Abaddon magazine

Tag: Nuclear War Now! Productions

  • Review: Sabbat – Sabbaticult

    Review: Sabbat – Sabbaticult

    Label: Nuclear War Now! Productions / Evil Horn Records / Old Library Records / Iron Pegasus Records / Skol Records

    Date: April 6th, 2024

    For any given band out there, when you say there’s a thirteen years distance between two albums, it would mean they’ve been either lazy or on a hiatus. Not Sabbat, though. Since 2011’s “Sabbatrinity”, they’ve published countless releases. If Agathocles are the kings of split releases, then Sabbat rules the kingdom of live recordings. Their collectors are suffering all nine circles of Dante’s hell. This album alone has vinyl editions on two labels, cassette editions also on two and even three versions of the CD, one being an exclusive digibook. My condolences if you want them all…

    Meanwhile, the music of these legendary “samurai zombies” doesn’t change a single bit. And why should it!? Forty years into their existence, they are still unrivaled. Their native heavy thrash metal hasn’t even got a decent imitator and is therefore easy to keep quite fresh throughout such a lengthy career. Such is the case with “Sabbaticult”, too. A well-balanced record, between raw harshness and melodic delicateness. Surely, the ecstatic sharp edge of the early years has dissipated, but it was replaced with thought of compositional elegance. As much as we can even discuss elegance with an aggressively Satan-inclined band, such as Sabbat.

    Their fans are pretty much used to the scenario they can expect out of the trio. Underlining the utter evil in the lyrics, Sabbat is driven by traditional, folk infused lead guitars and, often, solos. Surrounding them are perfectly ordinary thrashing riffs and rhythms and classic 1980s heavy metal aura. Gezol’s voice also keeps to the style which was invented and perfected by early thrashing black metal bands. Even if within his voice lays a distinct Japanese foundation, it is still an epitome of “darkness and evil”.

    Basically, these eight tracks are expected, a mix between Sabbat’s regular bangers and atmospheric heavy metal passages that invoke the vilest of the ancient Japanese traditions. Whichever way you prefer, you’ll get your dose on “Sabbaticult”. Title track which also opens the record, its follower “Desecration”, “Black Metal Tornado” or “Witches’ Mountain”, take a pick. There’s no wrong with this band.

    Unless you’re not a fan of this type of metal. But you’re not reading these lines if you’re not a fan, are you? So, fear not! Black metal samurais didn’t go anywhere!

    P. S. In case you are wandering, yes, they’ve kept to the tradition of putting the title track of the previous album on the next one. “Sabbatrinity” is song number six on “Sabbaticult”. It’s just that they haven’t saved the song “Sabbaticult” for the next full length. Are they telling us something?

     

  • Review: Grand Celestial Nightmare – Excluded from Light and the Pleroma

    Review: Grand Celestial Nightmare – Excluded from Light and the Pleroma

    Label: New Era Productions / Nuclear War Now! Productions

    Date: March 31st, 2022

    There are certain things I will never understand. It’s not the one-man bands per se, but the need to create a whole pile of them is beyond me. Looking to become a single person Nunslaughter? Okay, cool, but the quality of produced material is bound to suffer.

    I can understand that one has a vast musical taste and is looking to explore as many as possible. But the man who calls himself Mories goes all in. I cannot even count how many of his one-man projects have released something in 2021 alone. Even Grand Celestial Nightmare has a full length record published a year ago. Okay, these are still the plague-ridden times and I guess there is enough time to play around. But still, it’s as if the man lives in the studio 24/7.

    Naturally, I do not have the time or the willpower to explore each and every one of his projects. However, regarding “Excluded from Light and the Pleroma”, I must say it’s not half as bad as I expected when doing the research. It’s a nice little combination of Hellenic black metal and symphonic black metal of the early northern heroes. Basically, the Mediterranean melodies we’ve been introduced to by Rotting Christ, Varathron and, above all I would say, Kawir, at a crossroad with early Catamenia’s keyboard extravaganza. A weird combination, not often heard, but it somehow works out. I mean, it’s not like Grand Celestial Nightmare created Dr. Frankenstein’s monster. It’s fitted together in a manner that makes it sound quite natural.

    Fact is that Mories has achieved that the guitars and keyboards take turns in guiding the listener through the album. One is quite humbly sitting in the background while the other takes the lead. And there are some real nice passages on both, which stand as a testament to there being quality in Grand Celestial Nightmare.

    But here’s the trouble. There’s just not enough of them. At times, the listener might just observe the minimalist approach which drags him/her to thoughts of this just being another easily forgettable experience, no matter if there are outstanding moments on the record. Both the guitars and keyboards are sometimes just “bystanders” in the creative whole, sounding as if it’s just one more day at the office. I could add drums to this equation as well. While they do bring out the dynamics at times, at others they are just there, simply existing without bringing that extra boost to the music at hand.

    The vocals are the one aspect of Grand Celestial Nightmare that keep to the same standard throughout. Albeit, I would prefer if they were pushed a bit further up in the mix.

    I do believe this band would greatly benefit from adding a couple of imaginative musicians. A keyboardist and a drummer are almost a must. They would definitely bring the band up a couple of notches. Particularly since the general idea behind Grand Celestial Nightmare is one that could turn heads towards this Dutch project.