Sadus

Their first album in nearly a decade, Sadus’ Out For Blood underlines the fact that this classic Bay Area death/thrash trio haven’t been the most prolific band in the world. Though it seems criminal that this outfit — one of the first on Roadrunner’s genre-pioneering late ’80s roster — have released only five studio albums in their 20-year career, the "Sadudes” have been farmed out to multitudinous projects and have become the most in-demand session musicians around. Having played in no less than ten major metal bands, bassist Steve DiGiorgio lays down his phenomenal low-end riffs to greatest effect in "Cursed.” His pacing recalls the fret board acrobatics of Atheist’s Roger Patterson, though DiGiorgio definitely has his own signature style. He gives an Eastern feel to "Smackdown,” despite its gang chants that detract from the song’s staying power. Structurally, "Down” sounds very close to Obituary’s "Don’t Care,” even down to vocalist/guitarist Darren Travis’s Allen West-styled solo. That Obituary aesthetic creeps into the title track, a slower, Death-styled number with producer Juan Urteaga (ex-Vile) on backing growls. "Freak” is a prime example of the band’s technical prowess, and "Crazy” (with guest vocals by Testament’s Chuck Billy) exemplifies the type of variety this album should have more of — not those filler songs (the synth-driven "Lost It All” and "No More,” for starters) that may lead fans to think that Sadus are just spinning their wheels. Ultimately, however, DiGiorgio’s bass workouts and drummer Jon Allen’s polyrhythms are noteworthy, both of which make Out For Blood a worthwhile purchase for the curious.