Review by Sonny for Sabbat (GBR) - Dreamweaver (1989)

Sabbat were and obviously remain, the UK's best thrash band (although if Sacrilege had made more albums like Behind the Realms of Madness that may not have been the case). I was completely floored by their debut, History of A Time To Come and it is still one of my favourite 80's albums. Dreamweaver was the band's second and, unfortunately, the last to feature frontman Martin Walkyier. As much as anything it was Walkyier's dense paganistic lyrics and singular vocal style that gave the band their identity. Sabbat's other main man was guitarist and now much-respected producer of bands such as Kreator, Nevermore and Arch Enemy, Andy Sneap.

Dreamweaver's thrash is of the fairly technical variety with a certain amount of complexity to the songs. Walkyier is also a verbose lyricist, I mean, most of these songs have a LOT of lyrics which are delivered relentlessly and occasionally feel rushed in the attempt to fit them all in, Walkyier spitting out words like a machine gun spits bullets. As such, this is a decent record and does thrash when it wants to but, to be honest, it isn't an album that deserves the reverence that a lot of people show towards it and certainly not as much as the debut, a record I still believe has more character than this, with it's tendency to become a bit samey. 

Walkyier departed the band after this album due to a difference with Sneap over the more prog-oriented direction the guitarist seemed to be taking them towards and probably made the right decision. For me, if I ever feel the need for Sabbat (and I still occasionally do) it is History... I invariably reach for, not this.