Shabti/Haze, Cacophony, And White Light/Contemn Light/2026 Full Length Review

  Maine's  Shabti  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  progressive  and  technical  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Haze,  Cacophony,  And  White  Light"  which  will  be  released  in August  by  Contemn  Light.

  A  very  heavy,  brutal  and  technical  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  recording  also  has  its  progressive  moments.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  technical  style  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  elements  of  thrash  metal,  clear  singing  is  also  added  into  the  background  briefly  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  fast  riffing.

  On  this  recording  Shabti  focuses  more  on  a  modern,  brutal,  technical  and  progressive  style  of  black  metal  which  is  different  from  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  pat  live  experiences. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Shabti  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  technical  and  progressive  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Weary  Creation"  and  "Rise  Of  the  Shabti".  8  out  of  10.

  https://shabti.bandcamp.com

https://www.instagram.com/shabti_official

https://www.facebook.com/metalshabti    

Shabti/Trembling And Shorn/Last Mercy Emissions2019 C Review

    Shabti  are  a  band  from  Portland,  Maine  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  progressive  and  technical  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Trembling  And  Shorn"  which  will  be  released  in  March by  Last  Mercy  Emissions.

  A  very  fast  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sound  very  powerful.

  Death  metal  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times  while  the  riffing  also  adds  in  a  good  amount  of  progressive  and  technical  elements.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  musicians  also  display  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill  at  their  instruments.  As  the  album  progresses  some  of  the  riffing  also  adds  in  a  slight  thrash  influence  along  with  the  music  always  remaining  heavy.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  spirituality,  inner  struggles  and  religion  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Shabti  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  and  technical  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Shrouded  And  Veiled"  and  "My  Doppelganger".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/metalshabti

https://shabti.bandcamp.com

 

Shabti Interview

 I formed Shabti with Greg (formerly of Gift of Tongues and Shabti, currently in Feral, ZUD (US), and Stones Tools) in Portland, ME in 2008.  Prior to playing in Shabti, I played in guitar and performed vocals in Kurixis from 2002-2006.  The original goal of Shabti was to create aggressive, visceral, uncompromising music.  Over the years we have released two eps (Self Titled and "Labors of the Dead") and we just released our first full length, "Paracusia".  We have also played live throughout New England and fairly consistently in the Southern Maine region.  Since the band's inception several drummers and bass players have lent their talents to the project.  Though other band members have occasionally submitted riffs I am the primary songwriter. "Paracusia" features Denis (also in Eastern Spell) on bass and Ray (also in Falls of Rauros) on drums.

2.How would you describe your musical sound? 

Most metal fans who have given me positive feedback typically describe Shabti as a natural sounding blend of death metal and black metal.  I think that this is a natural culmination of my influences as a guitar player and the types of music that I enjoy listening to.  When I originally started Shabti I wanted to go for more of a grind/black metal sound: fairly minimalistic and to the point.  As you can hear in our songs, however, our music is fairly technical, though this is not intentional.  I write riffs that I personally find interesting and rewarding to play and they just naturally evolve in that direction.  I have heard people go so far as to compare us to Necrophagist though I do not quite agree.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

Religion, death, disappointment in humanity and the struggle to find something worthwhile in a universe with no apparent meaning are reoccurring topics.  Some lyrics are quite personal whereas others are just observations about society, the human race, and the world in which we live.  I am heavily influenced by "The Golden Bough" by James Frazer, HP Lovecraft, and books about ancient/classical/medieval civilizations. 

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name Shabti? 

Shabti (or Ushabti) are funerary figurines that the ancient Egyptians placed in tombs to serve the dead in the afterlife.  I am inspired by the mythology of many different cultures, though we are not explicitly an "Egyptian" themed band. 

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance? 

We have not played many high profile shows but there are several that I have especially enjoyed.  Worcester, MA has a dedicated metal scene and I have always enjoyed playing down there.  Some of our best performances have been in small bars or obscure basements.  I would describe our stage performance as intense and straightforward without any gimmicks or catering to the audience.  My focus is on executing our songs to the best of my ability with precision and authenticity.  This is what I appreciate as an audience member.  Playing metal live for me is all about a sense of power and catharsis. 

6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future? 

We currently do not have a live drummer.  Once we find someone suitable, I plan on playing in New England on a regular basis again.  I would like to plan a short US tour at some point.  In any event, I will continue to record and release music as Shabti.

7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest? 

I have never bothered to actively seek out record labels in the past with Shabti but with the release of "Paracusia" my interest in these kinds of collaborations has been reignited. At this stage we do not have any plans to work with a label but I am open to any offers that we might receive.  I think that a band in this day and age really has to work independently, promote themselves, finance their own work, and generate their own following. It seems to me that when a label is interested in signing us they are more likely to approach us after we have sufficiently proven ourselves.

8.What is going on with the other musical projects these days that the other band members are involved with?

