Review: Sigh – I Saw the World’s End-Hangman’s Hymn MMXXV

Review by Jeger

Sigh – I Saw the World’s End-Hangman’s Hymn MMXXV

Record Label: Peaceville Records

Year: 2025

Rating: 8.5/10

Japanese Black Metal avant-gardists, Sigh – are renowned the world over since their early Deathlike Silence days for their uncompromising approach to the formulation of the darkest craft. 12, soon to be 13 studio LPs make up their vast discography, and that doesn’t even include their many EPs, splits and compilations. To describe Sigh’s music as Avant-garde would be a mere scratch upon the surface of what this band is capable of: symphonic, complex and increasingly experimental has been their output since the beginning. Birthed by the womb of Kuchisake-Onna on some mystical eve in Tokyo back in the Second Wave golden year of 1990, Sigh is one of the original Second Wave of Black Metal projects. Now, 35 years later, as the genre has evolved into the most versatile Extreme Metal movement, Sigh is here to once again remind us of just how astonishing their music is, and just how enthralling Black Metal can be. On June 13, Sigh will release “I Saw The World’s End (Hangman’s Hymn MMXXV)” – a re-recording of their 2007 opus, “Hangman’s Hymn”, via the illustrious Eisenwald.

Sigh

“Hangman’s Hymn”, in its original form, is a specimen of a Black Metal album: Symphonic, Thrash-driven and inspired. Production quality is modest in observance of the Black Metal way. There’s not much texture and it feels a bit one-dimensional, as if every phase is encapsulated under the surface; just throbbing to break through. Sigh mastermind, Mirai, proclaimed the following about the record: “Hangman’s Hymn”, which was released in 2007, is one of my best compositions of my whole career, but it does not necessarily mean that this is my favorite Sigh album. The excessively monotonous drumming must be the biggest issue. The guitars are sloppy. The production is far from the best. And my orchestrations and vocals could have been much better.”

Couldn’t agree more… But damn is it still an impactful album. Now, the tables have turned, and Mirai is taking a shot at redemption. What a difference! Vibrant and glaring as far as production quality. Everything has been adjusted and tuned up to the point that the mix is air-tight. Mirai provides a more layered vocal contribution where every maniacal laugh and every fiendish guttural creates a villainous vibe – a wicked overseer over the music, casting curses and lamentations over it as would a Witch over her ritualistic circle. Aside from its grandiose symphonic elements, it’s this grimy ’80s thrash vibe that really sets the record off; redolent to the Teutonic Big 4: Destruction, Kreator, Sodom and Tankard level fury, but enriched by Borgir-like symphonies and majestic choirs. As far as the record’s Black Metal core, this is very much a Nordic happening, as I’m reminded of the mighty Emperor and their genre-dominant level of compositional prowess.

Remixes, Remasters and re-recordings are often travesties, but that is not the case here. With “I Saw The World’s End” (Hangman’s Hymn MMXXV), Sigh does what was a rather disjointed album justice. A Mulligan of a dignified kind is ISTWE. This record is a testament to the oaken will and the brilliant vision of Mirai and his bandmates.