Rondellus - "Sabbatum"
(Beg the Bug Records 211200-002)
Rondellus - "Sabbatum"
(Beg the Bug Records 211200-002)
From Aural Innovations #19 (April 2002)
Rondellus are a gathering of 3-5 musicians who hail from Estonia and play music based in the 14th century using only instruments and vocal techniques from that time. Maria Staak is the brains behind this project and did all of the arrangements. So what exactly is this???? Well, this is Black Sabbath songs sung in Latin and played with only ancient instruments. Pretty strange you say? well it is, but is it good? YES........ If you like Black Sabbath then you must hear this. Put this on late at night and just relax and imagine.. Most of the songs you will recognize right away like War Pigs, Solitude, Planet Caravan, as the arrangements are nearly the same as the original. War pigs starts off the CD and is basically all vocals and a drum. Very eerie and cool.. Some songs have a hurdy gurdy, gothic harp, organsitrum, fiddle, and bells. Some of the other songs played are After Forever, Behind the Walls of Sleep, the Wizard, A hard Road, Juniors Eyes, Symptom of the Universe and A Spiral Architect. I think it is pretty amazing stuff and a great project. Congratulations on a success.
For more information you can visit the Rondellus web site at: http://www.sabbatum.com.
Reviewed by Scott Heller