Anniversarius is certainly not the first case of a pair of bands covering one another on a split release, but here it's at least two bands that I truly enjoy. It only seems natural that Germany's Desaster and Japan's Sabbat would share an affinity, as they are both pioneers in the world of black/thrash metal and possess a similar level of underground credibility (though Sabbat have been far more prolific in their endless stream of vinyl releases, splits, live Eps, and so forth).This is a short but sweet 7" release; as a standalone value I could only recommend it to diehard vinyl collectors and fans of the bands. Sabbat covers "Porter of Hellgate" from Desaster's A Touch of Medieval Darkness (1996), giving it an even more raw, rehearsal feeling with Gezol's bass playing loud as fuck and vocals slathering in all their rugged charisma. Desaster reaches back further yet, with a treatment of Sabbat's "Darkness and Evil" from their 1988 Desecration EP. The Desaster version is an enhancement in studio quality over both the original and the Sabbat offering on this 7", but judging by the hellish, raw pedigree that both bands have enforced throughout their career, it is unlikely this disparity of sound will affect the intended listeners.
Neither of the bands takes a huge liberty with their chosen track, it's more of a tribute to one another and themselves: Sabbat for 25 years of existence, and Desaster for 20 years (Desaster even pays lip service to Sabbat at the end of their cover). These are both phenomenal bands, and if you're not currently owning at least their studio output then I've a mind that you are blissfully ignorant at best, or a rotten stinking poseur! That being said, this isn't the place to start if you're just getting into them. 7" and 7 minutes of energetic, primal black thrash metal.
Verdict: Win [777/10] (holy cross, sink with light)
http://www.total-desaster.com/
http://welcome.to/sabbat/
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