SABBAT - Sabbaticult (12" Gatefold LP on Black Vinyl, English Version - Iron Pegasus)

SABBAT are legends of underground metal, and 2024 marks their 40th year of creating pure blackened heavy metal. As they enter their fifth decade, the Japanese horde returns with their tenth full-length album, "Sabbaticult." It's a rare feat for an extreme metal band to retain such relentless integrity for so many years, and rarer still for that intensity to grow with time. Yet, "Sabbaticult" shows that Gezol and his fellow maniacs, Ginoir (guitars) and Zorugelion (drums), have indeed outdone themselves.

This record offers no respite from its opening blast to its epic coda, with eight tracks of Japanese blackened heavy metal thrash in the tradition of VENOM, early BATHORY, and Sodom. But rather than sticking to a formula, SABBAT employs a deft compositional aptitude that has deep roots in traditional heavy metal, featuring distinct movements and a tasteful melodicism that constantly reminds the listener they are in the presence of the genuine article. Gezol's tortured vocals howl in a truly unnerving manner, while Ginoir's implacable guitar work recalls the sound of MERCYFUL FATE.

The album's closer, "Kanashibari," provides a stunning epilogue, standing comfortably alongside classics like "Mion's Hill" in the group's canon. This is an essential release for fans of extreme underground metal.