives a few songs later, incorporating elements of flowery psychedelia and ancient symphonic prog, structurally forged in the tradition of a Floyd or early Genesis epic. 7 is a glorified electronic soundscape, while the closing 8 and 9 is paired with an outro entitled “Mettaijakujo”. This colossal closer takes us back to the blackened doom of Sigh’s earliest days, albeit with a psych-folk twist.
While the black metal-isms are minimal compared to Shiki, when Sigh does go black metal mode on Goh-Ka, they remind us that they’re able to do so better than just about anyone else out there. Though avant-garde in delivery, “Jigoku-Zoshi 1: Unkamusho” is an unrelenting old school black metal assault, complete with face-melting solos and blurring speed. “Jinmenjushin” provides a psychedelic spin on black metal, while the blistering black-thrash of “Jigoku-Zoshi 2: Tokatsujigoku” reminds us this band was indeed forged in the same infernal flame as fellow countrymen Sabbat. While the purist headbanger in me is gravitating towards these blackened moments over the others, my choice cut as of the time of writing is “Unputenpu”, which sounds like Sigh trying their hand at Uriah Heep worship, complete with gallop riffs, wah-wah solos, and heavy psych undertones.
Put all these traits and tropes together, and you’ve got what’s bound to be the most progressive of progressive metal albums in 2026. Even if you were to find some Bandcamp oddball act who outdid Sigh in terms of musical spontaneity, the chances of them being able to execute it as well as Mirai Kawashima is slim to none. Goh-Ka is yet another shining jewel in Sigh’s thinking man’s metal crown: A monolith which proves that despite the band veering on their 40th anniversary, they remain as potent and rife with fresh ideas as ever. Infidel Art never dies.
8 out of 10
Label: Peaceville Records
Genre: Progressive Metal
For fans of: Master’s Hammer, Ulver, Sabbat
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