Japanese black metal legends SIGH celebrate 35 years of existence with a bold return to their roots. To mark this milestone, the avant-garde pioneers have chosen to revisit and reimagine their 2007 opus, Hangman’s Hymn—a fan-favorite and their first full concept album. Known for fusing blackened thrash with classical music, SIGH continues to push boundaries with this revamped release. Set to drop via Peaceville Records on 13th June 2025, this release reaffirms their legacy and enduring innovation. We caught up with the leader of the band Mirai Kawashima for an exclusive interview on the making of this monumental release, the band’s evolution, and what fans can expect next.
Hello Mirai-san, welcome to Femme Metal Webzine! How are you doing, and how’s life treating you these days?
Well, nothing unusual. Time passes by so quickly that I’m still living in fear of death.
SIGH proudly celebrates its 35th anniversary
This year, SIGH proudly celebrates its 35th anniversary. While it may seem like a clichéd question, did you ever imagine reaching such a significant milestone?
Of course not. When I remember having a conversation with a girl when I started SIGH. She said, “Do you think you’ll still be in the band when you are 30?”, and I just laughed it off. I was around 20. And even Tom Araya and Cronos were in their 30s back then, and it was not easy to imagine being in an extreme metal band when you were over 30. Also, we were not ambitious at all. I was thinking that we might be able to release a 7″EP if we were lucky enough, and we didn’t have any plan beyond that. I never thought we’d be able to release an LP or tour Europe or anything at all.
Re-recording SIGH “Hangman’s Hymn”
As part of the celebration, SIGH has decided to re-record the 2007 full-length album “Hangman’s Hymn”. Taking a trip down memory lane, what do you recall about its overall production?
I had always wanted to make an album like “Reign in Blood” for a long time, namely an album with only fast songs from the very beginning to the end, and by mixing 80s crazy thrash metal and German classical music, I made it with “Hangman’s Hymn”. Back then, I was completely into classical music. I was listening to almost nothing other than classical music, and I am sure the album reflects it very well.
“Hangman’s” was one of my best compositions…”
Overall, what prompted the decision to completely re-record “Hangman’s Hymn”?
I always thought that “Hangman’s” was one of my best compositions, but it does not necessarily mean that it is my favorite album by SIGH simply because it’s got flaws. The drumming is excessively monotonous, and the guitar playing is sloppy. The production is far from the best, and my orchestration isn’t great. So re-recording it with today’s skill was kind of my unfinished business. I know re-recording can be a double-edged sword. Of course, “Scorn Defeat” has a lot of technical flaws, but I will never re-record it. Even if we did, it’d just lose its magic. It’s the same for the albums like “Imaginary Sonicscape”. But “Hangman’s” is an exception.
SIGH new title “I Saw the World’s End – Hangman’s Hymn MMXXV”
The new version of “Hangman’s Hymn” is titled “I Saw the World’s End – Hangman’s Hymn MMXXV”. What inspired the change in the album title?
Well, the biggest reason is the S-I-G-H cycle. As you may know, the first letters of our albums spell out S-I-G-H-S-I-G-H. The last album was “Shiki”, so the next one had to start with “I”. Also, “I Saw the World’s End” is not just a re-recording. Especially with Mike Heller on drums, it turned out to be something new. I’m sure you can listen to it as a brand new album, as it is so different from the original.
Yesterday VS today
“Hangman’s Hymn” merges thrash/black metal with Germanic classical music. In what ways do its lyrical and musical themes remain relevant today?
As I said, I have always thought that this is one of my best compositions, even to this day, so I can safely say I think it is musically relevant even today. This time, I changed some arrangements, but I didn’t have to change any riffs or structures at all. Lyrically, I am not sure. When I made the original “Hangman’s Hymn”, I was fed up with everything, literally everything, and the lyrics surely show it. 17 years on, I’ve grown old and mature, and I am not as angry as I used to be.
The new artwork of SIGH
Alongside the complete re-recording of Hangman’s Hymn, the cover artwork has also been updated with a painting by Eliran Kantor. In what way does this new artwork reflect the essence of “Hangman’s Hymn”?
The new artwork is based on the original one. I don’t know how the artwork reflects the essence of the album, but certainly it perfectly fits. Eliran is good at creating something new out of the legacy.
Upcoming new plans
What’s next for SIGH? Is there any news about a potential European tour?
Yes, we will tour Europe this August, including several festival appearances. You can check the dates on our Instagram page. And actually, the brand new album following “Shiki” is being worked on right now.
I truly appreciate you taking the time to respond to my questions. Do you have any final thoughts or messages for our audience and your supporters?
I do appreciate your support. I am not sure how much time is left for Sigh, but anyway, we will do our best.