“New and improved”: It’s a phrase we’ve heard time and time again, usually applied as a cheap sales ploy for something that’s neither new or improved, but rather the same crummy product repackaged with even poorer quality than before. In the case of Sadistic Force, however, I’m inclined to believe the old pitch. When we last reviewed this little ol’ blackened thrash band from Texas, it was upon the release of their sophomore full length, Midnight Assassin. Their latest release, Morbid Odyssey, sees the return of our heroes, albeit with a brand new lineup.
Founding guitarist/singer James Oliver remains at the forefront, Sadistic Force being purely his demented vision. Assisting him in bringing his wicked fantasies to life are a new rhythm section of bassist Mike Gupta and drummer JP Campo. Now a new lineup doing more of the same would be one thing, and like Midnight Assassin before it, Morbid Odyssey is quite a dynamic slab of first wave black metal worship. What sets this release apart from the pack, however, is an increased vengeance to the riffs and an even heftier production than before. Perhaps Oliver purposely set out to kick his own ass with this one? If so, mission accomplished.
Morbid Odyssey opens with the aptly titled “Portrait of Torment”, which conveniently toes the line between ripping black/thrash and anthemic black ‘n’ roll: The two genres Sadistic Force gravitate towards the most. Raw, fast, and powerful, the stage is now set for a truly devilish affair. “Soft Flesh for the Dungeon of the Damned” (What a title) keeps the rage going with some ignorant blackened crossover reminiscent of my boys in Wraith (Sorry for the Eddie Trunk moment!). With a solid balance of breakneck thrashing and midtempo mosh mania, this one is bound to get a violent pit going when unleashed onstage.
“Strike After Strike” ups the intensity 666 fold, sounding less like blackened thrash and more like the type of “thrashened black” specialized by ’90s acts like, well, today’s OTHER band in review, Desaster! The lead riff rocks and the chorus is rowdy, but it’s those second wave tinged blasts that push it over the edge. The title track black ‘n’ rolls us through the nite, boasting the grimness to pass as a balls out hard rocker or second wave BM hymn, before “Abnormal Cruelties” closes the affair in grandiose fashion. It’s a song like this that black metal acts have tried to incorporate going back to the days of Venom’s “At War with Satan”, anything to prove they’re more than a musical one trick pony. I’d love to hear Sadistic Force pursue this vein further on subsequent releases.
Ending just as fast as it begins, Morbid Odyssey does exactly what any solid EP should do, and that’s leave us wanting more. In a crowded playing field of Toxic Holocaust and Midnight disciples, Sadistic Force are slowly but surely clawing their way up the ranks, and with a release like this, prove there’s plenty of gas left in the tank. Let’s hope this latest incarnation of the band can keep it together and ravage the metalverse with a full length onslaught!
7 out of 10
Label: Independent
Genre: Black/Thrash Metal
For fans of: Wraith, Hellripper, Toxic Holocaust