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Sadus
Swallowed In Black
By Matt Tulini
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CD Stock Number: Roadrunner RCD9368
What a sad label Roadrunner has become. The masterpieces of Sadus, Pestilence, and Cynic are left to go out of print to make way for garbage like Soulfly and Slipknot. If Roadrunner has any integrity left, they will reissue their entire back catalog because it is loaded with the best of 80's thrash. Sadus was, in my opinion, the best of the great bands on the Roadrunner (then known as R/C) label.
Swallowed In Black was their first "big label" release. Their previous album (Illusions), which was self-financed, was later reissued by Roadrunner as Chemical Exposure. Swallowed In Black is pretty much in the same vein as Chemical Exposure. Sadus played ultra-fast thrash with a highly technical flare. The main differences between the first two albums is that 'Swallowed' is better produced, has much better sound quality, is less speed-driven, more technical, and has longer songs. I actually prefer the speed of Chemical Exposure, but Swallowed is unarguably a masterpiece of thrash and has better sound quality to boot. The cover art kicks ass too!
Sadus is not today the same band that created Swallowed In Black, but they have not sold out or started playing country. They continue to play technical thrash, but it's much slower and less 'noisy' than this album. I even talked to Steve DiGiorgio himself (the bassist) and he commented that Sadus' first two albums were "noisy". I don't care if Steve has lost his taste for speed metal, this album rocks! Pick it up if you can find it.
Enjoyment: 100
Sound Quality: 80
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