April 4th, 2026 - The Infidel Art of the Anko

 

Hey there metal maniacs, and artisan beer freaks!  Happy Saturday!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here today rocking the hell out to Sigh's "Infidel Art" and an Anko Rice Lager from SaltFire Brewing Company!  Hell yeah! 

Album Info:

• Artist: Sigh
• Title: "Infidel Art"
• Recorded: 1995 in Tokyo, Japan 
• Release date: October 1995 / remastered 2-disc version released November 28th, 2025 (2nd studio album by Sigh)
• Record company: Cacophonous Records / Peaceville Records
• Production: Sigh 
• Album cover art: 
• Personnel: Satoshi Fujinami (drums), Shinichi Ishikawa (guitars), and Mirai Kawashima (bass, keyboards, and vocals)
• Musical style: Black metal, avant-garde metal, experimental metal with elements of power metal, thrash metal, doom metal, jazz, classical, and traditional Japanese music
• Sound: Combining extreme black metal with more traditional heavy metal and doom elements, psychedelic rock, art rock, and avant-garde music, the sound on "Infidel Art" is truly unique, somewhat bizarre, and absolutely and utterly mesmerizing!  It is raw, artistic, emotive, and demanding!
• Major themes: Death, terror, suffering, solitude, occultism, mythology, time, change, insanity, etc.
• Notes: This album is dedicated to Euronymous and Barbatos (Abigail).
• Tracks: 

Disc 1:

1. "Izuna"
2. "The Zombie Terror"
3. "Desolation"
4. "The Last Elegy"
5. "Suicidogenic"
6. "Beyond Centuries"

Disc 2:

1. "Izuna" (first mix)
2. "The Zombie Terror" (first mix)
3. "Desolation" (first mix)
4. "The Last Elegy" (first mix)
5. "Suicidogenic" (first mix)
6. "Beyond Centuries" (first mix)
7. "The Zombie Terror" (Far East Gate in Inferno version)
8. "Suicidogenic" (Kawir split EP version)
9. "Schizo" (Kawir split EP version)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: SaltFire Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: https://www.saltfirebrewing.com/
• Brew: Anko Japanese Rice Lager
• Style: Japanese-style Rice Lager
• Serving: 16 ounce can 
• ABV: 5.0%
• Pour: The Anko Japanese Rice Lager pours a clear, golden yellow color with a thin, bright white, frothy head that dissipates quickly, leaving only a trace of lacing.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by subtle grainy, floral, and slightly sweet aromas.  There are notes of rice cakes, pale malt, wildflowers, hints of lime juice and zest, and a slight hint of honey.
• Taste: The taste of the Anko Japanese Rice Lager is a delicious and crushable blend of grainy, floral, and light citrusy flavors.  There are notes of crackery biscuit, rice, a splash of lime, and a slight hint of honey.
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied and well carbonated, the mouthfeel is very crisp and smooth with a very dry, clean finish.

Overall pairing: The crisp, well-balanced, and very drinkable flavors of the SaltFire Anko Japanese Rice Lager make it a great foil to Sigh's infernal and dark "Infidel Art"!  I like the look of the album art coupled with the cool beer label as well.  'Nuff said!

 Kanpai!!  Hails!!