The Great Sabatini

I would imagine if you follow this here snazzy blogazine, you will relate to what I'm about to say. I like the metal guitar & drum sound, metal studio production, the technical standards of metal, and maybe even the ripping, cool, press photos, of dudes holding invisible crystal balls, while howling at the moon in corpse paint, all out metalized. But at the end of the day I'm sorta cheesed out by metal's habit of rehashing the music.

Enter Montreal's The Great Sabatini! If you relate to the above, this band is for you. All the good stuff about metal (unfortunately no sick warlock press photos...), minus the stock metal riffs recycled from 1980. It is a fact that The Great Sabatini rips it up with craftiness through band-wide poly rhythm, inventive, flowing drums, and throaty in-the-mix vocals that share a spot with the instruments instead of dominating your attention, so as to not ruin the wicked riffs. These dudes cover some ground in the mood department too, spanning doomy gloom trough to driving and anthemic. I have a feeling that if you dig on earlier Mastodon and the better Today Is The Day stuff, you'll enjoy ripping it to The Great Sabatini.

The Great Sabatini is all set to release Sad Parade Of Yesterdays. It's 12 jams deep and being supported out of the gate with the band taking a jaunt across Ontario in July. See them in Toronto on Wednesday, July, 8th, at the Smiling Buddha.

These three exclusive tracks on the players are a first listen of hot jams from Sad Parade Of Yesterdays. Track names are as follows and in order:

Album Track 3 > Robots
Album Track 5 > Lincoln Continental Breakfast
Album Track 10 > Birth Of The Cruel


Top image/ illustration :: http://www.myspace.com/thegreatsabatini

The Chronic

It should be no surprise as to what makes up for the content and theme of The Chronic. What should surprise you is everything else. Instead of the expected stoner/ Sabbath riffs, this bass, drums duo (with frequent dj/ mc colab) uses lots of tight space in similar ways to Helmet/ Meshuggah however with their own brand of phrasing and arrangement. The groove is always present and the heaviness is always around the 1000 pound mark. Add in some crafty/ hilarious samples and surprisingly catchy/ yet rough vocals and you start to get what's special about The Chronic.

Comprised of Torrie Wilson (bass/ vocal) and Aaron Morrice (drums/ vocal) in frequent collaboration with Savilion (producer/ dj/ vocal), the unit manages an energized, engaging delivery even though it is but a lonely Wilson up at the front of the stage. The Chronic has this "ripping" vibe and although don't say much during a performance, exude a fair bit of charisma.

Also, contrary to the common view that weed users are unmotivated and such, Wilson, The Chronic's leading man, launched N.C.J.T. Records earlier this year. Similar to the Gorgeous Industries approach, the label features slick diy packaging and art utilizing the cdr format to keep things nice and personal. N.C.J.T. Records artists include The Chronic and Creeper with future releases in the works of Peace Be Still and Forever Circa.

photo :: Taryn Wilson
http://www.myspace.com/ttthechronic