Sadus-Swallowed In Black(1990)

Sadus was a band that I overlooked back in the day as being sound alike thrashers with little variation in the brutality. Now, as I give them another try, with a more mature outlook upon such juvenalia, I must say..........this shit rules!!!!

There is a deft mix of technicality and fierce attack. The structure is pure thrash, but the ferocity, recalling Kreator and Devastation in shrillness, pushes it towards death metal category. Saving this from a complete generic blur in the fret board agility of the guitar section. They mosh it up in places, can go from slow to lightening at the drop of a hat, and do all the required heroics, but it is the swift, dissonant riffery that truly kills. But most impressive is the rhythm section, especially the devilish bass work of Steve DiGiorgio. Standing out in the mix, unusual for metal, the bass adds a jazz fuckery, ambiguous in it's evil intentions, and in no way detracting from the slicing and dicing. Skinsman John Adams keeps up nicely. The shrill, witchy vocals of guitarist Darren Travis, doing double here, adds a nice rhythmic counter point, though gets repetitive at times.

Lyrically, this is standard thrash ranting. There is much fretting about environmental decay, much nihilistic venting, none too inventive, perfectly garbled, written to provide rhythmic counterpoint. Those looking for sensitive poetic subtlety (or sick gore) must look elsewhere.

Over all, a fine technical metal album that does not call attention to it's shredding, instead focusing on pure ferocity, straddling both death and thrash camps, but with a unique sound that owns.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10