Thrash Metal From Reunion Island – LOMOR Unleashes New Album, Sabouk Rouge
Reunion Island’s rising thrash metal force LOMOR proudly announces the official release of their second full‑length album, Sabouk Rouge, out today, as of February 6th, via Rockshots Records. To celebrate the album’s release, LOMOR has unveiled a fierce new music video for the title track. This visual assault channels the record’s themes of historical and modern oppression through the band’s trademark intensity, with its pounding rhythms and razor‑edged lyrics setting the tone for everything Sabouk Rouge delivers.
Following the momentum of their previous single “Tantine Lo Clou,” LOMOR continues to carve their identity as one of the most distinctive metal acts emerging from the Indian Ocean. Their sound, described by guitarist/vocalist Eric Castelnau (aka Babouk) as “creole thrash old‑school stuff,” blends classic 80s thrash aggression with the cultural grit and linguistic identity of Réunion Island.
LOMOR began as a deeply personal project for Eric, who formed the band in 2018 after the passing of his cousin and brother, both former bandmates in his earlier project, Black Babouk. The name Lomor itself means “The Deads” in Réunion Creole, a tribute to the people and memories that shaped his musical path.
Joined by drummer Gurvan Cambrai (aka Typhvs) (also of grind outfit Brvtal trve d’baal) and bassist Micha (member of a local Rage Against the Machine tribute band), the trio has forged a sound rooted in old‑school thrash but sharpened by modern production and raw island energy.
Produced by LOMOR, recorded and mixed by Sébastien Camhi at Art Music Studio in France, and mastered by Kai Stahlenberg at Kohlekeller Studio in Germany, “Sabouk Rouge” broadens the band’s sound while staying true to their raw, old‑school thrash roots. With more Creole lyrics woven in at fans’ request, the album strengthens its cultural identity as it shifts through a wide range of moods.
“The tracks are all different, each bringing its own atmosphere. It’s still trash, but with a variety of flavors,” says Eric.
That diversity fuels a record that moves from the title track’s sharp satire of Réunion’s slavery legacy to the grotesque obsession of “Meet Your Meat,” the ritualistic mysticism of “Sanctuary,” and the blistering critique of religion in “La Haine.” The tone lightens with the street‑racing humor of “La Pouss’,” then darkens again with “Panzram,” exploring the roots of a killer’s hatred. The album also revisits Eric’s past with a reimagined “Kit Ta Mère” before ending on “Nevroz,” a reversed, tongue‑in‑cheek remake born from a studio joke, a fitting close to an album defined by intensity, identity, and creative edge.
First off, care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Eric: Hi! I’m Eric (aka Babouk) from Lomor, guitars & vocals.
Tell us a bit about your recent release.
Eric: This is our second album, recorded and mixed by Sebastien Camhi at Art Music Studio (FR). “Sabouk Rouge” is about slavery, a reality for our island (Reunion Island) for centuries. It’s still a sensitive subject nowadays here.
Walk us through your creative process when creating music.
Eric: I believe we do like a lot of bands, you know. Generally, I bring one or two guitar riffs to rehearsal. Gurvan founds out some drum patterns (He brings some guitar riffs too). Then we try to set the structure of the song (chorus, verses, breaks…). Meanwhile, Micha makes bass lines with particular attention to the solo parts where he’s alone during those parts on stage. Yeah, we don’t sample a second guitar on stage! ha ha ha… Lyrics come very late in the process. I write almost all lyrics, but we had fun writing together on “La Pouss'” during the recording session of the album.
Now that the music is out, what does the ‘road ahead’ look like? Beyond tours and videos, what’s one ‘bucket list’ goal you hope to achieve with this release?
Eric: Well, tours and concerts are definitely what we need to do more from now on…. But beyond that, we simply hope to introduce the album to more people, more fans.
Every artist has a ‘lightbulb moment’ where things just clicked. Looking back, what’s the one performance or milestone that made you realize, ‘Okay, this is what I was meant to do’?
Eric: For me, personally, I think that moment happened when I had to end my last band called “Black Babouk” because of sad and painful moments… I really said to myself this is what I want and must do!
We love championing Canadian talent. If you were curating a ‘Must-Listen’ playlist of emerging artists right now, who is the first person you’d add?
Eric: From Reunion Island (Indian Ocean), the Canadian metal scene is quite unknown to me… A few months ago, however, I discovered “Chaos” from India. Their Thrash blew up my mind!!!
There’s nothing like the energy of a live room. Where can fans catch you on stage next, and for someone seeing you for the first time, what should they expect from a LOMOR live experience?”
Eric: We will be on stage on the 21st of February for the “Sabouk Rouge” release party at La Cité des Arts (Reunion Island). We shall be on tour in France too this summer. People used to say you can expect pure raw energy “in your face” during our show… Hope that you’ll get it!