Interview by: John Wisniewski
Photo credit: Itsutaka Takusagawa
Fresh off the release of their ambitious re-recording project I Saw the World’s End (Hangman’s Hymn MMXXV), Japanese avant-garde metal legends Sigh are riding high on 35 years of boundary-pushing creativity. In our recent conversation, frontman Mirai Kawashima opened up about the bold decision to completely reimagine their 2007 concept album Hangman’s Hymn—a project he describes as both a labor of love and the pinnacle of their symphonic direction. With enhanced orchestrations, a powerhouse lineup featuring guitarist Nozomu Wakai and returning drummer Mike Heller, and production that finally does justice to Mirai’s intricate compositions, this re-recorded opus represents not just a celebration of the band’s storied career, but a definitive statement on what happens when visionary songwriting meets flawless execution. As Sigh prepares for an extensive European tour, we caught up with the band to discuss their creative evolution, the challenges of revisiting past work, and why some albums deserve a second chance at perfection.
Fresh off the release of their ambitious re-recording project I Saw the World’s End (Hangman’s Hymn MMXXV), Japanese avant-garde metal legends Sigh are riding high on 35 years of boundary-pushing creativity. In our recent conversation, frontman Mirai Kawashima opened up about the bold decision to completely reimagine their 2007 concept album Hangman’s Hymn—a project he describes as both a labor of love and the pinnacle of their symphonic direction. With enhanced orchestrations, a powerhouse lineup featuring guitarist Nozomu Wakai and returning drummer Mike Heller, and production that finally does justice to Mirai’s intricate compositions, this re-recorded opus represents not just a celebration of the band’s storied career, but a definitive statement on what happens when visionary songwriting meets flawless execution. As Sigh prepares for an extensive European tour, we caught up with the band to discuss their creative evolution, the challenges of revisiting past work, and why some albums deserve a second chance at perfection.
How do you feel about the re-release of “I Saw the World’s End”? What was the experience like recording this album?
I was always thinking that “Hangman’s Hymn” was one of my best compositions, but it didn’t mean it was my favorite album simply because it got a lot of flaws. Especially excessively monotonous drumming and poor production were the biggest problems for me. So re-recording it was my personal unfinished business. I am very happy that I finally made it. I am really surprised that the reactions have been really good. I was expecting much more backlash as it sounds so different from the original. I am a bit baffled as its reviews are even better than those for “Shiki” honestly…
The album mixes classical sounds with black metal. What were some of your musical inspirations while recording the album?
I have two biggest musical backgrounds. One of them is of course heavy metal/thrash metal, which I grew up listening to. Another one is classical music. I started taking classical piano lessons when I was 4 because my mother was a piano teacher. And when we recorded original “Hangman’s Hymn,” I was totally into classical music. I was listening to classical music all day long. So I can say the main musical inspirations on the album were crazy 80s metal such as Wehrmacht, Cryptic Slaughter, Sarcófago, Whiplash etc. and classical stuff such as Wagner, Schubert, Beethoven and so on.
Did you set out to make a concept album?
Well, actually I wanted to make a big opera-like album. The album contains 10 songs and they were divided into 3 sections. And all the songs/lyrics are intertwined and weaved together. So you can take it as a 40-minute long song if you want. Of course this can be considered as a concept album, but you wouldn’t call an opera album a concept album, would you?
“I wanted to make a big opera-like album… you can take it as a 40-minute long song if you want.”
When did Sigh form? Tell us their story.
It was started as a cover band in 1989. We were covering bands like Deathrow, Whiplash, Destruction, Death etc. It was just for fun, but around the beginning of 1990, we started thinking of writing our own material. That was the real start of Sigh. Well, we were still not ambitious at all and never thought of making an album or touring abroad.
What is the current black metal scene like in Japan?
Honestly I know nothing. Of course I know the veterans like Sabbat and Abigail are still up and running really well, but other than that, I have no idea.
What has kept the band going for so many years?
There are three things that keep us going. The first one is the fans. If nobody wants to hear our music anymore, we will quit. The second is the label that financially backs up. And the last is my own confidence that I can make an album that tops the past works. If any of these three is gone, that’s the end of Sigh.
“If nobody wants to hear our music anymore, we will quit.”
What lies in the future for the band? Any new projects?
Actually we have already started working on the brand new album. We hope to finish it up by the end of this year. Also there should be some cool releases for the rest of this year. Also we are touring Europe again this summer, so if you are around, do not miss it!!
I Saw The World’s End (Hangman’s Hymn MMXXV) is out now on Peaceville Records. Sigh’s European tour runs throughout August 2025.
https://sighpeaceville.lnk.to/Hangmans2025FA
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