underground_blasphemies: Sadistik Exekution "The Magus" Vampire records (1991)

In my mind, Possessed’s “Seven Churches” is, and always will be the first death metal album. Unfortunately, some misguided fools think that this is disputable, and that the first “real” death metal albums didn’t show up until 1987 with bands such as Death.

Get fukked! If “Seven Churches” is one the first death metal album, “The Magus” fucking is too! Sure it wasn’t actually released until november 1991, but if that’s an issue you can just kill yourself now. It’s the same thing as Repulsion really, recorded in ’86 yet released in ’89. “The Magus” is a forgotten classic. “The Magus” is the album that proves that Australia is fucking better than you. Chaotic? Sort of. Brutal? Sort of. Hell raising black infused death metal? Oh yeah. This is “Altars of Madness” before “Altars of Madness,” “I.N.R.I” before “I.N.R.I.”. Unholy 25th Anniversary.

The Track list are:

Side A:

A1 Cautness Darling Blood

A2 Lupercalia

A3 Possessed Haemorrhage

Side B:

B1 The Magus

B2 Sadistikly Exekuted

B3 Agonising The Dead

In fact, it’s almost disturbing just how developed this is for it’s time. Don’t think this is just some thrash/black/death album, this is fully fledged blackened death metal. “Altars of Madness” is really the best comparison, and the two albums are very, very similar. Rok sounds like an eviler Dave Vincent, which combined with some heavy vocal reverb makes for some very, very haunting stuff. Think “Altars,” and add “I.N.R.I” and “Deathcrush.” That’s what “The Magus” sounds like, and if you’re reading this review as a black or death metal fan and thinking, “this album sounds like it kicks arse!” then you’d be damn correct in your assumption. This is insane for 1986, and even by today’s standards it’s still damn heavy/brutal/evil.

Many of the stylistic quirks of Sadistik Exekution that would later take their complete form in the chaotic maelstrom of the “Fukk” albums are yet to manifest in “The Magus.” Perhaps this leaves this as the most “accessible” Sadistik Exekution album, as much as I hate to admit such a thing is actually possible. The ultra-fast bass solos are absent, the random stringing of the words “fuck,” “cunt” and “AAAAAAAAAAAAARGH” are not here and the faster than fast guitar and drum work is lacking. Again though, don’t think I’m saying this is some “weak” album, because it’s still harder than 99% of the stuff you’ll ever hear. If you were repulsed by Rok calling you a “fukkin’ fukkin’ fukkin’ poof” on “Organized Sadistik Abuse” (from “Fukk”) then you might just be able to enjoy the band through this album.

Production wise, this album is awesome. Everything is audible, with a particular emphasis placed on Rok’s vocals and Dave Slave’s bass lines. The guitars are still nice and loud, as are the drums, providing for a well-rounded, heavy sound. It’s slightly rawer than “Altars of Madness” and black metal fans will feel right at home with the sound here. The production once again provides another “Altars – I.N.R.I” link, and it sound suitably, as the band would put it, fucked up.

You know, everytime someone bags Sadistik Exekution for their musicianship, I feel like breaking something. Let’s just ignore Dave’s insane bass skills (there are videos on YouTube of him performing at an art exhibition, check them out if you like bass at all!) and Sloth’s incredibly fast drum work. No matter how it may appear, Sadistik Exekution is a technically proficient and tight band. While “The Magus” is the simplest of their works, it’s no “Transilvanian Hunger,” and the occasional flirtation with some slightly more interesting drum patterns or guitar riffs does wonders for the album. Check out track six, “Lupercalia,” at 4:11 into the song. It’s a riff that sounds incredibly weird and out of place, but at the same time fits perfectly. I’d also like to note here that Sloth’s drumming features a somewhat primitive blasting technique that sounds very good in context of the album. It’s only mid-fast paced, but the effect is prominent due to the somewhat high position in the mix the drums possess (again it must be stressed, nothing overpowers another in the mix). Everything the band does here fits like the potato bake in a potato bake and sausage sandwich (a particular delicacy that I’ve invented, next time you have a BBQ, try it! It’ll be the best moment of your life!).

SADISTIK EXEKUTION are:

Rok Vocals

Sandy Vahdanni Guitars

Dave Slave Bass

Sloth Drums

Sadistik Exekution occupies one of the largest positions in Australian metal history, and in reality should occupy a place in world metal history. Here is one of the earliest death metal bands, overlooked for reasons unfathomable to me. Unfortunately, Sadistik Exekution are too good for you for that. While you go listen to your pathetic “technical brutal death metal,” I’ll listen to this album (and the subsequent follow-ups) and know that whatever you listen to, it’ll never be as aggressive, brutal and plain FUKKING AWESOME as this band and their music. Perhaps that’s a good thing, if every person in the world listened to these guys it’d be one mightily fucked up world. I’ve really tried to keep the use of the word “fuck/fukk” in this review to a minimum, but even this, the least chaotic and mentally insane of Sadistik Exekution’s albums invokes such a strong feeling of absolute patriotism in me that I couldn’t help myself. Ultimately though, one thing is fact: This album is forgotten history and this band is fucking awesome.