Sabbat is a Japanese black/thrash metal band from Kuwana, Mie Prefecture. The band formed in 1984 after emerging from an earlier group called Evil.
The story began in 1983. Evil featured bassist Masaki “Gezol” Tachi, guitarists Ozny and Elizaveat, drummer Valvin, and vocalist Toshiya. The group played its first concert in August 1983.
Soon, Toshiya left the group. Consequently, Gezol took over lead vocals while continuing on bass. In summer 1984, the band adopted the name Sabbat.
From the beginning, Sabbat pursued a dark and aggressive form of heavy metal. Venom strongly influenced the band’s early sound. Bathory and Hellhammer also shaped its musical direction.
However, Sabbat did not simply imitate its influences. The band developed a distinctive mixture of black metal, thrash metal, speed metal, and traditional heavy metal. Gezol later described Sabbat’s approach as “satanic metal”.
Early on, Sabbat built its reputation through relentless live performances. The band played across Japan and appeared at the Under The Castle festival in 1986. That performance received television coverage.
Meanwhile, Gezol created Evil Records. The label became an important outlet for Sabbat’s early recordings. In April 1985, the band released its first single through the label. The pressing contained only 300 copies.
Sabbat continued releasing singles, demos, and EPs throughout the late 1980s. These recordings established the band’s raw and uncompromising sound. They also helped create Sabbat’s identity within Japan’s underground metal scene.
The band faced several lineup changes during this period. Gezol remained the central figure, while different musicians handled guitar and drums.
In 1987, Sabbat temporarily stopped performing live after a death affected Gezol and Samm’s family. The band later issued a recording of its farewell performance as Live Curse.
Nevertheless, Sabbat returned to live performance. The group resumed its activities and continued developing its international reputation. By this point, its underground following extended beyond Japan.
Sabbat finally released its debut full-length album, Envenom, in 1991. Evil Records issued the album after years of singles, demos, and EPs.
Envenom captured the band’s characteristic combination of black metal darkness and fast, aggressive metal. Gezol handled bass and vocals, while Zorugelion played drums. Temis Osmond also contributed guitar before becoming a full member.
The following year brought Evoke. Evil Records released the album in 1992. Temis Osmond played guitar and shared vocal duties with Gezol, while Zorugelion also contributed vocals.
Sabbat maintained an unusually productive recording schedule. Disembody followed in 1993, while Fetishism arrived in 1994. The band also marked its tenth anniversary with special releases and a major concert in Nagoya.
At the same time, Sabbat expanded its international presence. American and European labels began issuing its music outside Japan. The band also traveled overseas and developed connections with musicians and fans abroad.
Gezol also developed another major project called Metalucifer. That band focused more directly on traditional heavy metal. Still, Sabbat remained his primary black/thrash metal vehicle.
Over the following decades, Sabbat maintained a remarkably large discography. The band released full-length albums, EPs, demos, splits, compilations, and live recordings. Its output consistently preserved its underground character.
Sabbat also influenced later generations of Japanese extreme metal musicians. Bandcamp Daily has identified the group as an influence on acts such as Sigh, Bellzlleb, and Abigail.
The band’s longevity also became part of its identity. In a 2015 interview, Gezol said he initially expected Sabbat to last only three years. Instead, the band continued for decades.
In 2024, Sabbat released Sabbaticult. The album arrived four decades after the band’s official formation. It appeared through several labels and formats, including vinyl, cassette, CD, and digital editions.
The album features Gezol on bass and lead vocals, Zorugelion on drums, and Ginoir on guitar. Gezol also handled songwriting and lyrics.
Today, Sabbat remains associated with Japan’s early extreme-metal underground. Its music combines black metal’s sinister atmosphere with thrash and speed metal’s momentum.
