Goat Throne Records - 2023
9.5/10
At the start of the decade, Texas's Sadistic Force made a decent impression on me with their straightforward black/thrash sound that was nothing special but nonetheless strong. At minimum, they knew how to have fun and not take it too seriously. This evolves heavily on the band's follow up three years ago now, titled Midnight Assassin. Not only does that fun angle morph into a more horror-oriented image, but the sound itself cements into something a visibly more notable.
The band has always had an ear for crafting something catchier, and this time around it's done in a way that's more concise but not necessarily cleaner. Longer songs with shifts in tone and higher emphasis on lead guitar prowess dominate more of the record, trading the otherwise catchier but less-involved approach for tighter tunes that feel just as mean. Thus, we get a combo of strong choruses that mesh well with muscular tangents, avoiding any awkwardness. Frankly, I have to throw them props for not simply leaning heavier into the black metal side of things (a decent but sometimes predictable evolution) and calling it a day, but actually coming from a more intricate thrash metal approach.
Of course, this doesn't mean that Midnight Assassin isn't full of harsh shrieks, pummeling drums, and a horrific overlay; it just manages to work in several facets. "Corpsewood Curse" makes this known right away, fusing horror aesthetic with advanced leads that jump all over the place, presenting the album's longest tune. Similarly, "Marked For Death" takes a calmer approach to work a menacing stomp into the narrative, even including acoustic guitars for some flair, while the title track covers us in tremolos and breakneck speeds to trick us into the otherwise steadier march. Fear not, as there's still room for more straightforward blackened speed metal that the band made their name from. "Speeding Black Leather Hell" should tell you what you're in for just based on the title alone, served with gang chants and straightforward rhythms, but even the solo here curates a dramatic shift that caught even me off guard. Hell, "Nuremburg Nights" lets in what almost feels like a Motorhead-inspired black 'n roll vibe to pair with the macabre lyrics, and again, I really can't get over how well all of this works together.
It may still be tough to call Sadistic Force overly original, but having an identity separate from the larger scene is absolutely something they've nailed with their second full-length. A multi-faceted approach in the black/thrash realm is one of my favorite things to come by, and the Texans have done it. Beneath the noise sits layers of borderline classic tints that one could trace back to the first wave if they wanted to. Fans of Hellripper, Witchery, Bewitched, and the likes should seek this one out.
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