SIGH

[Heroin 53]

No problem. The clean vocals on the album is amazing. They really nailed that part.

 

oh yeah definitely. thats what i see from this album. cant really explain but the vocals really send out a big part of the whole albums theme/atmosphere. also its different and I like it haha

[Crube 585]

Depends on who you ask, and I disagree with that. I think the original Gallows Gallery have one of the best and most fitting productions ever. I love that muddy, almost garage-esque production. It makes it even more unique as the production is very unusual for a heavy/power metal album. I also love the production on Scenes From Hell. It really adds to the apocalyptic, hellish atmosphere on the album.

 

And on top of that I think everything up to Hail Horror Hail, Imaginary Sonicscape, Hangman's Hymn and In Somniphobia sounds great production-wise. The only one I'd say is weak, except for the new one as of now, is Scenario IV: Dread Dreams. It lacks punch, but it's not something I think about when listening to the album. It's now awful, just a bit weak.

It also doesn't help I have a crappy sound system going on.

[Bear 1817]

 

Graveward Japanese version (different mastering, 6 bonus tracks) will be out on June 17th and the LP version will follow in August.

 

 

 

The artwork by Costin Chioreanu exactly depicts the world of Graveward.

 

 

That's cool artwork. I wonder if it's for the vinyl release or something. I hope so.

 

 

Here's also a Sigh AMA where Mirai answers questions: http://www.reddit.com/r/progmetal/comments/3647p2/mirai_from_sigh/

 

There's some interesting parts there.

 

Q: What is the writing process like between band members? Do you bring a completed track in midi to the rest of the band etc. or do you guys jam it out from time to time?

What has the process been like since Mikannibal joined? Certain songs like Shingontachikawa really benefit from the call and response vocal style. Any songs you previously couldn't play that are easier now?

 

A: These days we never jam together. I give the MIDI tracks to other members and of course they can arrange their parts as they like. This may change as You Oshima joined us. I hope he will contribute more in the writing process. Yes, splitting vocals with Mikannibal is very helpful to reproduce old songs live. Her saxophone helps a lot too.

 

 

 

Q: I know it might be a bit soon to ask, but no one else seems to have touched on this - will the next Sigh album possibly be the last? Obviously it would complete the current naming cycle you started with Scenes from Hell, and you mentioned around the time In Somniphobia came out that you were feeling pretty burned out and thinking about putting Sigh to rest. Is making a 'final' statement like that important to you or do you think you'll keep going as long as you feel inspired enough to do so? You mentioned you were already working on new material; any hints as to the direction it's taking?

Also, just want to say thanks and "holy shit!" because Graveward is easily the best album I've heard this year. Makes me proud to wear the bright yellow Sigh hoodie I bought from you guys a few years back... I'll be picking up that Graveward shirt too as soon as you put it up!

 

A: Fortunately I am not feeling empty this time. So I wouldn't say the next album will be the last. If I am motivated enough and if there are enough fans waiting for our music, we will not call it a day. Right now I am thinking of making a new album much more progressive with lots of old keyboards than Graveward.

 

 

Q: Good morning Mirai! I understand the Japanese edition of Graveward will feature a different mix. Why did you decide to do this? Was it just for fun or was it more geared to a Japanese audience?

Also, the Chinese version of Scenes from Hell has an alternative mastering by Maor. Could you tell us about that?

Thanks!

 

A: The Japanese version Graveward has a different mastering, not mix. The Japanese version CDs are expensive so they have to be something different or else people just buy cheaper imports. We had several mastering for Scenes from Hell and when it was released, we chose James Murphy's although Maor's one sounded great too.

 

 

And my personal favourite:

 

 

Q: So I was browsing metal-archives once and found out in the 90s you had a solo project simply called Mirai, with a demo titled Funeral Theatre. Can't find the music anywhere. Is it safe to assume that it's a prototype for Ghastly Funeral Theatre? What pushed you towards a solo project if you can remember? Why do you seem to never talk about it?

 

A: Actually it's a proto-type for Enoch. It was my synth project. I just spread 10 copies or so to the labels. I just found the original cassette so probably it will be included somehwere as a bonus.

 

Been wanting to hear that Mirai-tape for years, but it's been impossible to find both on MP3 and as a physical release. Hope he gets it out there. Would kill to hear this!

