Interview with Mirai of SIGH

CRITICALTOM: I haven’t heard your other albums, but this one is incredible. How is it similar or different from the others?

MIRAI: It is hard to tell. Many people say it sounds different. It was our first time to use so many synthesizers. It has more of a rock feeling. We used to play faster rock music.

CRITICALTOM: Do you have a label you like to call your music? Avante gard? Psychadelic?

MIRAI: I don’t care what you call our music as long as it is not black metal. That limits our listeners. I don’t think it is avant gard. But as rock I think it is not that uncommon. Psychadelic is a good word.

CRITICALTOM: Are you a fan of the Beach Boys or the Beatles?

MIRAI: Yes. I love Pet Sounds and all the Beatles albums. Brian Wilson tried to write pop songs with a symphonic sound. We trying to do the same thing.

CRITICALTOM: How often do you play shows in Japan?

MIRAI: Once a month or about once every two months. The Japanese scene is very small, but German melodic power metal bands are very big here in Japan. Bands like Helloween and such.

CRITICALTOM: Many Western metal bands are very anti-religious, would you say the same about Sigh?

MIRAI: I really do not think so because in Japan most people are mostly atheists. If you claim to believe in God, people think you are weird. Of course we are interested in the occult.

CRITICALTOM: If I understand correctly, a person can be Buddhist or Shinto without really believing in God.

MIRAI: Religion is more like tradition. People are largely Buddhists in practice, i.e., weddings, etc.

CRITICALTOM: Are you interested in philosophy? On the album there was the song, "Nietzschean Conspiracy" . . .

MIRAI: The lyrics were written by Bard "Faust" Eithun. He e-mailed me and sent me the lyrics. The lyrics he wrote were very well thought out. He is very intelligent.

CRITICALTOM: What are your influences for lyrics

MIRAI: Most of the lyrics I wrote this time were about my personal experience. About life and death, the fear of getting old, etc.

CRITICALTOM: Do you have a song structure when you begin, or do you just see what happens?

MIRAI: The song structure is very important. We keep changing it until we like it. We record the basic tracks and listen to them for a few months. Then we make changes. If you can listen to it for a long time, you can follow the music easily.

CRITICALTOM: What’s been a really good experience for Sigh?

MIRAI: Touring the U.S. and Europe was a great thing.

CRITICALTOM: Will there be any kind of a tour? Won’t Century Media help?

MIRAI: We have no plans right now. Yeah, Century Media is very supportive.

CRITICALTOM: Cacophonous didn’t help you much did they? Did they pay royalties?

MIRAI: No. They haven’t done anything and we haven’t received any royalties at all.

CRITICALTOM: I’ve heard they’re going bankrupt or something. A lot of other bands have had trouble.

MIRAI: Think about all the bands that left Cacophonous and have been successful: Cradle of Filth, Bal Sagoth, Dimmu Borgir, etc. If they had done a good job, they would be the biggest metal label in the world.

CRITICALTOM: Why did you choose the name "Sigh"?

MIRAI: We wanted a name that was easy to remember. But we wanted something that is original. You may sigh when you are happy, or when sad, etc. It covers a broad range of emotional experiences.

CRITICALTOM: Influences?

MIRAI: Influences are very broad. As far as metal goes, we listened to a lot of 1980’s bands: Venom, Celtic Frost, Deathrow. American bands. We prefer dirty, heavier stuff.

CRITICALTOM: You guys have been a band for ten years now. How old are you?

MIRAI: I’m 31, the guitarists is 32, and the drummer is 29.

CRITICALTOM: are you a classically trained pianist?

MIRAI: Yes. I’ve taken piano lessons for twenty years. I did study music in college, but I wanted a broader range of training than what you get there. I did this on my own. I included the piano piece on the album to show how fast I can play the piano.

CRITICALTOM: Are people individualistic in Japan, or are you something of a renegade?

MIRAI: Not at all. I don’t think Japanese people are creative like the people in the U.S. or Europe. So yeah, I’m a little different.

CRITICALTOM: Thanks for your time and I hope to see you someday here in the U.S.

MIRAI: Thank you.

07/05/01 for me. 07/06/01 for Mirai.