Sabbat and Skyclad ?

[SoundMaster]

Can anyone tell me about the bands Sabbat and Skyclad?
I've heard nothing but great things about both. I also understand that producer-extraordinaire, Andy Sneap, played guitar for both bands.

What are the vocals like?

 

[#1_Droogie]

Sabbat is brilliant. Martin Walkyier is one of the best lyricists in metal (or anything for that matter) and his vocals are outstanding IMO. Andy Sneap's guitar work is also well executed. If you want quality thrash, get Sabbat's History Of A Time To Come, their first album. Their second album, Dreamweaver (Reflections Of Our Yesterday), is also very good, but it is sadly out of print .

I dont know too much about Skyclad, but I plan on getting their first album, Wayward Sons Of Mother Earth, sometime soon. But hey, anything with Martin's gotta be quality music, right?

EDIT: Martin's vocals are excellent IMO, kind of almost like a late 80's early 90's version of Dani Filth, but that's also IMO

 

[Fangface]

Skyclad are the original leaders of folk metal, featuring a violin player
Their older stuff is thrashier (The Wayward Sons Of Mother Earth) while some of the recent albums are more rock influenced (Folkémon). I don't own all their albums but overall the folk influence grew through the years, and everything I've found of them has been good so far :Spin:

The last record (Semblance of Normality) is also worth checking despite the fact that Martin Walkyier left the band, it's even heavier and more experimental than the previous ones, I love it!

 

[Wyvern]

Skyclad are the original leaders of folk metal, featuring a violin player
Their older stuff is thrashier (The Wayward Sons Of Mother Earth) while some of the recent albums are more rock influenced (Folkémon). I don't own all their albums but overall the folk influence grew through the years, and everything I've found of them has been good so far :Spin:

The last record (Semblance of Normality) is also worth checking despite the fact that Martin Walkyier left the band, it's even heavier and more experimental than the previous ones, I love it!

I never got into Sabbat since Walkyier vocals were to harsh for my taste. Once he got into Skyclad and did the lyrics while the brilliant duo of Ramsey/English compose the music then things got much better.

Like Fang said the first album is very thrash, and they kept some of the same way up to "Prince Of The Poverty Line". A bit of change happened with "The Silent Whales Of The Lunar Sea", and by "Irrational Anthems" and up to "Vintage Whine" they were perfect folk-metal (and I mean perfect!).
"Folkemon" was bit of a down, and after it Walkyier left. Now with old producer and second guitar Kevin Ridley on vocals the band has reinvented themselves, I like Ridley vocals way more than Walkyier and "A Semblance Of Normality" it's a great return for the band.

Personally I recommend "Irrational Anthems" and "Vintage Whine" as their best work in folk metal.

 

[Break Zero]

Sabbat is amazing, amazing Thrash. And I absolutly LOVE the guitar tone on "Dreamweaver". That is a tone I would wish to achieve. That is all.

Never listened to Skyclad

 

[Fangface]

Now with old producer and second guitar Kevin Ridley on vocals the band has reinvented themselves, I like Ridley vocals way more than Walkyier and "A Semblance Of Normality" it's a great return for the band.

Like a second career coming up, that's exactly what I thought Hopefully they will get the recognition they deserve now.

 

[Aethyrs]

But what ever you do, stay away from Mourning has Broken album with Sabbat.
It's so horrible, I still have nightmares when I think about it.