Sabbat - Sabbatrinity (2011)

It's hard to believe that Japan's Sabbat have not put out a new, original full-length album in eight years, but instead they've kept themselves busy with dozens of live efforts, splits and EPs through obscure imprints; most of which seem to instantly become collector's relics by means of their scarcity. However, seeing that they're one of the best metal bands in the world, I feel that Gezol and crew deserve our patience. As they prove with Sabbatrinity, it really pays off for us in the end, because this is yet another rush of truly senile black, thrash, speed and traditional heavy metal aesthetics with more charisma than any ten other hand-picked nostalgia addict bands.

The production here is perfect for the band's intentions, but it is by no means modern, so expect the same repressed live feeling you've felt with their past albums. Delicious, delirious, well written proto-black evil is rampant in riff-fests like "Black Metal Scythe" and "Total Destruction", the interaction between Gezol's distorted bass lines and the leads of Damiazell prove that the band can easily survive the loss of long time guitarist Temis Osmond. Sabbat truly strips everything down the basics, writing songs that sounds as if they've escaped straight out of the 80s and early 90s, rather than 'trying to sound' that way. "Witchflight", "Witch Hammers", and "Ravens Tell" are all great fun, but I felt that the truly standout tracks were "Northern Satanism" with its bristling, infernal energies and grave-borne, ghast-spun vocals; and "Root of Ultimate Evil" with its choppy thrashing and mix of Gezo's ghoulish and higher pitched presence. "Witch's Torches" is another exciter, with a thick, workmanlike rhythm section that drags you straight back to Slayer's Hell Awaits or Show No Mercy, with an added trace of Venom. The album's closer, an instrumental called "Witch's Weed", is breathtaking, as its guitar leads rip along over the ominous pipe organs, evoking the campy occult horror that the band is so endeared and loyal to.

Sabbatrinity sounds old. Old and dark. Like a friend that has been away on a long voyage, come back from the mist of obfuscation to once again share a fire and a few tales with you. Blessed (or cursed) by the authenticity that so few bands can muster when they've run out of ideas and simply photocopy the muse of those past. And that's because they are old, going on 27 years of existence without once changing their direction to suit the flashy trends that have come and gone. If you're into any of this legends' past material, or really any of the early wave of black metal influences (Venom, Mercyful Fate, Bathory, Bulldozer, Piledriver, etc.) then you already know what to expect. This is the real deal, so spill your purses. throw your goddamn horns and elbow the nearest poseur as hard as possible. It's not necessarily perfect, but then, neither are you.

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

http://welcome.to/sabbat/

Sabbat - The Seven Deadly Sins EP (1990)

Like many of the masters hanging out at the margins of the cult metal scene, the evil clergy of Sabbat introduced themselves through a number of 'getting to know you' EPs and demos that spanned the 80s. It wasn't until 1991 that they would unveil their first full-length blasphemy Envenom, and by that time they had already established themselves as one of the most sinister fringe acts in the international abyss. And considering Japan's love affair for all things melodic, glam and speed metal in the 80s, it can't have been easy for this diabolic band who had far more in common with Venom, Bathory, Slayer and Mercyful Fate than Loudness, Anthem and X Japan. Yet they persisted, and today they command a vast underground respect, a massive body of releases through any do it yourself label that would have them, and several worldwide tours under the bullet belts.

The Seven Deadly Sins is just one of many EPs the band issued prior to their debut, and due to its limited run of 500, chances are you'll have to find the three tracks gathered on other releases or use whatever illicit means you can to acquire them. There are about 12 minutes of music here, with "Possessed the Room (Kanashibari)" clocking in at half the play length, and the other tracks only half as long as that. Like most of Sabbat's better songs, "Possessed..." is a horrific experience which feels like a Japanese King Diamond sniffing lines of cocaine as he counters his shrill falsetto shrieking with some death growls. The riffs here rock, if simply: Gezol's bass is loud as it swishes around the bottom like an abyssal catfish, sucking up the excrement of Elizaveat's fuzzy guitar tone. The solo is begins all sloppy and twisted, then it rages with clarity, and the band never once detracts from their unique atmosphere.

The primary riff of "Sacrifice of an Angel" sounds extremely similar to Death Angel's "Evil Priest" (from The Ultra-Violence), only with Gezol's deeper, disgusting vocals. However, the rest of the track diverts into another wild lead with some hot lead wardrumming over the bridge, as the vocals break into a dirty rhythmic chant. "Crying in Last" is actually my favorite of the three tracks here, with a similar riff to "Sacrifice of an Angel" but a little more spastic and with a built in breakdown where the bass hammers and the band readies itself for another Satanic penetration.

Acquiring this EP would be a tall order, so I recommend instead tracking down a copy of the 2004 compilation Sabbatical Holocaust, which contains not only The Seven Deadly Sins, but a slew of other demo and EP tracks culled from the band's 1985-1990 output. The good kind of compilation that saves you a whole lot of pain if you're not an obsessed, deranged collector of demos, vinyls or rare CDs. These aren't numbered among the band's best songs, but the material stands on its own as another example of how Sabbat manage to convert elements of filthy 80s thrash and speed to the blackish, horrific environment that would later spawn some of their finest works.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10] (I feel an uncommon cold)

http://welcome.to/sabbat/

Desaster & Sabbat - Anniversarius EP (2009)

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/

Sabbat - The Dwelling (1996)

The Dwelling is an anomaly amidst the massive discography that is Sabbat's career; a single, hour long composition that weaves a solitary tale of horror. It's an outstanding achievement for an already impressive band, and it remains my single favorite album from these Japanese deviants. The tale itself is not quite a masterpiece, but it manages to include just about every occult metal meme needed: witches, rituals, damnation, you name it, the song covers it.

I'm a collecter of Death mask,
The greatest artist
MY sinful creation which is not created by god's,
But sometimes you gaze into me, laughing into me,
Harmonies from the inferno,
Melodies from hell to hell

"The Dwelling - The Melody of the Death Mask" is a long trip into the shadows of classic horror, given breath by the piecemeal Engrish of Gezol's inner demons. The use of piano and multiple vocals is one of the few traits that distinguishes it from their other work, but much of the album is traditional, black thrashing speed akin the band's other full length albums. Aside from the grating snarls of Gezol's, there are all manner of ghostly voices, which at first might seem silly, but actually imbue the work with a great deal of character (and a little Mercyful Fate-King Diamond eeriness). The album is loaded with great riffs, haunting atmospheric elements, and quality leads, but to point out specific locations would rob you of listening through in its entirety, so I'm not goint there. But the album ranges from the momentum of the band's faster speed metal style, to a traditional doom and gloom.

This is the perfect album for a colder autumn night, sitting in your chalk pentagram with a cup of aromatic tea, candles lit about you, a breeze slowly fanning their flames, perhaps naked, perhaps naked with a beautiful girl (or guy). You can take almost any old horror film, silent or not, turn off the volume, and play The Dwelling instead. You will discover many terrors in the subtext.
It is one of the albums I most associate with personal nostalgia for the Halloween season, and the most depth you are likely to ever experience from Sabbat.

Verdict: Epic Win [10/10] (doubtfully shining from venomask)

http://welcome.to/sabbat/