[Bear 1817]

 

Specs:
* First-time vinyl pressing of the cult, gonzo Japanese black metal band's latest release.
* 200-gram Black 2xLP, mastered specifically for vinyl from the high resolution original mixes and cut at 45-RPM for optimum fidelity.
* Includes one bonus track - an insane lyrics suite.
* 350gsm heavyweight triple gatefold jacket with solid color-flood inner printing, including brand new artwork in the inner gatefold, created by Costin Chioreanu just for this vinyl release. Printed on rough-coated reverse board.
* Printed inner sleeves on rough-coated offset paper, containing credits, lyrics, artwork from the original release, and new artwork exclusive for this release.
* A2-sized poster, printed on rough-coated offset paper, exclusive for this vinyl release.
* Amazing music.

** PLEASE NOTE: 4 LPs were used in the image to denote the 4 center labels. This is a 2xLP set with 11 printed panels.

 

 

 

There's also a black version. Will buy both for sure.

[Crube 585]

I am curious of the bonus tracks now.

[Bear 1817]

Me too. I hope it's something that is there for a reason, something that works with the rest of the album, and not just something that's there just for the sake of being there.

 

 

 

I'll admit that Graveward have grown on me since it's release. I've gotten used to You, even though he is no new Shinichi, and I am fine with the production now. I think it is slightly better than In Somniphobia as well. It never really match the best tracks of In Somniphonia, but it's a bit even, helped a lot by its lenght. And don't get me wrong, I do not see In Somniphobia as bad or anything. I think it's a brilliant album, more than enjoyable from start to finish. But there's a couple of songs, while amazing, is a bit below the rest of the album. Which makes it "uneven", not uneven. Get my drigt, homeboys?

 

I think the album works way better with speakers than head phones too, which is surprising. Music with this much different details tend to work better on headphone, but but not this album. The overall sound of the album sounds a lot bette on speakers.

[Crube 585]

I'm hoping they are tacking The Curse of Izaki EP on it. Wasn't that like a very limited press? Anyway, I'm just glad that there's no drama when Shinichi got the sack from the band. I still don't see how he became lazy over the years, but I haven't been paying close attention to the band dynamics.

[Bear 1817]

It was limited to 500 compies. But I doubt they'll include it on this, and I hope not as it is so very different from the sound on the new album itself.

[Crube 585]

True, but it was also different from Scenes from Hell, so there's that. I just want a physical copy of the damned EP is all. I remember the Iron Maiden tribute album that came with Kerrang for free and I thought that they listed SIGH as the band that contributed to it with the cover of Run to the Hills. Sadly, it was a band called SIGN. With that said, it would be amusing if it was another slew of covers. The worse they could get are dubstep remixes.

[Bear 1817]

I'm not sure what you mean by that. Yes, it is diffeent from Scenes From Hell, but it wasn't included on any Scenes From Hell releases.

 

 

Anyway, pre-orders of the vinyl is up HERE. They're going fast and Blood Music is empty soon enough. Get yours NOW unless you want to pay 4-5 times the amount in half a year.

 

I just ordered mine. One colour and one black. Looking forward to getting them. Looks yummy.

[Bear 1817]

Shit, this album is so good. Everything, including the production and You Oshima's guitar playing, keeps growing on me. It sounds 100% Sigh, but again they're doing something new and fresh which is really cool. The opening shredding on Kaedit Nos Pestis kinda sets the whole tone for the album, and while there's often something a bit off about the shredding, it sounds pretty fucking cool I'll admit. I hear elements from Hail Horror Hail, Gallows Gallery and Imaginary Sonicscape, but nothing sounds recycled in any way which makes it fresh. The whole album is a nice mix of hard-listening and ridiculously catchy songs, and it's something that works well, just as it did on In Somniphobia and Imaginary Sonicscape as well.

 

Love album once again from these crazy japanese guys and a girl.

[Bear 1817]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpBdSWoXIqs

 

00:00 Intro

00:48 Purgatorium

05:50 The Transfiguration Fear

10:16 Shingontachikawa

15:14 A Victory of Dakini

21:31 At My Funeral

27:05 The Soul Grave

31:17 The Forlorn

36:34 Introitus/Kyrie

39:50 Inked in Blood

43:09 Me-Devil

 

 

 

Good shit.

[Bear 1817]

 

Ideas for the next album. I could scrap all of them though.

 

 

 

 

 

Mmmmh! Yes, please, go on, Mirai.

