Black metal legends Mayhem returned to Tokyo with a bigger stage production and had Sigh as special guests. It turned into a legendary evening in Shibuya.
Mayhem and Sigh at O-East, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan on 10th April 2026
Avant-garde black metal band Sigh, formed in Japan in 1989, has always had a special connection with Mayhem. The 1992 EP “Requiem for the Fools” caught the attention of Euronymous, Mayhem co-founder and guitarist, who signed Sigh to his label Deathlike Silence Records. Sigh’s full-length debut album, “Scorn Defeat”, was released by the label in 1993 (shortly after Euronymous had been murdered). Sigh’s core trio – Mirai Kawashima (vocals), Dr Mikannibal (vocals, saxophone, shamisen) and Nozomu Wakai (guitar) – is complemented by live session musicians on bass and drums.
A Sigh show is always a feast for one’s ears and eyes. Both visually and musically, the band’s take on extreme metal incorporates elements of traditional Japanese music and stage props. As always, there’s a horror element to it all as well, including a skeleton and fake blood.
While it was a short set, the band was on fire. It was a pleasant surprise to hear the song “Curse of Izanagi” (from the 1997 album “Hail Horror Hail”), a song the band hasn’t performed for some two decades.
Suddenly, as the band started to play the final song of the set, seemingly out of nowhere, Kam Lee – of Death and Massacre fame – appeared on stage to perform an aggressive version of Death’s classic “Evil Dead”. What an unexpected treat! Sigh has been covering that song throughout the band’s career, but this was the first time they performed it together with Kam.
Norwegian black metal pioneers Mayhem are a notorious bunch of people. But beyond the reputation and the many infamous stories, there is a great band with a vast catalogue of genre-defining black metal music.
While the band has had many different line-ups since it was founded in 1984, the current line-up has been intact since British guitarist Ghul (ex-Cradle of Filth) joined in 2012. He has proven that he deserves his place in the band next to Necrobutcher on bass, Hellhammer on drums, Attila Csihar on vocals and Teloch on guitar. The band is solid and hardworking. Up front, Attila is a unique and powerful leader who towers above both the music and the audience.
The 19-song setlist had plenty of good stuff, including five tracks from the 1987 EP “Deathcrush”, four from the 1994 debut full-length album “De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas” and three from the fab new album “Liturgy of Death”. It was a terrific black metal show from beginning to end. Standout tracks included excellent versions of “Freezing Moon”, “Cursed in Eternity”, “Weep for Nothing”, “Deathcrush” and “Carnage”.
Compared to their previous Japan shows, they had a much bigger production this time and it helped them deliver a fantastic show, which came to a close with the untouchable “Pure Fucking Armageddon”.
What a triumph in the name of timeless black metal this evening became.
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AloJapan.com