Reviews list for Sadus - Illusions (1988)

Illusions

The album that allegedly got the band signed to Roadrunner after shifting some 7,000 copies is to all intent and purpose pure unadulterated violence. Now, I will not go off and join my peers on the site in lavishing praise on Illusions. In fact, I will highlight that this is some sloppy sounding thrash metal even by late 80’s standards. Yes, I get that this is a massive part of the appeal and I enjoy some raw and energetic thrash / proto-death metal as much as the next man or woman, the fact is though that there are a couple of major distractions on the sound on some tracks here.

The drums start to sound like claps as album opener Certain Death gets to around halfway through, just for a few moments, not for the entire track thereafter but nonetheless I find this off-putting and sort of ruins the start of the album for me. I am also not convinced that the band had their timing correct for all the tracks. Granted it is so ridiculously fast and has the pacing of a jet engine that you hardly notice but when the band get to a less high tempo pace and go a little more industrious (not technical - more on that in a minute) is where the cracks do start to show. I will put this down to the maturity levels of the band and this being their first full-length and will also caveat that when they are on point – which at times they are – they are unstoppable. I am thinking some of this is also down to the over-reliance on DiGiorgio and his bass which I am nearly sure causes flux in the rhythm and timing on more than one occasion.

This “technical” tag bothers me that I see get associated with the release also. The fact that this album has a heavy bass presence does not mean that this is a technical thrash metal record. I see DiGiorgio’s input as being almost a third guitar – most certainly a second rhythm guitar that makes the frenetic pace sound a lot meatier than it would otherwise. You could argue it gets all proggy on the opening bars to the title track but again this does not make it technical, just well-played.

Sadus’ debut is not for me in all honesty. As much as there are principles of thrash metal here that I would largely praise and defend in most circumstances, Illusions does precisely as the meaning of the title suggests and tries to distract away from its issues with pure speed and violence and it just does not work for me.


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UnhinderedbyTalent UnhinderedbyTalent / January 03, 2022 05:19 PM
Illusions

Sadus and their Illusions album are, unfortunately, one of those bands with whom I have passed like ships in the night. I say unfortunately because it's frantic, headlong thrashing is right up my street, as they say. It incorporates elements of early death metal into the teutonic-inspired thrash of Kreator and Sodom in a way that is heavily indebted to Possessed's Seven Churches. One thing that really does stand out on Illusions, in a way previously unheard on a thrash release, was the bass playing of Steve DiGiorgio which almost seems to double as an extra rhythm guitar. Darren Travis' deranged, screaming vocals just sound demented (in a good way), as on the track Torture. The riffs are cranked to hyperspeed and the solos are searingly savage, in a Jeff Hanneman kind of way. With song titles like Certain Death, And Then You Die, Twisted Face and Fight or Die I think we can tell where the band are coming from. Despite hailing from LA, I guess these guys weren't hanging out on the strip with Mötley Crüe and L.A. Guns!
Any fan of the faster, more aggressive side of thrash and albums like Reign in Blood, Pleasure to Kill and Darkness Descends should certainly grab a copy of this. I don't think they would be disappointed.

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Sonny Sonny / February 22, 2020 02:45 PM
Illusions

This is shredding! For some reason I'd never managed to hear Sadus until the last couple of weeks. I'd always assumed that they were a technical, almost progressive thrash metal band, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Illusions is ripping, face tearing thrash metal in the style of Kreator and Sodom at their absolute fastest. Steve Di Georgio's bass is awesomely present. The riffs are one after another unrelentingly mosh worthy and Darren Travis' vocals are some of the best I've heard in the genre. He manages to sound completely and utterly psychopathic while keeping things together, like an angry Mille from Kreator. Last but certainly not least, Jon Allen's drumming is insanely good, managing to mix things up at extremely high speed.

The album lasts under thirty minutes, Reign in Blood style. And just as on that classic album, it doesn't feel at all disappointing that it's so short. It just makes you want to press play again. Certain Death, Torture, Hands of Fate and Illusions are all cracking tracks, but there really aren't any low points on what this blistering and thoroughly entertaining album. So glad I finally checked it out!

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Ben Ben / May 03, 2019 09:29 PM