From the roots of Black Metal something was stirring, urges not explored, a calling to express something less brutal from a time long since past; and so became Sahg. OK a bit melodramatic but lets face it that as Sahg the once corpse painted faces of Thomas, Olav and King now have both their feet firmly entrenched in 70's rock, rather than their Black Metal personas who would sight Dark Throne or Immortal as influences rather than Sabbath. With the cat now firmly out of the bag any surprise we might had when confronted with Sahg's debut release has now been replaced with expectation, so can the Bergen boys produce now the pressure is on?

Sahg II while not the most original title in the world is possibly the only thing about this album not to impress. For those who have followed the bands development from debut release to now will  find it nothing less than staggering. A case of a band finding themselves and their 'sound' through constant touring and the acknowledgement that rather than trying to mute the influences that made them, they should be exploiting them. As such any fans of the Ozzy years of Black Sabbath should look no further. Thomas's vocals reek of Ozzy in his prime and with riffs exploding into a festival of heavy groove, Iommi and Co would be proud.

Any of the tracks that make up 'Sahg II' could seamlessly intertwine and mingle alongside the 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' generation of Sabbath tunes, with the albums first single 'Pyromancer' being perhaps the most instantly memorable track on the album. However to label Sahg Doom Metal would do both the band and the album an injustice as the record offers up more than just your traditional Doom Metal platter might. There is a real retro authenticity about 'Sahg II' and I'm not talking about just because you stick on a pair of flares and quote Free as an influence you're retro, but rather a feeling of place and time. A vibe that isn't forced or contrived in any way but rather that is forged through the love and appreciation of what created this genre in the first place. Taking what was then and brining it into the now to form a blissful union, elevating Sahg as one of the gleaming lights is what is often an otherwise very grey sky.