SABBAT are legends of underground metal. 2024 marks their 40th year of creating pure blacking heavy metal. As they enter their fifth decade, the Japanese horde has returned 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 allows no respite from its opening blast to its epic coda, with eight tracks of Japanese blacking 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, with distinct movements and a tasteful melodicism that constantly reminds the listener that they are in the presence of the genuine article. Gezol’s tortured vocals howl in a manner truly unnerving, with Ginoir’s implacable guitar work recalling MERCYFUL FATE. Album 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