Ray also plays drums (and occasionally other instruments) in Falls of Rauros, which is an atmospheric/folk/black metal band from the Portland area. Last I knew they were putting the finishing touches on a new cd and they also have some older material that they are putting out in the near future.  They do not play live very frequently but they have been pretty prolific songwriters over the years.

Denis plays bass in a doom metal band by the name of Eastern Spell.  They play out fairly often in the area and they are going to be releasing a split with Sylvia (another local band with former members of Ocean).

9.What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

Shabti is always going to be my outlet for extreme metal, though the exact sound is subject to where ever my interests reside at the moment.  I think that there are plenty of things to discover in the world of distorted guitars, drums and bass, simply by driving myself to write interesting riffs and dynamic songs.  Though I have interests in other genres, I have no desire to incorporate them into Shabti in a direct way.  If I ever decide that I want to write something more straightforward with clean vocals, or electronic music, for instance, I will just start another project.  I have various riffs and ideas floating around.  One of the songs that I wrote more recently is very dissonant and jagged, with busy death metal riffs and sinister doomy parts.  Shabti is basically my homage to what I consider the best of extreme metal in its various forms.

10.What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Bands that have had a significant direct influence on me over the years are Emperor, Dissection, Morbid Angel Carcass, Kreator, Mayhem, Anaal Nathrakh, Napalm Death, Enslaved, Gorguts, Bethlehem, Neurosis, Angelcorpse and Death.  Bands that I enjoy that do not fit into the metal genre include The Cure, Unto Ashes, Skinny Puppy, Dead Can Dance, Nick Drake, The Dead Boys, Christian Death (just the Rozz Williams era), etc. 

11.outside of music what are some of your interests? 

I enjoy reading.  Some books that I have recently read which are a pretty good representation of my interests are "The Greatest Show on Earth" by Richard Dawkins, "Thermopylae" by Ernle Bradford, and "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil".  Over the past couple of years I have rediscovered old school pen and paper rpgs and "ameritrash" board games  (such as Arkham Horror, etc).

12.Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

Thank you for the interview.

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Shabti/Paracusia/2013 Full Length Review

  Shabti  are  a  band  from  Portland,  Maine  that  plays  black  metal  with  elements  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2013  album  "Paracusia".

  "Run  To  your  End"  which  is  also  the  first  song  on  the  album  opens  up  with  heavy  old  school  style  death  metal  guitar  riffing  as  well  as  drums  before  adding  in  a  mixture  of  deep  growls  and  black  metal  screams  and  after  a  couple  of  minutes  the  music  slows  down  and  starts  getting  more  melodic.

  "In  the  Lion's  Court"  begins  with  fast,  heavy  and  melodic  sounding  guitar  riffs  along  with  some  drums  before  slowing  down  a  bit  which  also  leads  up  to  growls  and  screams  and  then  the  music  starts  to  alternate  between  fast  and  slow  parts.

  "Writhe"  opens  up  with  drums  and  heavy  and  melodic  sounding  guitar  riffs  and  a  few  seconds  later  blackened  death  metal  vocals  kick  in  before  speeding  up  a  bit  along  with  some  blast  beats  and  then t he  music  alternates  between  slow  and  fast  parts  and  after  awhile  powerful  sounding bass  guitars  and  guitar  leads  kick  in.

  "Harvest  Of  Forgotten  Years"  starts up  with  heavy  and  melodic  guitar  and  bass  riffs  along  with  some  drums  and  a  minute  alter  the  music  slows  down  a  bit  and  adds  in  a  mixture  of  growls  and  screams  along  with  some  bass  guitars.

  "The  Second  Kingdom"  kicks  in  with  black  metal  screams,  along  with  drums  and  fast,  melodic  guitar  and  bass  riffs  as  well  as  some  death  metal  growls  before  alternating  between  slow  and  fast  parts.

  "Dissolution"  comes in  with  heavy  and  melodic  sounding  guitar  and  bass  riffs  along  with  some  drums  as  well  as  a  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  vocals  and  then  the  music  slows  down  a  bit  but  does  also  speed  up  a  bit  in  some  parts.

  "Calling  Wolves  to  your  Door"  breaks  in  with  fast,  heavy  and  melodic  guitar  and  bass  riffs  along  with  some  drums   as  well  as  a  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  vocals  and  the song  is  short  and  under  3  minutes.

  "The  Gospel  of  Zero"  which  is  also  the  last  song  on  the  album  begins  with  heavy  and  melodic  guitar  riffs  along  with  some drums  as  well  as  some  old  school  elements  which  also  leads  to  a  mixture  of  growls  and  screams  and  after  awhile  the  bass  guitars  get  more  powerful  sounding.      

  Song  lyrics  cover  dark themes,  while  the  production  has  a  very  strong,  powerful  and  heavy  sound  for  being  a  self  released  recording  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Shabti  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Run  To  your  End'  "The  Second  Kingdom"  and  "The  Gospel  of  Zero".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

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