Sigh

A sexy Japanese black-metal chick who records topless, drinks blood and eats bugs, you say?

Combining her given name, Mika, with cannibal and applying the Dr. after she received her Ph.d. in physics, Dr. Mikannibal was born 10 years ago while fronting a death-metal band. However, her stage persona is much different than her home life in Florida, where she works as a scientist and has lived for the past year and a half.

She's known for wearing skimpy leather skirts and lingerie on stage and dripping hot wax from candles seductively on her body. With her long silky black hair and a saxophone draped over her slinky body, she headbangs menacingly while belting out the fiercest black-metal lyrics. Dr. Mikannibal is visually and aurally a significant element to the intriguing sound of Sigh.

Sigh has been going on nearly 20 years and has continuously been pushing the boundaries within the black-metal scene. Their eighth studio album, "Scenes From Hell," will be released Jan. 19. This release also marks the original album debut from the Dr., who was recently named one of the “Sexiest Women in Metal” by Revolver magazine.

Speaking from her home in Florida, Dr. Mikannibal talked about her recording rituals, eating bugs and Sigh's new album.

Metal Mayhem: First off, I can't help but comment that you are rather attractive and have a sexy stage persona. How do you feel to know that a lot of men, and women for that matter, feel this way about you?
Dr. Mikannibal: I don't mind at all. I am glad that people look at me that way. I do wear sexy costumes, and I wear less clothes than other metal chicks do in other bands. It's not intentional. I don't do it to try and get attention from men. I just wear what I wear because I like it. I love myself, my looks and my body, and I like to show it off on stage. That's the whole idea.

MM: So you don't mind being called a sex symbol?
DM: No, I don't mind being called a sex symbol at all.

MM: Tell me about your rules while recording.
DM: About getting naked? Well, I'm not totally naked, but I'm topless when I record at home or in the studio. When I come home, the first thing I do is to take off my clothes. It's just normal for me to take off my clothes at home. When I'm recording, I'm just more comfortable that way. I don't like to sweat a lot, it makes me uncomfortable.

MM: So are you naked now?
DM: (Laughs) No, I am not naked now.