LOMOR - Sabouk Rouge (CD)

From the distant island of Réunion, in the Indian Ocean, comes one of the most explosive and authentic Thrash Metal acts to emerge from France in recent years. Lomor return with their new album “Sabouk Rouge”, a furious and uncompromising record that expands the raw energy of their debut “Perseverance of Sickness” into darker, sharper, and more conceptually ambitious territory. Produced once again by Sébastien Camhi at Studio Art Music in France and mastered by Kai Stahlenberg at Kohlekeller Studio in Germany, the album captures the full power of the trio’s chemistry — pure old-school Thrash enriched by punk and core influences, played with passion and conviction.

Formed in 2018 by Eric Castelnau (vocals, guitars) and Gurvan Cambrai (drums) — later joined by Mathieu “Micha” Michalina on bass — Lomor was born from loss and rebirth. The band’s name itself means “the deads” in Réunion Creole, reflecting the personal tragedies that inspired its creation and the will to move forward through music. After years of local performances and the success of their first album, the band embarked on their Kanyar Tour across France in 2023, performing alongside Mass Hysteria and Akiavel, and releasing the live album “Live on Dock.” Energized by the tour’s response, Lomor entered the studio again in early 2025 to craft “Sabouk Rouge”, an album that encapsulates their evolution and identity.

As frontman Eric explains, “For this second album, we wanted to evoke the history of slavery, which has profoundly marked the history of our island. The ‘sabouk,’ the name given to the whip used against slaves, is one of the symbols of this dark and brutal past. Blood and red reinforce this notion of violence against men and women, while the white background on the cover illustrates the coldness and murderous madness that humanity can develop.” Through this concept, Lomor connect the scars of their homeland to the wider human experience of cruelty, ignorance, and rebellion. Yet, despite the weight of its themes, “Sabouk Rouge” never loses its sense of irony and defiance. The band deliberately mixes tragedy and absurdity, turning societal reflection into fierce, adrenaline-fueled metal.

Musically, “Sabouk Rouge” is both visceral and versatile. Lomor describe their sound as “Creole thrash old-school stuff,” rooted in the legacy of Slayer, Testament, and Kreator, yet enriched with raw punk immediacy and modern energy. The record delivers eleven tracks of relentless riffing, blistering drumming, and unstoppable groove. The title track “Sabouk Rouge” sets the tone — fast, aggressive, and steeped in historical symbolism — followed by the deranged “Meet Your Meat”, the ritualistic “Sanctuary”, and “La Haine,” a furious denunciation of religious hypocrisy. “A Shiny Day for a Vampire” adds a melodic twist to the chaos, while “La Pouss’”, sung in Creole, brings humor and local color with its story of illegal street racing. The band closes the album by reconnecting with their roots through “Kit’ Ta Mère,” a cover from Eric’s former band Black Babouk, tying past and present in a single whip of noise.

The production enhances the trio’s live dynamics without sacrificing the rough edges that define their character. Lomor proudly refuse modern stage conventions like click tracks or backing samples, relying instead on the raw interplay of amps, sweat, and instinct. Their live performances have been described as “old-school the Motorhead way” — loud, physical, and without compromise. Press outlets such as Legacy Magazine have praised their “fast and aggressive metal with a classic thrash sound, a bit of hardcore and even a little punk to keep it fresh and lively,” while Rock Hard France noted that Lomor can “stand toe to toe with Havok, Warbringer or Evile without any problem.”

With “Sabouk Rouge”, Lomor reaffirm their position as one of the most distinctive voices in modern thrash — a band that merges the intensity of the genre’s roots with a sense of place, culture, and purpose rarely found in metal today. Endorsed by D’Addario and ESP France, and supported by Stage OI and Backstage ZeShop Musicstore, the band is now preparing to take their Creole Thrash assault to Europe and beyond. Fierce, direct, and proudly different, “Sabouk Rouge” is more than an album — it’s a statement of identity. As Lomor themselves put it: “Definitly pure Thrash from Reunion Island with creole lyrics — prepare your neck for headbang.”

MARKETING & PROMOTION / SELLING POINTS

- Second full-length album by thrash metal power trio Lomor from Reunion Island
- For fans of Slayer, Testament, Kreator, Rotten Sound
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- Rockshots Records website https://www.rockshots.eu