Band:	Sabbat (JPN)
Album:	Sabbaticult
Style:	Black metal, Thrash metal
Release date:	April 06, 2024
A review by:	AndyMetalFreak

01. Sabbaticult
02. Desecration
03. Oh, My Baby 666
04. Satanic Witches Fire
05. Black Metal Tornado
06. Sabbatrinity
07. Witches' Mountain
08. Kanashibari The Dwelling (Eternal Curse 7x3)

This album marks the return of Japan's blackened thrash Sabbaticult.

Sabbat (JPN) (formerly known as Evil) are a Japanese thrash metal band (not to be mistaken for English thrash group Sabbat) that formed back in 1983, and, following 5 EPs, would eventually release their full-length debut Envenom in 1991. It still amazes me how much this band has remained hidden under the radar; however, perhaps they have gone unrecognized partially due to the fact that they're no mere standard traditional thrash band, but rather have an appetite for all things unholy, blackened, and sinister. Their style not only stems back to the early roots of traditional thrash but also incorporates elements of classic black metal, making them arguably one of the first bands to introduce the subgenre we all know today as blackened thrash. I'd even go as far to say they were equally important as Celtic Frost, Bathory, Venom and Hellhammer in helping shape today's modern black metal, influencing the likes of Darkthrone and Mayhem that would go on to establish the Norwegian second wave of black metal.

The band is essentially a trio, consisting of founding member Masaki "Gezol" Tachi (bass/vocals), Zorugelion (drums/vocals), and new arrival Ginoirin (guitars), who joined the line-up in 2021. This newlook version of Sabbat (JPN) have returned after a 13-year absence with their 11th full-length release to date, one that also marks the band's staggering 40-year anniversary. When compared with the modern blackened thrash scene, what does this latest release offer? And more to the point, do they still manage to hold up well against the modern powerhouses such as Hellripper, Midnight, and Skeletonwitch? In the beginning, Sabbat (JPN) were mostly known for possessing a raw, unpolished, and old-school sound and energy, similar to that of early Bathory, and, to a degree, this raw sound has remained throughout their discography. However, the instrumentation on this latest album isn't nearly as muffled; the sharp edgy tone remains very much the same as always, but each element is presented in a much clearer manner, with the main standout feature being the bass presence, which remarkably is just as striking as the guitars and percussion.

This is all evidently clear on the opening title track "Sabbaticult", which is, simply put, nothing more than classic blackened thrash; it contains all the sinister, aggressive and punkish edge that they and bands such as Celtic Frost and Venom presented back in the day. This features the usual aggressive old-school vocals, with Gezol still performing his trademark high-pitched screams and wails along the way, accompanied by breakneck shredding solos, ferocious thrash riffs, rapid stylistic drumming, and the strikingly clear heavy bass lines I noted earlier as a standout feature. "Desecration" then follows with a less blackened and ferocious approach, opting for more groove and catchiness, but once again the sound is raw and authentic while still keeping every element crystal clear. These early songs demonstrate that the spirit of early traditional blackened thrash remains, albeit with a slightly modernized and clearer production.

Unfortunately there's nothing remarkable or innovative about the songwriting up to this point; it's fairly predictable even if they've nailed things performance-wise. However, one might hope for the band to finish on a high note, with a closing song clocking over 8 minutes in length: "Kanashibari The Dwelling". Breaking things up is a soft creepy atmospheric opening passage that gets reintroduced later in the track, but following that it's back to business, the song being driven by a fairly catchy tremolo riff whilst often altering in tempo. Still, the closing section of the song features an eerie, haunting narrative whisper, ending in horror-like cinematic fashion in the vein of Mercyful Fate. Overall, it's a quality fun, energetic song despite not being entirely unexpected, making up for what is otherwise quite a predictable and slightly underwhelming album. There's no attempt to reinvent the wheel in any way, or blow your mind with technicality; this is very simple, in-your-face, ferocious blackened thrash, exactly as the band have been producing for the past 4 decades. Sabbaticult still shows signs that they have what it takes, but I'm just not sure for how much longer they can continue.