SABBAT

French band performing in the 80's and belonging to the reincarnation of French theatrical prog along with bands like Naos,Anubis and Magnesis.They were formed by guitarist/singer Christian Marischal in Lorraine in 1984 and for their first album the band recorded as a sextet with a double-keyboard attack.''Sabbath'' was released on Musea Records in 1986.

The album is a typical example of Theatrical Neo/Symphonic Rock of the French school with no personal identity but always well-executed.Elixir draw strong influences by bands like ANGE or ATOLL certainly in a more synthsized way and with an ultra-clear production.The musicianship is based on the elaborate arrangements filled with mind-blowing flashy synthesizers and strong guitar work,both melodic and rhythmic.There are no really downs and ups,the whole effort flaws in the same vein,symphonic bombastic synths are mixed with moments of guitar explosions and theatrical over-the-top vocals by Marischal.Some melodies are quite outstanding and the performance of the band is always on a good level.

If you like the thetrical side of progressive rock or if you are simply a fan of Neo Prog,''Sabbath'' contains all the right elements to please you.Do not expect something special,however the album contains a mass of enoyable material to discover.Recommended.