Reviews list for Sadist - Above the Light (1993)

Before the 90s, there was barely any metal in Italy. The country seemed to be more focused on their own prog-rock scene that was rising in the 70s. There were several Italian metal bands in the 80s, though not as many as later on, two notable bands being Death SS and Bulldozer. It wasn't until extreme metal started to grow in the 90s when the Italian metal scene gained some underground popularity starting with the more extreme bands like black metallers Mortuary Drape and, of course, the progressive/tech-death of Sadist! Their debut Above the Light is like a horror-infused blend of Coroner, Cynic, and Death's albums from that year.

Back then, Italian metal was still far away from the popularity gained in later more symphonic bands like Rhapsody of Fire and Fleshgod Apocalypse. Sadist was able to pull off unique keyboard usage before those bands. This gives Sadist more in common with Nocturnus, one of the earliest death metal bands to use sci-fi keyboard ambience, although Sadist gives it more prominence. And you can hear the keys most clearly in the interludes. Plus some strange seagull noises.

The intro track "Nadir" already lets you hear those haunting horror-ish keys. Then in "Breathin' Cancer", the melody is passed down towards the guitar and bass, and you're ready to take on this creepy yet exciting nightmare. "Enslaver of Lies" has a bit of Slayer-like thrash, but the prog-death is still on, almost as progressive as later Enslaved.

"Sometimes They Come Back" actually sometimes reminds me of the first 3 Trail of Tears albums, obviously without any of that band's operatic female singing. After a melodic soloing intro, the razor-sharp "Hell in Myself" explodes into some more thrash-ish deathly aggression. Solid vocals there, though the drumming could've had better production. "Desert Divinities" has a great unique sound. Almost like if Yngwie Malmsteen joined At the Gates at the time! The neoclassical guitars and keys are performed in nice technicality without being too flashy, and the riffs can go wild with no drastic twists. Wicked!

The band's own theme interlude, "Sadist" creeps in with horror-filled synths. This time, the heavy guitars join in on the spooky action. The band can actually pull off the horror movie vibe better than other death metal bands, enough for the chances of ending up in a film soundtrack to be likely. Probably a Psycho remake! "Happiness 'n' Sorrow" has the last of the dark prog-death sound for this album, until the rest of their discography (except the nu/industrial metal Lego).

Above the Light is a solid start for the Italian prog/tech-death band that is Sadist. Due to how overlooked this band is, it's the kind of album that should be reach more listeners. This shall reward anyone up for some prog-death with hints of Coroner. Within darkness, there's light!

Favorites: "Breathin' Cancer", "Sometimes They Come Back", "Desert Divinities", "Sadist"

Italian progressive death metallers Sadist first came to my attention via the mid-90's tape trading scene & it was their excellent debut album "Above the Light" that was the source of my initial interest, a release that is arguably still the band's most well-known record to this day. I was heavily into the more expansive & technical varieties of extreme metal at the time so Sadist's sound fit very comfortably inside of my wheelhouse but the overall quality displayed on "Above the Light" has also seen me returning to it a number of times over the many years since.

Sadist's sound is really built around one individual in guitarist/keyboardist Tommy Talamanca. His flashy neoclassical lead guitar solos & progressive synthesizer work are essentially what makes Sadist unique. Listening back now, there's no question that Tommy was a talented axe-slinger & I love his note selection however he definitely lacks the finesse & class of the absolute elite shredders the scene had to offer. His keyboard work is quite up-front in the mix but is used with a level of sophistication that tends to keep it free of any claims to cheese. It's very clear that Talamanca was heavily influenced by thrash metal because the vast majority of the album is better described as progressive death/thrash than death metal in my opinion with bands like Kreator having been a major source of inspiration. The progressive elements are more above the atmosphere & arrangements than they are about structural complexity so don't be scared off if you struggle with the more fiddly diddly modern day tech death artists.

The tracklisting is extremely solid with nothing falling short of tier two status. The album could definitely have done with a couple more standout tracks though as the only song that I find to be a true classic is the band's highly symphonic title song "Sadist" which possesses hooks that have cut so deeply that I can easily recall every nuance of it today, particularly Talamanca's stunning outro guitar solo which is one of the high points of the record from a creative point of view. My picks of the remainder are probably "Breathin' Cancer" & "Sometimes They Come Back" but there's a lot to like about the whole record in all honesty.

Sadist have certainly had their hits & misses over the years but there can be no denying the quality of their first up effort which is still my pick of their back catalogue in 2024. If you're a devotee of the flashier end of the extreme metal spectrum & don't mind a bit of a spacier progressive feel then I'd thoroughly recommend "Above the Light" to you.

For fans of Hieronymus Bosch, Neglected Fields & Atheist.