It can be said that the story of SABBAT started in 1983 when a band called EVIL consisting of Gezol (b), Ozny (g), Elizaveat (g) Valvin (d) and Toshiya (v) was formed. Except for Ozny the rest of the guys had been playing together since 1981 in high school bands like ABURAMUSHI, HOT ROD and BLACK BEAST. With the high school bands the name of the game was mostly playing covers of NWOBHM acts like IRON MAIDEN and DEMON but with EVIL the aims were immediately set higher. The band started to write material of their own and the first gig was played in August 1983.

In early 1984 Toshiya left the band and Gezol started to take care of vocals as well. During the summer the foursome decided to make the band number one priority in their lives and the name of the band is changed for SABBAT. The foundation for the history of a time to come was laid and during the autumn SABBAT delivered their hard, raw and fast metal spiced with VENOM covers to the audiences in their home town Kuwana and surrounding areas.

In April 1985 SABBAT hit the studio to record two songs for their first single. The single was released by Gezol’s own record label Evil Records and the pressing was 300 copies. In June SABBAT went through the first line-up change as Gezol’s brother Samm (a.k.a Gero) replaced Valvin behind the drum kit.

In 1986 SABBAT were busy playing gigs throughout Japan which resulted in apperance at Under The Castle festival in August 3rd that was broadcasted on TV. Everything seemed to go smoothly for the band but less than two weeks later they found themselves in a middle of a crisis. SABBAT had gigs booked for two nights in Tokyo but after the first show the hot headed axeman Ozny beat the living daylights out of a guy who had given him the finger during the show. SABBAT played the second night without Ozny as trio. Two weeks later Ozny played one more gig with SABBAT but after that it was mutually agreed that he was out of the band and SABBAT would continue as a trio.

In June 1987 SABBAT entered the studio again to record their second 7″ entitled ‘Born By Evil Blood’. Again the record was released by Evil Records and things looked bright until August came with yet another setback. Because of a death in the family circle Gezol and Samm decided to stop playing live. The farewell show was played in Nagoya on September 13th in front of only 43 people.

The decision not to play live wasn’t the end of SABBAT – quite the opposite really. In October the band was in the studio again and in early 1988 Evil Records released The third 7″ enetiled ‘Desecration’, and a year later ‘The Devil’s Sperm Is Cold…’ 7″ saw the dark of the night.

With these 7″ singles and EP’s SABBAT had started to gain popularity also outside of Japan and in early 1989 Gezol wanted to return to the limelight. Unfortunately Elizaveat wasn’t quite as fond of the idea and Samm had already joined SACRIFICE. Despite all this SABBAT played a gig in May with one-night-only line-up: Gezol (b), Barraveat (g), Zorugelion (d) and Possessed Hammer (v). Eventually Gezol succeeded to persuade Elizaveat to play live with SABBAT one more time and the official reunion gig was played October 10th with the following line-up: Gezol (b/v), Elizaveat (g) and Zorugelion (d).

Zorugelion was now officially a member of the band replacing his old band mate Samm permanently behind the SABBAT drum kit. Unfortunately the agreement with Elizaveat was for one show only, so in order to keep on playing live SABBAT had to find a new guitar player.

Finding the right guy to replace Elizaveat was far from being easy and SABBAT didn’t play a single show in 1990 but the fifth 7″ on Evil Records was released. ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’ EP consisted of three songs recorded with Samm still on drums. Although unwilling to play live Elizaveat agreed to help SABBAT in the studio until a new guitar player was found. This made it possible for SABBAT to record a demo tape called ‘Sabbatical Demon’ which is Zorugelion’s first studio recording with the band. And also SABBAT’s only official demo!

All of a sudden almost a year had passed since the re-union gig and there was still no sign of a suitable guitar player. In fact the two shows played in 1989 were the only shows SABBAT had played during the last three years! Without a new guitarist there would not be any gigs and without any gigs the only sensible option is to go to studio and this is exactly what SABBAT did in October 1990. With Elizaveat doing the guitars the threesome started to record SABBAT’s debut full lenght album ‘Envenom’. The recordings were almost finished when a guy called Temis Osmond was discovered and it was soon clear he was the guitar player SABBAT had desperately been looking for.

Temis Osmond played a couple of solos on ‘Envenom’ and although in the album credits he is mentioned only as a special guest he was a full member replacing Elizaveat when the CD came out in 1991 (on Evil Records of course). After a long struggle with line-up problems SABBAT were suddenly in a most desirable situation. A fresh debut album out and a new line-up – Gezol (b/v), Temis Osmond (g/v) and Zorugelion (d) – more than willing to launch the band into worldwide success.

