Sigh - I Saw The World's End (Hangman's Hymn MMXXV Rerecorded) (2025) Hi-Res

Mirai Kawashima re-recorded the 2007 concept album Hangman’s Hymn under the new title I Saw The World’s End to address what he saw as major flaws in the original: "sloppy guitars," "monotonous drums," and underwhelming orchestration and vocals. This updated version is not a simple remaster but a complete reworking, reflecting how Kawashima envisioned the album from the start.

The re-recording has been praised for its enhanced production quality. Critics note a dramatic improvement in clarity and instrumental balance. Dan Barnes remarked that it now resembles a “4K Director’s Cut,” with “crystal-clear strings and pristine percussion.” MetalTalk highlights that modern recording techniques have given the album “sonic firepower and symphonic scope,” which were lacking in the original.

Musically, the album merges avant-garde black metal, thrash intensity, and classical orchestration. Blabbermouth describes it as “bold, ingenious and multi-faceted,” particularly emphasizing the closing four-part suite for its integration of “neo-classical menace,” fierce energy, and “heroically unhinged vocals.” Metal Epidemic found the pacing “frenetic and manic,” yet ultimately majestic due to the orchestral arrangements.

The re-recorded album has been widely regarded as a triumphant evolution rather than a replacement. Publications such as GBHBL, This Is Black Metal, and The Midlands Rocks see it as a revitalized and sharpened version of a cult classic, maintaining its original spirit while enhancing its artistic and sonic reach.