Sabbat

Formed in Tokyo in 1983 under the name Evil before adopting their current identity in 1984, this Japanese black/thrash trio built one of the country's most enduring extreme metal legacies. Guitarist and bassist Gezol founded Evil Records to self-release the group's earliest material, including their 1985 debut 7-inch pressed to just 300 copies. Their first full-length, Envenom, arrived in 1991 and was followed by Evoke, Disembody, Fetishism, and The Dwelling across the decade. Active for over four decades, they remain a foundational presence in Japanese underground metal.