[Zeus 7997]

Shit, this album is so good. Everything, including the production and You Oshima's guitar playing, keeps growing on me. It sounds 100% Sigh, but again they're doing something new and fresh which is really cool. The opening shredding on Kaedit Nos Pestis kinda sets the whole tone for the album, and while there's often something a bit off about the shredding, it sounds pretty fucking cool I'll admit. I hear elements from Hail Horror Hail, Gallows Gallery and Imaginary Sonicscape, but nothing sounds recycled in any way which makes it fresh. The whole album is a nice mix of hard-listening and ridiculously catchy songs, and it's something that works well, just as it did on In Somniphobia and Imaginary Sonicscape as well.

 

Love album once again from these crazy japanese guys and a girl.

I've been thinking about this for a while. I need to listen again more carefully but I think the time signature has something to do with the weirdness.

[Crube 585]

Embrace the weirdness.

[Bear 1817]

I've been thinking about this for a while. I need to listen again more carefully but I think the time signature has something to do with the weirdness.

 

I'm thinking more about the quality of the shredding, both on the technical and innovative level. I'm not guitarist and there's a chance I'm way off here, but I get the impression he's slightly struggling with the shreds he wrote for himself. Like he's not quite capable to pull them off or something. It all just sounds very sloppy and a bit messy.

 

But as I said, they may have been pulled off perfectly and it's just me who's way off.

[Zeus 7997]

I'm thinking more about the quality of the shredding, both on the technical and innovative level. I'm not guitarist and there's a chance I'm way off here, but I get the impression he's slightly struggling with the shreds he wrote for himself. Like he's not quite capable to pull them off or something. It all just sounds very sloppy and a bit messy.

 

But as I said, they may have been pulled off perfectly and it's just me who's way off.

I listened about 20 times to this riff and I hear a combination of 5/4 + 6/8 + 10/8 before the song jumps into 4/4. Someone with more training and a more musical ear can either support/correct me.

[Bear 1817]

 

Oh dear, that looks stunning.

[Bear 1817]

Started demoing the new song.

 

 

 

 

 

Yes! Do not stop!

 

 

And I got this mail today:

 

 

Hi Bear Bearson,

Thank you for your patience!

We are currently preparing your Blood Music order #6965 for shipping.

Your order will be in the next queue of items to ship. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PROCESS MAY TAKE SEVERAL DAYS OR EVEN WEEKS (in extreme cases).

You should receive another e-mail once your item has shipped.

Thanks for your patience!

You can review your order and download your invoice from the "Order history" section of your customer account by clicking "My account" on our shop.

 

Bam! Finally.

[Bear 1817]

 

It's been about 4 months since Graveward was out and I already started recording the new songs. You may think it's very early but actually we were working on Graveward for several years so definitely it's time for us to move on.

I cannot say anything specific about the new album, but right now I am thinking of making it very spacey. No symphony, no orchestra. Just old keyboards and weird noises. Well, Graveward was supposed to have a similar concept so I am not sure what the new album will sound like in the end though.

 

Good to see he's already started recording stuff.

[Bear 1817]

 

Really bad Scorn Defeat cover photo session outtake.

 

 

 

 

 

That's hilarious as fuck!

[Bear 1817]

An old flyer from one of their gigs:

 

Our first gig outside of Japan. In Dublin 20 years ago.

 

 

Seeing that I came to think of a story that I read half a year ago or so, written by none other than Alan Averill of the mighty Primordial, which is about this evening and a bit more. A very fun read:

 

 

A column from March of this year.....a little underground history

I was racking my brains trying to think of something to write about, what politician has pissed me off this week, what trend in the scene could I take a pot shot at, what general gripe could I have about this and that. I tore muscles in my shoulder, maybe I could write about that? Perhaps the driving incessant rain and tiring wind chill, nothing Irish people like more than whinging about the weather right? Or the lack of.

Then at about 5am in a neat and tidy flat in Helsinki ‘The Knell’ by Sigh came on random on the ipod and we started discussing the finer points of oriental manners and it got me thinking of a story from way back in the day that perhaps might be worth a column.
The year was 1995, Primordial’s debut album ‘Imrama’ had just come out and somehow without email or mobile phones we had organised a week-long tour in support of this with Bal Sagoth, Hecate Enthroned and Sigh throughout the Uk. Sigh were on holidays and had been roped in to play their first ever shows outside of Japan in Ireland and the Uk. In fact their first ever show was in the backroom of an IRA bar in a grimey dirty area of a Dublin that seems to belong to another lifetime, or at least to a different century.