In September 1991 SABBAT flied to Europe to promote the band and create contacts. A gig was planned in Germany but it never became a reality. There were also plans that Austrian label Lethal Record would release ‘Envenom’ in Europe but nothing happened.

In early 1992 it was time to enter the studio again to record the second full lenght album with Temis Osmond doing all the guitars for the first time. And not only did Temis Osmond play all the guitars but he also shared the lead vocals with Gezol. And also Zorugelion did his share of vocals. ‘Evoke’ CD was released in summer 1992 by Evil Records.

Keeping the Sabbatical momentum going was extremely important so there was no rest for the blacking die hard hamaguri metal machine. In December 1992 SABBAT were in studio again in order to record their third album. And on top of this Japan’s number one underground metal magazine F.E.T.U. released its 13th issue in January 1993 which was dedicated to SABBAT. 33 out of the 36 pages of the magazine were full of SABBAT interviews, pictures and detailed info. The third album ‘Disembody’ was released by Evil Record in early 1993 but already in the autumn SABBAT were back in the studio again.

1994 was to be the 10th anniversary for the band so a special anniversary album consisting of re-recorded versions of old songs was recorded in autumn 1993 but this anniversary album was not going to be the next SABBAT release! In early 1994 SABBAT recorded the fourth album ‘Fetishism’ and the CD was swiftly released by Evil Records. And right after ‘Fetishism’ they released the first part of the anniversary album entitled ‘Black Up Your Soul…’ featuring Elizaveat as a special guest. And the 10th anniversary celebrations would not have been perfect without a special live show that took place in Nagoya on June 6th. During the show the band was joined by special guest stars Samm (d) and Ozny (g)!

On top of all celebration SABBAT got a record released outside of Japan for the first time. In the autumn Holycaust Record from USA released a MCD entitled ‘Sabbatical Devilucifer’ that consisted of old unreleased demo recordings. The following year Italian label Entropy Records re-released the debut album ‘Envenom’ for the European markets. The hard work started to pay off finally as even the most bone headed metal maniacs around the world started to acknowledge SABBAT’s supreme blacking metal. There was nothing that could stop SABBAT now…

Your Band Kicks So Much Ass!!

The underground Heavy Metal scene is certainly not for everyone. From the dreams of glitz and glamour that certain giants from the 80s and even modern bands that thrive from paycheck to paycheck, making it is the be all end all for some. Not that there is anything wrong with living off of what you love to do. It’s just almost scary how certain members of the human race can turn their integrity inside out at the flip of a dollar and history has proven, with exception (always), success to do more harm than good, especially if a band has or had any kind of staying power. Greed is a terrible thing. For others, its not always about being in the Top 40, having your video on Headbangers Ball, being on a major label, sharing the stage with the most happening band(s), free scrotum waxing, getting a gold record, etc. Some don’t care too much about that. Metal is a lifestyle to some and that has definitely been proven over the years by a certain US band.

October 31 have one main goal, to produce the most uncompromising, no frills Heavy Metal they possibly can spew forth. The latest, “No Survivors”, further proves this being the heaviest October 31 yet, and just as memorable as the rest. 

The U.S. Thrash attack! 1992 -1998.

Stone Magnum from Michigan City, Indiana is an entity of sorrow, misery and woe. With a style rooted in hook laden doom metal, Stone Magnum explores the dark forces controlling man’s submissive existence. With a wide list of influences, Stone Magnum presents a broad offering of traditional, epic, depressive, and darkened doom metal with hints of traditional heavy metal stylings.

Featuring original USURPER guitarist/songwriter/founder Rick Scythe, who helped forge the Chicago Metal scene more than 20 years ago. This band takes up where Usurper left off, with total headbanging, fist-banging metal anthems. Total old-school 80′s denim and leather death/thrash/speed metal from one of the pioneers of the Chicago Metal scene. Usurper has released 7 albums on labels such as Earache (UK), RIP (USA), Necropolis (USA) and Head Not Found (Norway), Primitive Reaction (Finland) and toured 17 countries throughout the world including a headlining main stage gig at Oslo Norway’s prestigious INFERNO FEST before disbanding in 2007.  Scythe will be debuting their 2nd album for R.I.P. Records, “Subterranean Steel”, so be prepared for a sonic juggernaut of apocalyptic aggression!

Heavy Metal Drill is watching you since 1995!