Sigh

Formed in Tokyo in 1989 around Mirai Kawashima, Sigh first emerged in the wake of the Nordic black metal scene before quickly expanding its language into experimental metal that blends symphonic writing, avant-garde elements, progressive metal and touches of traditional Japanese music. After the 1990 demos and the EP Requiem for Fools in 1992, Sigh was signed by Euronymous to Deathlike Silence, which released Scorn Defeat in 1993. The band then continued with Infidel Art (1995), Hail Horror Hail (1997), Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (1999) and Imaginary Sonicscape (2001), an album often cited in the shift toward a freer, more psychedelic aesthetic. Throughout lineup changes Mirai Kawashima remained the core of the project, while Dr. Mikannibal, on saxophone and vocals, became a defining part of Sigh’s sonic identity from 2007 onward. Hangman’s Hymn (2007), Scenes from Hell (2010), In Somniphobia (2012), Graveward (2015), Heir to Despair (2018) and Shiki (2022) demonstrate a consistent taste for contrasts between extreme violence, orchestral arrangements and complex constructions. Having passed through the international metal scene, appeared in the film Global Metal and played numerous European festivals, Sigh now operates as a band centered on Mirai Kawashima’s composite universe, with Nozomu Wakai on guitar since 2022.