As a band, it often helps to branch out from the norm. In some cases, this can quite often lead to certain acts developing successful side hustles alongside whatever helped them rise to prominence in the first place. In the case of Canadian hardcore punk crew Cancer Bats, this particular side hustle is out-and-out Black Sabbath worship, in the form of their alter egos, Bat Sabbath. As part of a UK and EU tour, they've brought their salute to Birmingham's finest to Rock City's smaller stage on a warm Sunday night in July, with some more than suitable support in tow. What follows will be an evening of big riffs that pays deference to those without whom heavy metal would not exist and whose legacy speaks for itself.
Fellow Canadians BLACK MASTIFF get things underway with a heady mix of desert rock, stoner doom and post-metal. Searching vocals and stabbing riffs echo Kyuss and Red Fang but there are also moments of swirling instrumentals that call to mind the work of Isis. It's all accomplished well, to a relatively modest crowd, but they certainly set the tone for the evening, gain some appreciative fans in the process, and are very polite about the whole thing. Sometimes, the metal scene creates a niche that you never knew existed. On paper 'amphibian swamp doom' sounds like some kind of fever dream. In practice, this is the domain of Bristol quartet FROGLORD. Things are about to get swampy. Whilst this might seem like eccentricity for the sake of it, their frog-themed, downtuned slabs of lore are executed with both pristine skill and unbridled enthusiasm. Make no mistake, behind the gimmick are riffs so thick you could use them to pave roads, and driving percussion that makes you fear for the structural integrity of your insides. Commanding this mud-caked sermon, frontman Benjamin 'Froglord' Grey sways and swoons as he peels back the layers of the band's mythology, conducting a ritual that intones all and sundry to give themselves over to the swamp life. From the opening sludgy grind of Croak to the closing doomified space-rock dirge of They Came from Saturn, there will be many new converts by the end of their set. As their suitably presented mascot is held aloft, the band finish with a flourish. Whatever you make of what we've just witnessed, Froglord have spawned something unique.
The legacy of Sabbath will remain for many a decade and the sheer expanse of their influence across all corners of the metal world is truly something to behold. It stands to reason then, that bands would want to wear this appreciation on their sleeves and do whatever they can to uphold it. So, then, BAT SABBATH intend to do just that. Eschewing the usual punk-driven hardcore you'd expect from their normal day job as Cancer Bats, Liam Cormier and co. are about to take us on a journey through straight-up Sabbath worship. Rest assured, this isn't just a band covering Birmingham's finest purely for the sake of it, or paying lip service to the classics. This is a band demonstrating their respect for, and intense reverence of, the original material, whilst still adding their own spikier, more aggressive edge.
Things kick off with a swirling, almost cartoonishly loud Children of the Grave and from then on, there's no let up. The hardcore stylings lend an extra dimension to the classic fayre, with excellent results. The already hefty riff that opens Supernaut is given an extra shot in the arm, whilst Paranoid is dispensed at breakneck speed. An absolutely filthy sounding Symptom of the Universe opens the first of many pint-threatening pits. Even the traditionally longer and slower sections get a good old going over. The ominous, slow-burn intro of Black Sabbath is still deeply unsettling, whereas N.I.B. sounds even more fiendish than the original, both tracks suitably impacted by Liam's glass chewing vocals. In the hands of a less determined and less talented act, this whole performance could come across as trite. But not here, not tonight, not in these circumstances. The added urgency provides an extra lens through which to view these songs. Fairies Wear Boots somehow sounds even more like an acid trip gone sideways. This is a masterclass in heavy metal hero worship. Front and centre of it all, Liam stares wide-eyed into the crowd, baiting people into pits and, in one of the standout moments, leaving the entire opening verse of War Pigs to be sung by the throng. Earlier, during the first moment of audience interaction, he declares that he cares not for the day of the week or the English inability to deal with the Sun. He's here for one reason and one reason only. Worship, in its simplest and purest form. The band then launch into a crushing version of Iron Man. This is a scene of utter adoration and unrepentant adulation. There's a reason Ozzy, Bill, Tony and Geezer are so loved and so revered. They didn't just invent a genre. They birthed a scene. The fact that such a diverse group of acts have spun directly off of what they created is testament enough. The rest of the band on stage deserve massive credit too. Jackson Landry is a demon on guitar, replicating Iommi riffs like he's been playing them all his life. Drummer Mike Peters channels Bill Ward's intense proficiency, with bass player Jaye Schwarzer providing the churning, roiling low-end. The packed room is a blur of bodies, crushed beer cans, head banging, sweat and, quite likely, tears too.
There's even time for the band to showcase the impact Sabbath have had on their own catalogue. The closing Lucifer's Rocking Chair comes complete with the kind of oozing, meaty riff that Tony Iommi himself could have conjured in one of his moments of fretboard wizardry. By the time it's all over, ears are ringing, and what remains is a scene of elation and unbridled joy. This has been an evening to remember, and a reminder that Black Sabbath will always be a band who deserve to be worshipped. Whoever plays their songs, these are songs that mean something. Not just to fans, or the bands that continue to play them. These songs are the heart of metal. They belong to the universe. We should feel honoured and privileged to be able to witness them.
Bat Sabbath Setlist
(All Black Sabbath covers unless otherwise stated)
Children of the Grave
Supernaut
Paranoid
Iron Man
N.I.B.
Electric Funeral
Symptom of the Universe
Fairies Wear Boots
Black Sabbath
War Pigs
Lucifer's Rocking Chair (Cancer Bats)
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