CD review, Apr 07. Sadus - Chemical Exposure/Swallowed In Black/A Vision of Misery

Reviewed - 23.04.07

Ah Sadus, the bastard child of Dark Angel and Kreator! Sadus were never one to fuck around taking it easy, straight to the throat for Sadus, much like their potential musical parents. Sadus only crossed my path a couple of times way back when, most notably on the Roadracer compilation At Deaths Door where they stood out as a rather scary proposition, even when up against the likes of Obituary and Deicide. While those other bands were undoubtedly heavy, uncompromising and decidedly fresh back then, Sadus were something else. Off the wall speed, faster time changes, drums fills all over the place, bass you could actually hear being slammed senseless and topped with Darren Travis’ rasping, Mille Petrozza style vocals.

Such was their ferocity that their uber-talented journeyman bassist Steve DiGiorgio is now one of the most famous and admired players in the underground Metal genre. Having played with the likes of Death, Testament and Control Denied, he now, rather strangely takes up the bass spot for none other than, er, Sebastian Bach. My unfamiliarity with the rest of the band meant that while I wondered who this Jon Allen guy was that drummed for Testament for a few years back, lo and behold he was the guy thrashing the kit in Sadus! I hang my head in shame.

So, Chemical Exposure was basically a 1991 Roadracer re-release of Sadus first self-released record, 1988’s Illusions. Musically just as Sadus always stood out for their uncompromising speed, for me there-in also lay their handicap. While the music is admirably fast, and in the right mood, or maybe if you’re between the ages of 15 and 19, blooding yourself on something new and heavy, this is still The Shit. However, if you’re after something with a little more melody, the odd smooth break, a nice *cough* slow riff, Sadus are not your boys. Maybe I’m just not tough enough to listen to this kind of stuff, but I do love my thrash and there is no way I could listen to this on repeat, it becomes a blur. In its worst moments, it can be borderline annoying! Take any two minute excerpt and it’ll be two minutes of fine thrashing, but play it for thirty minutes and you kinda lose your way. At least, I do. Luckily this one clocks in at thirty five minutes, so maybe it’s aiming for that Reign In Blood perfection.

There isn’t too much by way of solos that I could pick up though there is something of the typical Slayer style demonic widdling with cacophonic squeals to flavour. If you love late 80’s Kreator and Dark Angel or even new boys like Cryptopsy, Blood Red Throne, Belphegor or by Christ, any post ’05 Death Metal, and you just love it when the drummer only takes a break from thrash blasting when it’s time for the first four bars of the next tune, Sadus could be your band and Chemical Exposure a fine introduction.


Sadus – Swallowed In Black

Now this is better, an obvious progression. Where Chemical Exposure was gung-ho youthful exuberance, this 1990 effort has a knowing maturity. Sadus still don’t let up on the speed, but there is much more musicality and far more to get your teeth into. The riffs are somehow even busier and really bring out that Sadus fluid riffing style, Jesus, this is a thrash masterclass! There are definitely heavy progressive and jazz elements to the band this time and don’t for one second think that means sellout or mellow. No, this is fast as fuck and choppy as hell! Track three is the now semi-classic Last Abide, also known from it’s position on the highly recommended At Deaths Door Roadrunner compilation from 1990. It’s a typically blistering and powerful example of Sadus best work.

However there is now evidence, as on The Wake, of some lovely slow and heavy riffing which gives this album a far more interesting feel. When the band kicks in again, you find yourself swept along. Exactly what you want! Darren Travis’ has taken a more measured approach this time, spreading his vocal lines out over the frenetic music and really giving the band a darker, deeper texture. His style is still rasping but it compliments the music this time, rather than trying to keep up.

With the addition of some rather raw bonus track from the ’86 demo days, this one definitely deserves the Thrash/Death Metal classic status it holds and a worthy member of any Metalhead’s collection!!


Sadus – A Vision of Misery

The final re-release comes in the form of Sadus third album, 1992’s Vision of Misery. This one is somewhat of a sonic expansion on, rather than a huge departure from, the musical variety of Swallowed in Black. The typical Sadus ante is set high on blasting first track Through The Eyes of Greed all the way up until the early respite in track four Slave To Misery which features some nice slow and heavy grooves before again speeding off into technical death metal heaven. The bass work is something to marvel at and not being particularly gifted musically I’m sure there is some intricate work going on here which my philistine ears can neither detect nor can I explain.

Sadus albums are almost more of a full experience than a particular showcase for individual tracks and Misery is a classic example. Tracks on this one ebb and flow into one another leaving a generalized feeling of what Sadus do and do exceptionally. Repeat listens open up the complexity and deliver hidden gems such as the fly-by solos on Throwing Away The Day which spice up the general bludgeon. Sadus don’t always speed straight through though and Facelift offers something of what was to come in the early 90’s Black Metal bands, especially down to Darren Travis’ throat ripping hoarse attack.

Really, if there are any kids out there that are really into these newer Black Metal, Death Metal or Death-Thrash/Black-Thrash Metal bands (I hear the unknowing scoff in the corner, yeah, I know!); the kinda stuff that purports to be heavy, face ripping, fast and all that… get online and check out Sadus myspace page and check this stuff out. If you like fast heavy thrash, you need Sadus albums in your collection. This is the band that helped spawn the genre and there are few that stand the test of time so well, nor blast so fast while still sounding so good!