Sigh

Sigh was formed in May of 1990 in Tokyo, Japan, and originally stated that they formed in 1989 so they would be viewed with serious consideration as an experienced band. During this time, the trio consisted of Mirai Kawashima who played bass, and sung the vocals, Satoshi Fujinami, who played guitar, and Kazuki who played the drums. All three met each other through the school they were attending at the time. Their primary influence drew mainly from the 1st wave black metal/thrash acts Venom and Celtic Frost. Following, were more well-known acts like Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath. These musical influences can be heard in the band's music throughout their near-seventeen year history. The other primary influence of the band dwelled in the realm of horror films and the soundtracks that accompanied them.

After some time and lineup changes Sigh record their first full-length album entitled "Scorn Defeat" in march 1993.The album was released on the Voices of Wonder label, which took over Deathlike Silence Productions (which Sigh was signed to) after Euronymous was murdered by Count Grishnackh (Varg Vikernes). Sigh donned corpsepaint for "Scorn Defeat" obviously taking some influence from the late Euronymous and his impact on the Black Metal scene as a whole. The album was dedicated in his name.

Sigh permanently removed their corpsepaint prior to the release of 1997's "Hail Horror Hail". By this time it was apparent to Sigh that corpsepaint had set itself as a trend, being adopted by countless forgettable bands in their struggle to be more evil than the others. Sigh did not wish to be associated with this group, and thus the corpsepaint was dropped for good.

After recording a demo featuring early versions of tracks that would appear on their 5th full-length, Century Media records took an interest in the band and went on to sign them. At this time, Sigh retreated to Studio Zen to work on their 5th full length album. For this release, the band crafted psychedelic landscapes with their use of 1970s equipment, recorded with the spirit of the 1980s, and technology of the 1990s. "As a result, we created music for the 21st century" says Mirai, describing the album on top of all that went into creating it. After spending a few more months perfecting the album, they finished recording "Imaginary Sonicscape" in April of 2001 and released it on July 24, 2001. Sigh's psychedelic image for this album made it nearly impossible for anyone to believe that long ago this band donned corpsepaint.

The 6th full-length album, "Gallows Gallery" was recorded in 2004. News on the new album began to appear on the website of Candlelight records in July 2005, announcing the album would be released on their label within the next few months.

It was later revealed that Century Media had refused to release the album on their label since the new album contained parts applying sonic weapon techniques, experimented with during World War II. However, the fact that Century Media was not pleased with the departure from Sigh's black metal roots on the record also played a role. A warning was issued regarding the 6th full-length album, saying it could do harm to one's health due to the implementation of these sonic weapon techniques. Mirai was actually hospitalized while working on the album, which was one of the reasons that the album was delayed for more than two years.

Sigh then proceeded to shock fans when it was announced that the band had been signed to the United States progressive label, The End Records, which houses renowned acts Agalloch, Dissection, Green Carnation, and Voivod, just to name a few. Fans were also blown away when the announcement that "Hangman's Hymn" would be released on The End Records by the end of 2006 (But was delayed many times until a June 2007 date was secured).

"Hangman's Hymn" is a ten track assault of orchestrated violence, deriving heavy influence from German classical Romantic composers such as Anton Bruckner, Gustav Mahler, and Richard Wagner. It is divided into three acts, and marks the return of Mirai's harsh vocals after their absence on "Gallows Gallery". The album cleverly introduces recurring themes which, as the album progresses, build up into one of the most climactic finales ever heard in Sigh history. Sigh went into the studio in August 2006 to record the album. It was released on June 12 on The End Records and May 23 on Soundholic Records in Japan (With bonus tracks).

2007 began as strong as ever for the band, who played their first show in over five years on March 17th at Shin-Okubo Hotspot in Tokyo. Mikannibal joined the band on stage for the first time on the alto sax and backing vocals.

Later it was announced that she would become the next official member of the band.

Nearly a month later, on April 8th, the band played at Norway's Inferno Festival. The band's performance at Inferno was eagerly anticipated and the band exceeded expectations with a set list that covered a lot of the band's early history.

A United States summer tour scheduled for June and July was abruptly cancelled due to financial issues on behalf of the End Records. The band was still scheduled to play their first ever two shows with Mayhem, however these two shows were cancelled when Hellhammer received an injury that prevented him from playing.

In November of 2007, The End Records reissued a remastered Gallows Gallery complete with bonus tracks and outtakes.

At this point in time, Sigh appears in definitive shape. As the band prepares for their first United States tour as headliner this September, people across the world will discover and embrace their diverse catalogue of works. For seventeen years Sigh has represented Japan as one of their leading metal bands to emerge worldwide; gaining success and acclaim. They have opened the door for many other bands to follow, further expanding the quality of the far eastern scene. Sigh is a band who is not afraid to frequently experiment with change, traveling into a realm never before attempted. They are a band who deserve every piece of recognition that they earn, and after their history of releases... they have earned the attention of countless metal fans worldwide.