RETURN TO THE SABBAT would be the title given by frontman Martin Walkyier, a figure having made his reputation as vocalist and lyricist for pioneering acts SABBAT and SKYCLAD. Both of these acts had not only carved out significant album sales globally but could rightfully lay claim to having been quite unique in their field.

SABBAT, A Nottingham based 'Satanic Opera' quartet, formed in June 1985 from a previous act titled HYDRA. The Line up for HYDRA featured vocalist Martin Walkyier, guitarist Adam Ferman, bassist Frazer Craske and drummer Mark Daley. This quartet soon added second guitarist Andy Sneap, but Ferman and Daley quit and a name change to SABBAT was agreed.

SABBAT was noted for their onstage theatrics (heavily influenced by another Nottingham act HELL) and the creative lyrical talents of Walkyier. The acts first recordings came in the shape of the 'Magik In Theory And Practice' demo. The band debuted live at a young offenders institute in Doncaster before recording their 'Fragments Of A Faith Forgotten' demo that gained the band much critical praise and ultimately led to a deal with Germany's Noise Records. Once offered the deal SABBAT had to wait for guitarist Andy Sneap to turn 18 before they could sign the contracts!

The first commercially available record was a flexi disc for 'White Dwarf' magazine entitled 'Blood For The Bloodgod', produced by ex-HELL and PARALEX guitarist Kev Bower. SABBAT's debut album 'History Of A Time To Come' launched the band onto the forefront of the British Thrash Metal scene with Walkyier's distinct pagan themes interwoven into it's impressive epic songs. The album went on to sell in excess of 60'000 copies.

SABBAT played both Dynamo and Eindhoven festivals in 1988 as part of a very successful European tour. Shortly after, SABBAT added second guitarist Simon Jones - previously known as Jack Hammer from HOLOSADE- to replace touring guitarist Richard Scott (on loan from NO EXCUSE), who accompanied the band on the European tour.

The group's second album, 'Dreamweaver', produced by Roy Rowland, was an opportunity for Walkyier to really let his imagination fly as SABBAT launched the crucial release in the form of a concept based on the Brian Bates book 'The Way Of Wyrd'. SABBAT subsequently toured Europe heavily, including support dates to MANOWAR in Spain.

Surprisingly, Walkyier and Craske quit after internal disputes and the vocalist went on to form the highly successful and industrious Folk Rock act SKYCLAD, whilst Craske opted out of the music business returning to a printing career. American vocalist Richie Desmond (who had previously been guitarist in CELTIC FROST for a very short period) joined SABBAT in 1990. The band's line up at this point comprised of Sneap, Desmond, guitarist Neil Watson and bassist Wayne Banks. However, both record company and fans were not impressed with the resulting album 'Mourning Has Broken' which sorely lacked Walkyier's more innovative input.

Noise dropped the band and, after two disastrous British dates, Sneap pulled the plug on the tour and the band. Negus joined local act GLORY BOYS. Sneap and Banks went on to form GODSEND. As GODSEND dissolved after a batch of demos Sneap began carving out a niche for himself in the production role making quite a name for himself with some high profile bands such as STUCK MOJO and MACHINE HEAD. Meantime Martin Walkyier would more than fill the void left by the passing of his former act with the highly industrious and influential Pagan Folk-Metal band SKYCLAD. This band, unifying Thrash with traditional British folk, not only toured Europe relentlessly but issued a prodigious stream of quality albums. Although under appreciated outside of their core German market the group were largely responsible for firing off the "Mittelalter Metal" movement so successfully exploited by the likes of SUBWAY TO SALLY and IN EXTREMO. In 1995 there were rumours of a SABBAT reformation between Walkyier and Sneap, but this came to nothing.

Following the 'Folkemon' album Walkyier split away from SKYCLAD. However, the spectre of SABBAT reared its head again though in 2000 when Britain's leading Black Metal exponents CRADLE OF FILTH covered 'For Those Who Died' with Walkyier providing guest vocals.

As 2001 dawned an announcement was made that a band entitled RETURN TO THE SABBAT was planned for a one off live show comprising of Walkyier, Craske, Jones in alliance with former TROJAN and TALIÖN guitarist PETE WADESON and SKYCLAD and UNDERGROOVE drummer Jay Graham. However, Wadeson would decamp even before the groups debut gig, a warm up for the Derby 'Bloodstock' festival. Walkyier would put in his last show with SKYCLAD the same evening.

As the situation developed it became clear that RETURN TO THE SABBAT was indeed a long term proposition. Graham too parted ways with SKYCLAD as RETURN TO THE SABBAT announced their intentions for further live dates. Besides his operations with RETURN TO THE SABBAT, Graham also forged Black Metal combo GOAT THRONE in league with ex-IRON MONKEY and HELVIS guitarist Steve Watson and former PSYCHOWRECK, MOSH BABY and GRUMBLE GRINDER vocalist Stumpy.

In early 2002 Jones parted ways with RETURN TO THE SABBAT due to family commitments, his replacement being Andy Newby. RETURN TO THE SABBAT put in valuable support slot to CRADLE OF FILTH at a low key club gig at the Oxford Zodiac club, the night before the headliners 'Ozzfest' appearance. RETURN TO THE SABBAT would also act as special guests to renowned and newly reformed Swedish Doomsters CANDLEMASS at their long overdue UK performance at the London Mean Fiddler venue in mid July.

Swedish Black Metal act IN AETURNUM weighed in with their appreciation of SABBAT by recording their rendition of 'By Thy Command' culled from the original SABBAT demo 'Magik In Theory And Practice'. Martin Walkyier would spend the early portion of 2003 formulating his new venture THE CLAN DESTINED, apparently in league with drummer Jay Graham and Norwegian Iscariah, a veteran of extreme Metal concerns such as IMMORTAL, KAOS LOGIC, ENCHANTED, WURDULAK, AMOK, GRIMFIST and NECROPHAGIA. The singer also guested as vocalist on the track 'Blood And Sand' on Bradford Metal band BLOODSTREAM's debut album 'Black Storm Harvest'.

Drummer Jay Graham would be in the news during 2004, sessioning for BLACK SABBATH guitarist TONY IOMMI and joining HELVIS in June for their 'Onset Of Winter Brings Death (The Crops Have Failed)' recordings. Later that year Walkyier and Iscariah's THE CLAN DESTINED venture solidified as a "an international gathering of heathen free-thinkers from all corners of the world", revealing a line up also incorporating guitarist Tony Wildwood, holding credits with DARK EMBRACE and THE ENCHANTED and second guitarist Lee Cassidy, a member of Brighton technical Death Metal band SUBSYST.