Abaddon magazine

Tag: Sabbat

  • Review: Sabbat / Rito Profanatorio “Sabbatical Rites Into the Pentagram”

    Review: Sabbat / Rito Profanatorio “Sabbatical Rites Into the Pentagram”

    Lebel: Morbid Oath Records

    Date: September 15th, 2024

    Peru is one of these countries which has a border line with Brazil (actually, there are only two ones in South America with no border line with fifth the biggest country of the world). Over there in the capital city, Lima, lives one of my good buddies – Jorge Exterminio. So, as you can see, I’m relentlessly continuing my private life also in this review. Well, there’ll be at least one more like that soon. Anyways, Rito Profanatorio was born in the year 2010 and has no luck with guitarists as far as I know. I mean, bassist/vocalist and drummer are always the same, but guitarists left the band, and now plays the fifth one in not so very long history of the ensemble. So, in this situation that’s not too bad result they have two demos, two albums and three splits (one of them, with Chilean Onslaught Kommand is released by a label of my buddy and at the same time legendary, not only in Poland, zine editor Adam “Skalpel” Stasiak – one more proof I’m a boaster, at least sometimes). Ok, but I think I should start to write about the split I hear now, and which is extremely fresh, because Peruvian Morbid Oath Records released it 15th September. And there’s a reason I’ll write about a little later why I’m so fuckin’ fast with just this review.

    Split contains some tracks of Peruvians and legendary stuff of legendary, but unfortunately mostly in their mother-country, on their continent and into the quite deep underground, Japanese band. What band do I mean? Sabbat, of course! Well, I should say the opposite. I mean, side A of this very limited (to 100 copies) vinyl is dedicated to 1984 in the Kuwana ensemble where the only original member is Masaki “Gezol” Tachi. Anyways, we have an opportunity to listen to four very well-known fans of songs of pure old school black/thrash blasphemy! I can compare this fury in every entire sound only to some English band found in 1979, especially their early works, coming from Newcastle upon Tyne. In my opinion, most of the younger black metal acts can only dream about creating such a masterpiece of musical evil played with such enthusiasm. I of course could write some concerts, even about every song, but I think that’s unnecessary. Freaks like me who love Sabbat don’t need any more to buy it and other ones should check out the band, if they want to be called a real metalheads.

    Side B of “Sabbatical…” is Peruvians’ one. Here are five tracks taken from their previous releases and re-recorded. Also, in this case you have to do with real blasphemy, but in a little another form.  Well, this form of blasphemous sound is quite typic as for Latin America, and somehow especially for Peru. So, now those of you who know something about it, already can stop to read my scribble. Yes, real death/black metal holocaust awaits you here. Just like Japanese legend, residents of Lima take no fuckin’ prisoners and aren’t interested in some displays and stuff like that. It of course doesn’t mean you can’t recognize some guitar tricks or in general very good technique skills, just like in the case mentioned in last paragraph ensemble. But they serve to brutally spread music insanity.

    The LP was released by Peruvian Morbid Oath Records not too long ago. Well, to be honest “Sabbatical…” is quite a fresh item, because its premiere took place September 15th. The number of copies is, as I mentioned before, limited to one hundred. So be fast or be dead! The price is a bit high, but in my opinion it’s worth it. I’m sure some of you would pay even more for this rarity.

  • 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?