Sigh

Sigh were founded in Tokyo at the turn of the 1990s by Mirai Kawashima (vocals, bass, keyboards), guitarist Satoshi Fujinami and drummer Kazuki Ozeki. In 1992 Shinichi Ishikawa joined on guitar and Fujinami moved to drums. The debut album Scorn Defeat appeared in 1993 on Euronymous’ Deathlike Silence Productions.

Infidel Art (1995), Hail Horror Hail (1997) and Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (1999) were followed by Imaginary Sonicscape (2001) and Gallows Gallery (2005). Junichi Harashima took over the drums in 2004, with Fujinami switching to bass, and saxophonist and vocalist Dr. Mikannibal joined in 2007, the year of Hangman’s Hymn.

Scenes from Hell, the band’s eighth studio album, was released by The End Records in January 2010. Recorded by Kawashima, Dr. Mikannibal, Fujinami, Ishikawa and Harashima, it featured a group of guest classical players on strings, woodwinds and brass, as well as spoken word by David Tibet.

In Somniphobia followed in 2012, Graveward in 2015 and Heir to Despair in 2018, after which the line-up changed substantially.

Built around Kawashima, Dr. Mikannibal and guitarist Nozomu Wakai, Sigh signed with Peaceville and released Shiki in August 2022, with guest musicians including Frédéric Leclercq and drummer Mike Heller. In 2025 they issued I Saw the World’s End – Hangman’s Hymn MMXXV, a complete re-recording of the 2007 album.

The band’s newest studio album, Goh-Ka, was released by Peaceville on 4 September 2026, with Leclercq on bass and Heller on drums, and includes a guest guitar solo by Opeth’s Mikael Åkerfeldt. Sigh remain active.

Line-up: Mirai Kawashima (vocals, keyboards, bass), Dr. Mikannibal (vocals, saxophone), Nozomu Wakai (guitars)