Sadus – Out For Blood – Review

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Out For Blood (The End)
by Tim Den

It totally blows my mind that Sadus are still around after 20+ years. Despite having never been a major player in the thrash/death circuit, the band have persevered through the departure of guitarist Rob Moore, the multiple side projects of bassist/backup vocalist Steve DiGiorgio, and many years of inactivity without losing an ounce of potency. In fact, I dare say Sadus emerged out of the mid-’90s (the “dark years” of metal) unscathed because, well, because they were never in it. Their hibernation froze them in time, perfectly preserving them for thaw-out in the mid-’00s “true metal” renaissance. Brilliant strategy or pure coincidence? Who cares? With an album as strong as Out For Blood, the music is all that matters.

Out For Blood is everything an old fan like myself could want from the band: Dexterity, flexibility, thrashing tempos that change at the drop of a pin, and a crisp production that expands upon the classic A Vision of Misery‘s sonic palette. It’s heavy without having to resort to 10 million overdubbed guitars, articulate without being über technical, and catchy without sticking to the verse/chorus/verse/chorus formula. Its execution is full of finesse, captured crystal-clear by 21st century engineer know-how to fully express the unique ideas inside the members’ heads. There are a few new tricks up their sleeves, too: The kaleidoscopic synth samples in “No More” and the occasional sitar flourishes, for example. Sadus have progressed in all the right directions while keeping their fluid nature intact. It’s a beautiful thing indeed.
(www.theendrecords.com)