https://www.high-endrolex.com/18

On the Radar: The Great Sabatini

Noisy Quebecois four-piece The Great Sabatini got together in 2007 and already have a couple tours under their belt, but their new and cleverly-titled Napoleon Sodomite EP is the first I’m hearing of them. The three-song release (vinyl and download, I have the latter) is full of harsh tones, weighted low-end and the occasional in-your-ear yell from guitarist Sean Sabatini.

And in case you’re thinking otherwise, no the band name isn’t an ego trip on the guitarist/vocalist’s part. Each of the four members — Steve on drums, Joey on bass, Rob on guitar and Sean — have taken the last name Sabatini, so I’m thinking it’s like a Voltron thing. When they all come together, it’s great. If that’s the theory they’re working on, Napoleon Sodomite seems to bear it out. The three-minute opening title track hits with Converge-style bombast and modernly doomed groove, and “Helter Skeletor,” which follows, is a banjo and rhythmic chain instrumental piece that sets up the end of the last cut as well as giving the whole affair an even more demented feel.

“Trap Sequence,” the last of the bunch, is also instrumental and longer than the other two songs put together at 5:59. The pace gradually builds to a noise-laden finish before the banjo returns to ride the song into oblivion. All told, the EP is barely enough to get a sense for what The Great Sabatini are doing, but their darkened atmospheric noise should be familiar-sounding to those who take it on. There’s still an individual edge, there, however, and if the musical adventurousness that rears its head on “Trap Sequence” is anything to go by, the Montreal outfit will be well worth keeping on the radar in the days to come.

Get a sampling of The Great Sabatini‘s wares on their Facebook page, or the ReverbNation player below:

Tags: , , ,

One Response to “On the Radar: The Great Sabatini”

  1. chuck says:

    We (Fetal Pig) played with these guys when they came through Des Moines just a couple-three weeks ago, Luke from Omens/Druids hooked it up. They were excellent. Haven’t heard the EP yet but I did get a listen to the full-length on CD, which has “Birth Of The Cruel” and “Burning Wilderness” on it. Good stuff, hope to catch them again.

Leave a Reply