Sadist

Biography

Sadist is an Italian death metal band formed in Genoa, in January 1991. It debuted with Black Screams in 1991, then released three albums. The band went on hiatus after releasing the album Lego in 2000. They reunited in 2005 and released their self-titled album in 2007. Sadist has released three more albums since. The band has released nine albums and one EP. They are signed to Scarlet Records. Guitarist and keyboardist Tommy Talamanca has been a constant member, main composer, and co-producer throughout the band's existence. Trevor Nadir has been the main singer since 1996.

1991–2000

Sadist was formed in early 1991 by Tommy Talamanca (guitar, keyboards) and Marco 'Peso' Pesenti (drums), who had left the band Necrodeath to start a new project. Inspired by progressive rock and thrash metal, Talamanca developed the concept for the group, while Andy Marchini (bass) and Fabio Bocchiddi (vocals) joined. While playing locally, the band recorded a demo and signed to indie label Obscure Plasma Records. They released the Black Screams EP in September 1991, which took the material from the demo tape. The EP was later released in 1992 by American indie label Wild Rag Records as a three-track version. The band toured Italy and France, until Bocchiddi left the band a year later and Marchini took over vocals.
The band signed a two-album deal with Nosferatu Records and released Above the Light×Above the Light15 July 1993 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Nadir2:122Breathin' Cancer7:253Enslaver of Lies5:374Sometimes They Come Back6:275Hell in Myself5:316Desert Divinities5:067Sadist4:208Happiness 'n' Sorrow6:40 in 1993. Marchini left the band and was replaced with bassist Chicco Parisi and new singer Zanna. In late 1993, the band recorded the music video for the song "Sometimes They Come Back" from the Above the Light album and began a tour of France and the Netherlands.
In early 1994, Sadist supported Carcass during the Italian shows of their "Heartwork" tour. A few months later, they supported Samael in France. While on tour, the band worked on their new album and, in May 1995, entered Rhythm Studios in Bidford on Avon, England, where they started recording their second album.
In 1996, Tribe was released in February, distributed by Sun Rising Records for Europe and Toy's Factory for Japan. The band toured to promote the new album in France, Italy, and the Netherlands until June, and their second video, "Tribe×Tribe1995 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Escogido5:032India4:443From Bellatrix to Betelgeuse4:434Den siste kamp4:145Tribe4:006Spiral of Winter Ghosts3:467The Ninth Wave4:108The Reign of Asmat6:21," was broadcast all over Europe. In November, Sadist headlined Mindviews Belgian Metal Convention and was featured on the Japanese Iron Maiden tribute with their version of "Wrathchild." At the end of 1996, drummer Pesenti left to reform Necrodeath. He was replaced with Filippo 'Oinos' Ferrari. Singer Zanna was replaced with Trevor Nadir, while bass player Andy Marchini returned.
In early 1997, the band started recording their third album. Before the album was released, Oinos left and was replaced with Alessio Spallarossa. At the end of 1997, Sadist signed with Displeased Records and released Crust. The album was also distributed in Japan. In 1998, the band released their third music video, "'Fools' and Dolts." Shortly after, the band travelled to Germany to play at a European festival Wacken Open Air.
In 1999, the band signed with Impact/System Shock and self-produced the album Lego at Nadir Recording Studios. The response to the album was not favourable, due to having a nu metal sound. The band went on hiatus. They reformed in 2005 and signed with Italian indie label Beyond Productions. A video for the song "One Thousand Memories" appeared in February 2008. They re-released Above the Light and Tribe, remastered at Talamanca's Nadir Studios.

