Onslaught - In Search Of Sanity

New review up of this long lost and often maligned thrash album from 1989. Check it out:

http://themetalblogofmetal.blogspot.com/2011/06/reapers-onslaught.html

Thanks!

Great review dude!

I'm sold. I never picked this up. THE FORCE and POWER FROM HELL are the the only two Onslaught albums I have.

Metal blog of metal? that's like "music store of music" or "Italian restaurant from Italy".

I bought Onslaught's first 2 albums back in 1987, but I havent heard them in many years. I do remember The Force being one awesome album. As far as "In Search Of Sanity", I really dont understand the constant comparisons to Metallica. I mean, frankly you could compare about half the 80's metal to Metallica if you wanted to but it's like comparing every heavy metal band that ever existed to Judas Priest or Black Sabbath. Almost every band of those genres is gonna have similarities.

For me, "In Search Of Sanity" wasnt that much of a let down. 1989 was a transitional year for thrash, the old guard was changing and the newer bands werent as old school as the past ones. Metal Church put out "Blessing In Disguise", Testament released "Practice What You Preach", Anthrax's "Killer B's"and Metallica's AJFA to name a few. Noise Records was releasing a couple new brands of thrash: Power Metal and technical thrash metal and I started to go that direction. So Onslaught may have dogged a few of their die-hard fans but to me they were just progressing naturally along with many other band of the thrash genre.

Love In Search Of Sanity! I have no idea what album the naysayers are listening to but this thing smokes. I guess the change turned them off (and it certainly is different from it's predecessors) but I actually prefer this to the Venom/Slayer sounds.

stepcousin wrote:

Metal blog of metal? that's like "music store of music" or "Italian restaurant from Italy".

I bought Onslaught's first 2 albums back in 1987, but I havent heard them in many years. I do remember The Force being one awesome album. As far as "In Search Of Sanity", I really dont understand the constant comparisons to Metallica. I mean, frankly you could compare about half the 80's metal to Metallica if you wanted to but it's like comparing every heavy metal band that ever existed to Judas Priest or Black Sabbath. Almost every band of those genres is gonna have similarities.

For me, "In Search Of Sanity" wasnt that much of a let down. 1989 was a transitional year for thrash, the old guard was changing and the newer bands werent as old school as the past ones. Metal Church put out "Blessing In Disguise", Testament released "Practice What You Preach", Anthrax's "Killer B's"and Metallica's AJFA to name a few. Noise Records was releasing a couple new brands of thrash: Power Metal and technical thrash metal and I started to go that direction. So Onslaught may have dogged a few of their die-hard fans but to me they were just progressing naturally along with many other band of the thrash genre.

In Search Of Sanity sounds remarkably similar to early Metallica with the exception of the vocals. Onslaught's first two albums sound nothing like Metallica. I never understood the whining by Onslaught fans either but what can you do? I rather liked those transitional albums myself as they incorporated much more melody.

I have this on cassette tape. Sooooo need to find a CD of it.

In Search of Sanity is an awesome album! I love it!

I have this one, but it's been awhile since I've given it a spin. Might have to remedy that and see if you're review holds water.

I had this album on tape back in the day. Didn't think much of it, honestly. That five-minute "intro" of weird sound effects that opens the album was irritating as hell, and the cover of AC/DC's "Let There Be Rock" was godawful.

In Onslaught's live DVD from a few years back there's a lengthy interview with Sy Keeler (vox) and Nige Rockett (guitar) about the history of the band in the bonus features, and when this album is brought up Rockett becomes visibly uncomfortable, like he didn't even want to talk about it...

ultmetal wrote:

I have this on cassette tape. Sooooo need to find a CD of it.

Candlelight records sells it for $10 on their website.

Fat Freddy wrote:

I had this album on tape back in the day. Didn't think much of it, honestly. That five-minute "intro" of weird sound effects that opens the album was irritating as hell, and the cover of AC/DC's "Let There Be Rock" was godawful.

In Onslaught's live DVD from a few years back there's a lengthy interview with Sy Keeler (vox) and Nige Rockett (guitar) about the history of the band in the bonus features, and when this album is brought up Rockett becomes visibly uncomfortable, like he didn't even want to talk about it...

The intro is inexplicable. Why the hell would a band do that???? I like the AC/DC cover but I like cover songs. I even like Priest's Johnny B. Goode and everybody hates that!

Clearly something strange happened in the Onslaught camp. My guess is management pushed the band into the change in sound and vocals.

Witchfinder wrote:

ultmetal wrote:

I have this on cassette tape. Sooooo need to find a CD of it.

Candlelight records sells it for $10 on their website.

Thanks.

ultmetal wrote:

Witchfinder wrote:

ultmetal wrote:

I have this on cassette tape. Sooooo need to find a CD of it.

Candlelight records sells it for $10 on their website.

Thanks.

It's relatively cheap on Amazon too...under $10 used
http://www.amazon.com/Search-Sanity-Onslaught/dp/B000008J4U/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1310057696&sr=1-2

Onslaught were always trying to sound like other bands.


POWER FROM HELL = VENOM

THE FORCE = SLAYER

IN SEARCH OF SANITY = METALLICA


That said, IN SEARCH OF SANITY is a decent album, but I can't say I much like the vocals.

Hey, Scott. I noticed you don't have Onslaught on the site yet. Any plans to add them on, seeing how you at least have In Search of Sanity (even if it is just on cassette)?

Witchfinder wrote:

I even like Priest's Johnny B. Goode and everybody hates that!

My vote for the absolute worst cover in history.

S.D. wrote:

Witchfinder wrote:

I even like Priest's Johnny B. Goode and everybody hates that!

My vote for the absolute worst cover in history.

I wouldn't say worst, but it is pretty bad indeed.

Required Fields wrote:

S.D. wrote:

Witchfinder wrote:

I even like Priest's Johnny B. Goode and everybody hates that!

My vote for the absolute worst cover in history.

I wouldn't say worst, but it is pretty bad indeed.

I actually don't mind Priest's "Johnny B. Goode" cover, but the video -- which shows the band playing the song live whilst being overrun by stage divers (!) is godawful atrocious.

It's an abomination. I would have gladly held Priest down while Chuck Berry beat them to death with his guitar.



Back to Onslaught. The only album I ever heard was "The Force", which basically sounded like a low-rent Slayer clone, never explored them further.

Just ordered this one on amazon. Loved the samples I heard. Can't wait to get it.

I got this today. I don't understand the criticism. I think it's great. Big riffs, 80's Anthrax/Metallica/Forbidden style, and a great vocal performance!

My copy is a 2017 reissue where there's a bonus live disc included. I didn't get to it yet. But I'm just loving this already after two spins.

It's easily my favorite of them. Granted I haven't heard anything past this release, but from what I have, it's tops.

Revisited “ The Force “ . Loud !

Glower wrote:

Revisited “ The Force “ . Loud !

Excellent album. They played it live in 2017.

I was there in the front row. Here's a photo i had taken back then:

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I like both The Force and In Search of Sanity in different ways , but I can't stand the stinky punk influenced "Power From Hell" . In the Search of Sanity is a Power Thrash classic , and certainly has a lot of Ride the Lightning and Spreading the Disease similarities ...