Sabbath Assembly is often categorized as a psychedelic doom or even occult rock band but the new album “Rites Of Passage” features lyrical themes regarding the complexity of the transitional stages of life and a mature music approach that frequently goes beyond such simplistic tags.
“Shadows Revenge” offers up-tempo psychedelic grooves that sound rather catchy despite the underlying dissonant melodic core while the overall darkened vibe is easily amplified by the somber guitar melodies and enchanting vocals.
“Angels Trumpets” feels quite introspective and captivating with a series of lovable harmonies while guitars confidently acquire a heavy traditional doom vibe that flawlessly match the amplified deeper occult atmospheric layers and spellbinding vocals.
On the darkly slow paced “I Must Be Gone” the vocals are particularly seductive creating a graceful emotional palette and the moody guitar melodies add a deliberate trance effect but later guitars gain heavier momentum as well as atmospheric psychedelic rock elements.
“The Bride Of Darkness” stands out for the bewitching poetic nuances and a gloomy aura that enhances the occult rock themes, guitars can be exquisitely eerie with a stylish doom core and the whole instrumentation appears to be infused with a perennial arcane mood.
The whole mystical mood and darkened nuances of “Rites Of Passage” will inevitably attract a specific audience but this is also a highly melodic album with multifaceted influences that effortlessly crosses music boundaries.