2005–present

In late 2006, the band began recording a new album. The self-titled album Sadist was released in April 2007 and featured a guest appearance by Claudio Simonetti from Goblin on the title track. The band toured the rest of the year, headlining two Armenian festivals, Highland Metalfest and Rock the Borders. In 2010, the band released the album Season in Silence×Season in Silence19 March 2010 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Aput2:102Broken and Reborn4:063Season in Silence5:024The Attic and the World of Emotions4:265Evil Birds3:236Ogron3:037Night Owl4:038Snowman4:199Bloody Cold Winter3:2610The Abyss4:1311Frozen Hands5:3112Hiberna2:52, the first on the Italian Scarlet label.
In 2015, the band released the album Hyaena×Hyaena16 October 2015 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1The Lonely Mountain5:142Pachycrocuta4:033Bouki3:444The Devil Riding the Evil Steed5:305Scavenger and Thief4:196Gadawan Kura3:407Eternal Enemies4:138African Devourers4:189Scratching Rocks4:4910Genital Mask5:54 inspired by African rhythms and featuring Senegalese percussionist Jean N'Diaye.
In November 2018, the album Spellbound×Spellbound9 November 2018 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks139 Steps2:172The Birds3:123Spellbound4:014Rear Window3:425Bloody Bates4:056Notorius3:417Stage Fright4:118I’m the Man Who Knew Too Much3:519Frenzy3:5110The Mountain Eagle3:2211Downhill1:07 was released, inspired by Alfred Hitchcock, where the songs referred to characters or earlier movies such as The Mountain Eagle. In 2019, original bass player Andy Marchini left the band and Andrea Nasso filled in on tour. At the start of 2021, the band announced that the recording on a ninth album Firescorched×Firescorched20 May 2022 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Accabadora2Fleshbound3Finger Food4Burial of a Clown5Loa6Aggression/Regression7Three Mothers and the Old Devil Father8Trauma (Impaired Mind Functionality)9Firescorched10Rerek11Accabadora (Atitai) had begun, with fretless bassist Jeroen Paul Thesseling and drummer Romain Goulon. The album was released on May 20, 2022.
On 9 January 2025, the band announced their tenth studio album, Something to Pierce×Something to Pierce7 March 2025 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Something to Pierce3:392Deprived3:463No Feast for Flies3:034Kill Devour Dissect4:065The Sun God4:186Dume-Kike5:187One Shot Closer3:358The Best Part Is the Brain3:469Nove Strade4:1110Respirium3:1011Latex Hood3:1212The Unsmiling Windows4:47, set for release on 7 March.
In the summer of 2025, the group announced plans to perform in Russia in November, sparking backlash. The band responded officially that they were "apolitical".

Current members

Tommy Talamanca − guitar, keyboards (1991–2001, 2005–present)
Trevor Nadir − vocals (1996–2000, 2005–present)

Current session and touring members

Davide Piccolo – bass (2022–present)
Giorgio "Jenny" Piva – drums (2022–present)

Former members

Andy Marchini − bass, vocals (1991–1994), fretless bass (1996–2001, 2005–2019)
Marco 'Peso' Pesenti − drums (1991–1996)
Sibylle Colin-Tocquaine − vocals (1991)
Fabio − vocals (1991–1992, 2000–2001)
Zanna − vocals (1995–1996)
Chicco Parisi − bass, fretless bass (1995–1996)
Oinos − drums (1997–1999)
Alessio Spallarossa − drums (1999–2001, 2005–2020)
Andrea Nasso − bass (2019–2020)
Romain Goulon − drums (2020–2024)

Studio musicians

Jeroen Paul Thesseling – fretless bass (2020–2021)

Above the Light (1993)

Nadir
Breathin' Cancer
Enslaver of Lies
Sometimes They Come Back
Hell in Myself
Desert Divinities
Sadist
Happyness 'n' Sorrow

Tribe (1996)

Escogido
India
From Bellatrix to Betelgeuse
Den Siste Kampe
Tribe
Spiral of Winter Ghosts
The Ninth Wave
The Reign of Asmat

Crust (1997)

Perversion Lust Orgasm
The Path
Fools and Dolts
Holy...
Ovariotomy
Instinct
Obsession-Compulsion
...Crust
I Rape You
Christmas Beat
Take On Me
Relax

Lego (2000)

A Tender Fable
It's Not Good
Meat
Flies on Me
Fog
Plastic Star
Flowing Out Red
I Want It
Welcome to My Zoo
Small Great Child
Dodgy Fuckin' Cow
The Line
Dogs Sledge Man
Cappuccetto grosso

Sadist (2007)

Jagriti
One Thousand Memories
I Feel You Climb
Embracing the Form of Life
Tearing Away
Kopto
Excited and Desirous
Different Melodies
Invisible
Hope to Be Deaf
Sadist

Season in Silence (2010)

Aput
Broken and Reborn
Season in Silence
The Attic and the World of Emotions
Evil Birds
Ogron
Night Owl
Snowman
Bloody Cold Winter
The Abyss
Frozen Hands
Hiberna

Hyaena (2015)

The Lonely Mountain
Pachycrocuta
Bouki
The Devil Riding the Evil Steed
Scavenger and Thief
Gadawan Kura
Eternal Enemies
African Devourers
Scratching Rocks
Genital Mask

Spellbound (2018)

39 Steps
The Birds
Spellbound
Rear Window
Bloody Bates
Notorius
Stage Fright
I'm the Man Who Knew Too Much
Frenzy
The Mountain Eagle
Downhill

Firescorched (2022)

Accabadora
Fleshbound
Finger Food
Burial of a Clown
Loa
Aggression/Regression
Three Mothers and the Old Devil Father
Trauma (Impaired Mind Functionality)
Firescorched

Something to Pierce (2025)

Something to Pierce
Deprived
No Feast for Flies
Kill Devour Dissect
The Sun God
Dume Kike
One Shot Closer
The Best Part Is the Brain
Nove Strade
Respirium