Whether it is fashion, technology, or, in this case, music, Japan has always been a leader of thinking beyond established rules; experts in shattering the status quo. When it comes to black metal, Tokyo's own Sigh has bent and reshaped the boundaries of the genre for over thirty years. Returning after a four year silence, Shiki pushes the envelope even further with its blend of avant-garde elements and traditional black metal grimness. Around every corner is some element that

It could be argued that black metal is the absinthe of the metal world. It's not for everyone, some try it once and a while to experience it, and then there are those who swear by it. To that point, if black metal is the musical equivalent of a bottle of 'the Green Fairy', then Watain is easily among its finest brands Returning after four years with The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain, the Swedish trio (who actually recorded this album as a six piece) have conjured a majestic blend