EXCLUSIVE IN-STUDIO REPORT FROM SIGH’S MIRAI KAWASHIMA, PART V: ON BEING IN THE SMELLY STUDIO
When Sigh mainman Mirai Kawashima offered to do a series of blogs from the studio where the band is recording their new album, Scenes from Hell, it was an opportunity too cool for us to pass up. Below find Mirai’s third entry; you can find his first one here, his second one here, his third one here, and his fourth one here. Enjoy!
OK, this time we’ll give you the real studio report. So there’ll be no Dr. Mikannibal’s nude. I’m very sorry about that.
We’ve been in the studio for a while. Well, it’s a good studio. The engineer is great, so is the equipment. But the problem is the smell. The studio is in the basement and it smells very bad, it’s got a typical “basement” smell, you know, something truly musty and stale. And what’s worse is that the smell haunts you even after you leave the studio. I’ve already washed my hair twice, but I can still detect it…
Anyway the brass, woodwind and string quartet parts are all done. Drums, bass and guitars are done. Yes, we’re almost there. The vocals are still being recorded, though. And the mixing process will be hectic, but now we can clearly see the final shape of the album.
The recording process hasn’t been easy at all. Especially the drummer, Junichi, had to go through a truly tough time to finish up the drum parts, which are probably the fastest and the most rhythmically-complex in Sigh’s songs. He did pretty well and I’m truly content with the result, it’s so intense and powerful.
Usually I’m always disappointed a little bit at the result of the recording. That’s because I have the ideal of the songs in my head beforehand and I have to listen to the gap between that and the actually recorded stuff. However, this time some of the recorded material exceeded the ideal I’d had in my head, which surprised me a lot.
Also my throat condition has been very good. I was participating in a certain band’s recording as a vocalist for a while, and it’s been keeping my throat warmed up. I always tried to scream at the top of my long, but this time I’m controling my throat more. Don’t get me wrong, the vocals aren’t mild at all, or rather it’s even more intense. I’m controling my throat to put more overtones in my voice to make it sound far more violent. I’m also taking in some throat singing technique for the harsh screaming.
Anyway Scenes from Hell will be literally the musical description of hell. This could be something even beyond my expectation. It won’t take long till it’s all done.
Also the cover artwork is almost done, and I can’t wait to reveal it. This reflects the music of the album perfectly.
And I must say sorry again about no Dr. Mikannibal nude. I expect less than 3 comments coming…
-MK
Sigh’s new album, Scenes from Hell, will be out later this year on The End Records.
