Band:	Sadus
Album:	Elements Of Anger
Style:	Death metal, Technical thrash metal
Release date:	1997
Guest review by:	Auntie Sahar

01. Aggresion
02. Crutch
03. Words Of War
04. Safety In Numbers
05. Mask
06. Fuel
07. Power Of One
08. Stronger Than Life
09. Unreality
10. In The End

Sadus has always been unique among thrash metal bands, particularly for their distinct sound. Any band that has the mighty Steve Digiorgio on bass is likely to pique one's interest. For unlike most thrash bands, whose bassists are almost invariably buried in the mix, smothered underneath the guitar, here the four string is loud, proud, and in your face. And yet, balance is maintained. Steve carves his fast, intricate lines alongside Darren Travis, but the guitar is still given room to breathe and thrust out its aggressive riffage, all backed up by the excellent drum work of Jon Allen. These are guys who know how to make all their band's elements (of anger?) come together, and they do a damn fine job at it.

Elements Of Anger comes across as something of a concept album, making it all the more interesting. The lyrics paint a bleak, somewhat depressing picture of someone who has become disenchanted with everyday life and the prejudices of society, but vows to not let such prejudices conquer them. This may fit with Sadus's somewhat progressive, philosophical nature, but in a way the lyrics could also be taken as speaking about the average metal fan. We stand up for ourselves against the usual societal bias and stereotypes towards our genre, but in doing so we may become somewhat biased ourselves against mainstream society. Such a universal message only serves to make the music that much more powerful.

Another thing that makes Elements Of Anger (and indeed, other albums of the band's discography) stand out is the use of keyboards. It reminds me something of Nocturnus, and while Sadus may utilize keyboards to a lesser extent than they did, they still succeed in creating a mysterious, almost surreal effect with them before the rest of the band comes smashing in once again. Check out the intros to "Unreality," "Aggression," and "Crutch."

This is not a dull album by any means. While there is a sense of cohesion among the tracks, there is also one of variety. Much like Slayer's Seasons In The Abyss, there are fast, aggressive tracks ("Words Of War," "Stronger Than Life"), but also tracks with some slower, "groovier" tempos ("Unreality," "Crutch," "Safety In Numbers"). The tracks flow together well, and yet each seems to have something that identifies it from the other. All the various puzzle pieces come together, forming an album that is bound to keep one hooked, but never bored. The core thrash sound of Darren's guitar work and Jon's drumming, coupled with Steve's dazzling bass work and dreamlike keyboard usage combines to make this an album that puts its own little twist on the basic thrash metal sound. If you're a thrash fan looking for something a little different, perhaps a little out-of-the-box, and Elements Of Anger has yet to assault your ears, give it a spin.