Sadus - The Shadow Inside Review

There are bands whose reputation is way beyond their genre. Bands whose name are so respectable that even fans that don’t like their genre respect them. Sadus are one of them. I respected the band a lot even when I wasn’t so much into Death Metal. “The Shadow Inside” comes to terminate a very long hiatus of 17 years with no release and give their fans a fine taste of their very special blend of Death Metal and Thrash Metal. From where I’m standing, 17 years ia little too much of a hiatus to a band of this caliber. So, a little history won’t hurt.

Sadus were formed in 1985 by vocalist Darren Travis, guitarist Rob Moore, bassist Steve Di Giorgio and drummer Jon Allen. A year later, the band would release their demo tape “D.T.P. (Death to Posers).” These sessions led directly to the inclusion of two tracks on the 1987’s “Raging Death” compilation album. Quick to capitalize on this achievement Sadus stuck their hands in their pockets to self finance the debut album pulling in Metal Church guitarist John Marshall as producer. The pace of progress was quickened as a deal with label Roadrunner Records was secured resulting in a further album “Swallowed in Black” and touring with the likes of Sepultura and Obituary.

Sadus were put on hold for 1991 as Di Giorgio opted to assist Death for their “Human” album. With this added exposure Roadrunner re-released the “Illusions” debut retitled “Chemical Exposure” as Sadus regrouped for a summer American tour opening for Morbid Angel. Although a further album for Roadrunner, 1992’s “A Vision of Misery,” resulted in a European headline tour, Sadus found itself labelless upon their return. Further setbacks occurred when Di Giorgio was enticed back to Death for the “Individual Thought Patterns” album and a subsequent year-long bout of touring. Di Giorgio was to return for club shows with Sadus but before any momentum could be gained Moore bailed out. But, Instead of replacing Moore, Sadus continued as a trio crafting the Scott Burns produced “Elements of Anger” in 1997.

Cut to August 20, 2017, when Darren Travis confirmed via Facebook that Sadus would be releasing new material. In October of that year, Travis posted two videos from the studio teasing new music from the band. At first, it was unclear whether bassist Steve Di Giorgio and drummer Jon Allen were part of the reunion, but in November 2017, Travis told Blabbermouth.net: “I have been working on new material for quite sometime with drummer Jon Allen in his personal studio in Texas. I am going to record again in Trident Studios in the next few weeks for two/three new tracks. Guitars and voice. Teasers will be posted on Facebook via YouTube links. Then full songs soon.”

On November 18, 2022, Sadus announced that they had signed a deal with Nuclear Blast Records for the 2023 release of their new album, and on the same day, they released their first song in 16 years called “It’s the Sickness”.

Now we’ve got here “The Shadow Inside” an album to terminate all the pain and misery resulting of the delay and wait. I have no shadow of doubt that the most hardcore Sadus fan will say it was worth the wait because the album is a hell of a cannonball. It seems the years haven’t washed away the band’s prone to a devilish instrumental perfection.

“The Shadow Inside” is opened by “First Blood” whose mysterious intro hides the intense bloodshed Sadus prepared to their fans. In fact, its intro is pretty 1980ish with a slow and calm introduction replaced by slow and moody guitars which, in a sudden, are replaced by a total butchery. Darren Travis’s acid vocals welcome the hell to the fans like saying “We’re back.” I couldn’t possibly find a song in the album which wouldn’t be a best way of commencing it. As the album goes, the fan feels the band hasn’t lost the old magic as “Anarchy” and other tracks show that fast and sharp guitar riffs are still the stapler of the band with a vocal duo that upgrades the band’s killing spree to more modern bloodsheds. It’s been some time a so angry and nervous track as “Anarchy” has hit us here. I have to say the song incorporates all the spirit of anarchy here. To cool it down a little and give the fan’s ears some refreshmente comes “The Devil In Me” with the kind of vocals that give the fan the creeps. Again the sharp – here not so fast – guitars steal the show. Thew combinition vocals and guitars Sadus found is really something to be proud of. “Pain” is another track that incorporates its tittle meaning. Vocals and instrumentals pass the fan such a feeling causing a lot of pain.

In “The Shadow Inside” Sadus refined their technical prowess giving the fan a rare case of intensity with short, but effective guitar riffs. The way the band does it sounds so natural that we keep wondering they recorded the album in only about a day or so. Give or take it. The band’s natural cohesiveness makes us think the album was written in one rehearsal only. I’d love to listen it alive.

It was really worth the wait.

Sadus “The Shadow Inside” will be released on November 17th via Nuclear Blast Records.

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