SACRED MONSTER - Worship The Weird

Release date March 1/19 (Bandcamp)

Got a chuckle right off the bat from the name/instrument descriptions Sacred Monster provide for themselves: Adam Szczygieł - Minister of Screams, Robert Nubel - Riff Finder General, Guillermo Moreno - Bishop of the Bottom End and Ted Nubel - Priest of Percussion. Opening with some righteous cowbell, I knew that here we had a band that wasn't above having a good time while rockin' out.

But then Szcygiel opens his mouth and you're left truly gobsmacked. Mixing a King Diamond falsetto, Bill Steer-style (Carcass) cackle and many other strange embellishments, here we have one of the most unique/demented vocal performances in decades. That would be worth the price of admission alone. However, the Chicago-based unit up the ante further with eight memorable tracks that mix uber-quality trad and doom metal. Each song different from the last, Worship The Weird draws you into its off-kilter world and holds firm until the last fading note, upon which you'll find yourself hitting the 'play' button again.

Basically, an unholy amalgam of Sabbath, Witchfinder General and the NWOBHM. A great, great album.

[8.5]