Black Widow Box Set Review: Sabbat Days 1969-1972
This 6CD release encapsulates a unique chapter in early ’70s progressive rock, blending occult themes with rich folk influences.
Black Widow is often compared to Black Sabbath because of their name and dark imagery, but musically, they were quite different. While Sabbath leaned into heavy, doom-laden rock, Black Widow explored a more progressive, folk-influenced sound akin to Jethro Tull, yet with their own controversial twist: authentic engagement with black magic and occult practices on stage. Their music, especially the track “Come to the Sabbat,” played heavily into this image.
The band’s origins stem from Pesky Gee!, a psychedelic rock band featuring female vocals, which eventually evolved into Black Widow. This box set covers the key albums: Sacrifice (1970), which is their most well-known work, and later releases such as Black Widow II, III, and IV. In terms of musicianship, the band included Jim Gannon on guitar, Kip Trevor on vocals, and Clive Jones on saxophone and flute. Clive’s instrumental diversity added a distinct texture to their sound, particularly in the prog-rock vein.
The set includes a comprehensive booklet with extensive liner notes that capture the band’s ethos and their experimental use of black arts imagery. While Sabbath famously played with dark symbolism for shock value, Black Widow leaned further into that territory for real, at least theatrically.
The remastering on this set sounds fantastic, giving new life to both their studio work and demos, though the live recordings still bear a somewhat bootleg quality. A highlight for me is revisiting Pesky Gee!, a reminder of where the band started before transitioning into darker themes. For fans of prog-folk rock with a cult following, this is an essential listen
Overall, this is the definitive Black Widow collection for fans who want to dive deep into the band’s occult-laced history, but be aware that some elements (like the DVD found in previous releases) are missing here. However, the 6-CD set from Cherry Red Records offers a rich, comprehensive look at a band that deserves more recognition in rock history.
Phil Aston | Now Spinning Magazine