There was of course no stage, monitors or lights to speak of and we built the stage out of pallets and hired in a PA. That day one of the Birmingham six was drinking in the bar out front while we checked the drums. His mate asked could we possibly turn the drums down. A bad omen. Bal Sagoth got lost en route and drove down a one way street straight into an IRA march coming the other way. The rest as they say is history but a chance encounter of unfortunate high farce ended with Bal Sagoth heading straight back for the next ferry without telling anyone. Who could blame them? The sign outside the metal shop read something like ‘Wanted : five Yorkshire lads with swords and beards’. They were back home in time for tea and crumpets before the midnight hour.

 

Back then there was no such thing as security, barriers, soundchecks, in fact anything really resembling order at an underground show in Dublin in the back of a dirty smokey shitty bar. Needless to say the bouncers were flinging kids out from the start as about 150 people crammed into a space fit for less than a 100. The stream of kids crawling back in the toilet window and dropping down headfirst onto the floor was steady and interrupted. The bouncers couldn’t thrown people out fast enough.
Sigh had no instruments, they borrowed ours. There was of course no backstage or changing rooms so they found a crawl space underneath a table down the back to change. We strained to keep the PA up as people milled and pushed in front of the stage. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw a flaming iron glove making its way through the crowd. Sigh’s guitar player had without a mention to anyone brought pyros into a tiny bar and had set his hand alight…..and aloft. Being small of course we could see nothing else than headstocks of guitars pushing their way through the already baying crowd of lunatics and a blazing iron glove just above everyone’s heads. We cleared a small path for them and were met with Sigh replete in hoods, executioner’s cloaks, corpse paint, armed with stage props and pyro. Mirai held a plastic skull with explosives out to the crowd as they managed to make it to the stage, which of course in true Spinal Tap style failed to go off….the glove was doused as the room began to stink of burning leather and petrol, a split second of manic silence allowed the bus driver who had eyes as big as spoons push onto the stage with an angle grinder and start flaying sparks over the crowd. Sigh start into Black Metal by Venom and all hell breaks loose, myself and a mate are holding the PA up, the pallets are breaking, kids falling everywhere into the band, a pit the size of the room, people flinging themselves off the pool table into the crowd. The walls sweated, sparks flew, people fought with the bouncers and Sigh launched into Venom cover after Venom cover. Total and utter mayhem in the true sense of the word. Welcome to Dublin Sigh……

Late at night we tried to find the night bus home with four very tired and confused Japanese tourists as they pulled huge bags of luggage behind them amidst the madness of mid 90s Dublin kicking out time. No easy feat as back then most Dubliners had never even seen Asian people in the flesh let alone with leather jackets Venom shirts and the remnants of the evenings corpse paint. A fight on the night bus home was just par for the course to round the night off, trying to keep Sigh out of one was harder than you can possibly imagine.

 

Later that night we finally made it back to house. Of Course back then we lived with our parents , mine were away….apparently. Next morning I was woken by an irate Irish mother who had come back from holiday one day early to find four completely random Japanese people asleep in the front room. Annoyed? Yes indeed sir, but more annoyed because there was no proper food in the house to feed them. Let them eat carrot cake. Not the way Irish mothers do things.

The next week then consisted of 15 of us in the back of a hi ace van playing to crowds of 15-150 across the Uk, Manchester to Birmingham with two speed addled lunatics in drag driving the van. The female of the pair had a picture of Gladiator Jet taped to the front of her dress and a BO problem that hurt the eyes. He had silver cowboy boots and a pair of chaps. They stayed up all night and angle grinded through the bands set. Hey, it seemed normal at the time. In London a drug dealer fired a gun into the ceiling of the kitchen as we all lay on the floor under the table trying to sleep with nothing but wet leather for comfort. That’s what happens on tour right? Half the young bands I meet now don’t know they’ve even been born. Ryanair was a pipe dream that hadn’t allowed us to see how the other half in Europe lived but I wouldn’t change those days of chaos for anything.

Alan Averill

 

 

A nice read for fans of the band or just good stories from the past.

[Bear 1817]

Satoshi from our First UK tour 20 years ago.

 

 

Me in Dublin 1994 singing Venom with Sigh!!!!

 

That is Alan Averill of Primordial and Mirai of Sigh for those not aware.

[Bear 1817]

 

Still working on the H album.

 

 

 

 

Hellz yeah!

[Crube 585]

I hope they go another round after this at least.