Return to the Sabbat

• Artist: Black Widow
• Rating:
• Release Date: October 12, 1999
• Total Time: 42:59
• Genre: Rock

Review

Few albums have undergone such a dramatic transformation in their fortunes as Black Widow's Sacrifice. Best known for so long on the strength of one track ("Come to the Sabbat") on an early-'70s CBS sampler, Sacrifice was for so long the guilty secret of a mere handful of prog fans that it felt like it might never be rediscovered. But it was and, today, no less than three full versions of the seven-song opus are available on CD, the original LP, a spellbinding live version recorded for German TV (with accompanying DVD!), and this, the band's initial 1969 demo. Cut while the group was still known as Pesky Gee!, and working toward the follow-up to its Exclamation Mark debut, it features additional vocalist Kay Garrett alongside the familiar Kip Trevor and, while the lyrics and arrangements are unchanged, there's an urgency to this performance that the vinyl simply cannot match. Added emphasis on sax and organ pushes things hard, while every song is taken just a few beats faster than listeners are accustomed to, to bring a delirium to the performance that is perfectly in keeping with the subject matter. Not even the presence of a little surface noise (the CD was mastered from acetate) can detract from the magnificence of the performance and, if you've spent the last however many years marveling at the Sacrifice that fans know and love, this one will take you even higher. ~ Dave Thompson, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
In Ancient Days	Jim Gannon	Black Widow	(9:26)
Way to Power	Jim Gannon	Black Widow	(4:07)
Come to the Sabbat	Clive Jones	Black Widow	(4:10)
Conjuration	Jim Gannon	Black Widow	(5:51)
Seduction	Johnny Mandel, Jim Gannon	Black Widow	(4:40)
Attack of the Demon	Jim Gannon	Black Widow	(3:56)
Sacrifice	Jim Gannon	Black Widow	(10:49)

Credits

Zoot Taylor (Organ), Bob Bond (Guitar (Bass)), Zoot Taylor (Piano), Kip Trevor (Vocals), Jim Gannon (Guitar), Jim Gannon (Spanish Guitar), Clive Jones (Project Coordinator), Clive Jones (Saxophone), Clive Jones (Flute), Clive Jones (Clarinet), Clive Box (Percussion), Clive Box (Drums), James Jones (Project Coordinator), Jim Gannon (Vibraphone)