Heavy metal is universal. Spain's Sabatan have been spreading the message for over a decade. Now, the band have independently released their debut album 'Fire Angel'.

Sabatan are before all a heavy metal band. At times, they drag in some stoner rock and crushing thrash metal à la Overkill's groovier times. The moods range between kick-ass-mode and more melancholic stuff, so occasionally the band sounds pretty heavy. The problem is, that Sabatan do have a nought of originality. Also, there's not much hooks in the songs, and as some of them are long, it's even worse. Generally, cutting off some of the songs would have worked for the good of the platter. The plus aspect is energetic and passionate performance. Regardless of passion, I get pretty bored while listening to this, thanks to the music which goes in to one ear and comes out from the other. Drumming gets a bit out of sync at times, giving this a home-made feel. Vocals are suitably rough, but vocal lines itself are pretty forgettable.

In all, Sabatan's 'Fire Angel' feels like a loooong demo recording (covers and disc are pro printed, and the sound is good). There's a lot of job for the band to get their stuff memorable and inject individuality to it. They have the flame, so let's see if the band can harness it and get out some good heavy metal. One for those seeking for upcoming heavy metal talents.

Rating: 5- (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
09/28/2006 20:07