Rondellus

"Sabbatum"
(Beg The Bug Records) 

This group has done something rather interesting and unique; they have made an album of medieval/folk music versions of classic Black Sabbath songs (all Ozzy era). Not only that, but it's all sung in Latin, too. How's that for different? Very quaint, too. All the instruments used here are all old fashioned, non electric ones, such as violins, harps, bagpipes, lutes, frame drums, etc. There are NO GUITARS used on the entire album, another thing that makes it different! Vocals are handled by Maria Staak, Miriam Andersen, and Veikko Kiiver. They are all good singers, with soaring, operatic voices. They harmonize very well, and come up with some beautiful, haunting melodies (very different from Ozzy's singing!). In fact, their version of "After Forever" is ALL vocals, with Veikko being accompanied by two other male singers, Toivo Tulve and Taniel Kiribal, making the song sound like a Gregorian chant. Two other tracks, "War Pigs" (which opens the album) and "Wheels Of Confusion" are also vocal dominant, featuring the ladies singing, being accompanied by no other instruments but a frame drum.  The group is certainly talented, playing and singing very well, and it certainly was interesting, and kind of cool, to hear these VERY different versions of all these Sabbath classics. The music is very peaceful, lilting, and good to mellow out to, that's something I never thought I'd say about Black Sabbath music! The music world is just full of surprises these days! Other songs covered on this album include "The Wizard", "Planet Caravan", "National Acrobat", "Behind The Wall Of Sleep", and "Solitude." If Rondellus ever does an album like this again, I'd like to hear them do "Iron Man", "Paranoid", "Black Sabbath", "NIB", "Into The Void", "Hole In The Sky", "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath"...to hear Rondellus do their own versions of those Sab classics would truly be a trip! For more info check out www. sabbatum.com

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