Sahg - Memento Mori

Sahg returns from Norway with some amazing old school metal that sounds fresh and groovy.Just as I mentioned in my review of Sahg's last album Delusions Of Grandeur, the progressive retro metal band really knows how to expertly blend modern metal style with the classic Sabbathy groove that started it all while still sounding fresh. And now the band has released a new album of even more trippy tunes called Memento Mori.

Right out of the gate, the Norwegian quartet pours out a psychedelic vibe like liquid LSD into your ears with Black Unicorn. This is the kind of stuff that reminds me of being high for the first time back in high school. The sonic landscape of Sahg's music is very loose and fluid while maintaining a heavy crunchy foundation that fans of Opeth will surely dig. It's brilliant to be sure, but don't put on this album on a weekend and think "Now to clean the house!" cuz it ain't gonna happen, kids. The lads try to mix things up with the occasional faster, more metally tune like Devilspeed, but sure enough it's followed by something like Take It To The Grave's mellow crooning over its aqueous Pink Floyd acoustic guitar punctuated with an Eastern-flavored riff. And on it flows, as they say.

The most heavy tune is probably Sanctimony, with its Metallica's Sad But True meets Alice In Chains' Would? rhythym culminating in a progressive-tinged solo section before its return to a chorus that sounds so much like Ozzy guest singing it's spooky. But it all just fits together so well, you know what I mean?

The Bottom Line: Sahg isn't doing anything earth-shattering with innovation, they're just taking classic, time-proven elements of the genre and mixing them together in the most satisfying way. Much the same way that a Michelin-starred chef could go into your kitchen right now with the ingredients you have on hand and come out with a meal to blow you way, these guys just know how to make some killer metal.

- Genghis can't get enough of this kind of music...