ALBUM REVIEW ~ ZAKK SABBATH ~ 'VERTIGO'

I'm Music Magazine, Zakk Sabbath, Black Sabbath, Vertigo, Zakk Wylde, Black Label Society, Ozzy Osbourne, Blasko, Rob Zombie, Joey Castillo, Danzig, Vertigo Records,

Let’s start by saying this: Zakk Sabbath is not a cover band. Nor is it a Black Sabbath tribute band. It is true that they make versions of songs from the mythical English group, of which its three members are die hard fans, but their intention is not to emulate, imitate or dazzle their idols and win the sympathy of their followers. No. Zakk Sabbath is a project that is based on fidelity and enjoyment, on the need to continue Black Sabbath‘s living legacy, on loyalty to a way of understanding heavy metal and on the proper comprehension of what was, what is and what will be the fundamental role that fits the Birmingham band in the gestation and the definition of that musical genre born already 50 years ago.

And that was the perfect excuse that decided guitarist/vocalist Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society, Ozzy Osbourne), bassist Rob “Blasko” Nicholson (Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Zombie) and drummer Joey Castillo (Danzig, Queens of the Stone Age, Bl’ast!), who have been constantly gigging around the world since 2014 playing live Black Sabbath´s songs, to finally enter a recording studio and revisit the songs that make up their ambitious brand new album Vertigo, in which the American trio performs Black Sabbath’s self-titled debut LP – recorded in a single day in October 1969 and released in 1970 – from start to finish carrying their personal imprint.

Wylde and company took the idea of reimagining the complete album in the spirit of the original very seriously: recorded live in the studio, with minimal overdubs, without digital trickery and in a single day. The title alludes to Vertigo Records, the label that released the English quartet’s 1970 debut. The tracklist and its order strictly respects the original North American edition (and it doesn’t include “Evil Woman”, the Crow’s cover that Sabbath had reluctantly agreed to record as a promotional single, driven by their manager). The cover art emulates the one made by Keith McMillan at the time. As if that weren’t enough, the album will only be available in physical formats and there will be no digital release for download or streaming, in an attempt to capture that authenticity of the irreplaceable experience of contact with vinyl or CDs.

There is no doubt that these musicians have the necessary credentials to dare to face such a challenge, all of them showing an enviable resumé as part of bands of world renown, apart from the fact that both Wylde and “Blasko” have shared the studio, the dressing rooms and the stages countless times along with Ozzy Osbourne as members of the singer’s stable band. They not only know how they want these songs to sound, but also how Osbourne, Iommi, Ward and Butler would want them to sound if at some point they stopped playing them. The chemistry of the band on stage is fantastic and also in the studio one has the feeling of hearing the songs flow naturally, probably with very few previous rehearsals, because these three folks formed their musical identity by listening to Sabbath vinyls and cassettes over and over again throughout their childhoods.

Whoever listens to Vertigo will already notice from the very beginning of the album (after the sound of rain, thunder and legendary “Black Sabbath”’s chimes ceases), the perfect mix between respect for the original and the right dose of personal DNA that distinguish this recreation, making the songs sound unmistakably genuine but with a powerful updated sound and with performance licenses that do not interfere with the original melodies but give them more freshness and an extra appeal upon listening to songs that any fan already knows by heart: slightly more distorted guitars, a faintly more accelerated guitar solo or using more sustain, more robust drums or a bass mixed with greater prominence. The album is proof of how the technique for playing each of the three instruments over the past 50 years has evolved and it concurrently reflects how stainless and strong Sabbath’s compositions are.

Zakk Wylde, the moving spirit behind this musical adventure, overcomes any expectations in his role as singer, guitarist and producer, showing off his exquisite expertise with the six strings and demonstrating that he is the natural Osbourne’s heir in front of the microphone, still being a few tones under young Ozzy’s voice. The result of his work is a sample of poignant admiration and a further evidence (unnecessary at this stage) of the great relevance of the New Yorker musician within the worldwide heavy metal scene.

Vertigo, that’s coming out on September 4th via Magnetic Eye Records, is, in addition to a brilliantly posed musical challenge, a worthy, timely and welcome celebration of the album that, half a century ago, began the history of an innovative and unparalleled band and of a genre that currently enjoys excellent health but never feared to return to its roots. Zakk Sabbath is the perfect vehicle to continue revitalizing the legacy of these heavy metal pioneers, guaranteeing the access to the essence of the original compositions, and that’s the reason this album will be enjoyed equally by older and newer generations.

I’m Music Magazine Contributing Writer Emiliano Doldan