The last of a groundbreaking run of undisputed classics, Sabotage (Vertigo/BMG), often gets overlooked during debates about the studio legacy of legendary metal pioneers Black Sabbath. Considering the seismic impact of the band’s previous five releases, this isn’t entirely surprising but Sabotage has always deserved more time in those conversations.
For the most part, the fourth album from Jess And The Ancient Ones continues down the low-key approach to Occult Rock that was established on 2017’s The Horse And Other Weird Tales. Just about every song on Vertigo (Svart Records) is driven by a short length, an upbeat structure, and extensive layers of psychedelic instrumentation. Aside from the eleven minutes of the closing ‘Strange Earth Illusion,’ the first two albums’ more drawn-out runtimes seem to be a thing of the past.
“Black Label Society is up to something,” says the ominous message across BLS’s social media. The band has shared a new trailer teasing something in the works from Zakk Wylde’s primary gig outside of Zakk Sabbath, future live gigs with Ozzy, and his solo work, with the reveal on April 21st, 2021. The teaser features the song “Suicide Messiah” from 2005’s Mafia album. The last BLS album released has Grimmest Hits and Zakk released a solo album Book of Shadows II (eOne Music) and a Black Sabbath tribute record with Zakk Sabbath, the Billboard-charting Vertigo via Magnetic Eye Records.