𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐏𝐓𝐒 - 𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐔𝐌 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊 & 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐘 𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋…
August 22, 1989 — Onslaught released their third studio album, In Search of Sanity in the United States via London Records (April 24th via London Records in UK, June 25th via Polydor K.K. in Japan). (Listen)
The album featured vocals by Grim Reaper frontman Steve Grimmett (R.I.P.), being the only album featuring him.
Background:
In 1987, Jase Stallard's guitar playing came into question, so Rockett dismissed him and replaced him with Rob Trotman. Using this line-up, they set out to write material for a third studio album. Having drawn the attention of London Records, the label signed the band. In mid-1988, the band began to start recording their third album, In Search of Sanity. Upon hearing the album, the record label felt that a more versatile vocalist was needed, to do the music more justice. Although the band felt that Sy Keeler's vocals on the demo recording had the right sound, the production had a more polished sound – hence the need for a more polished vocalist. Steve Grimmett, formerly of NWOBHM act Grim Reaper, was drafted in to replace the departing Sy Keeler. Owing to this development, the release of the album was delayed until mid 1989.
(𝚂𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚌𝚔 𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚎, 𝟷𝟿𝟾𝟾)
Following the success of The Force, and with an accomplished new singer, there was much pre-release publicity. In Search Of Sanity had a much different sound than Onslaught's previous releases; while still technically a Thrash Metal album, the band had shifted more towards a Progressive/Power Metal sound. In Search Of Sanity also featured the band's longest track to date in Welcome To Dying. Many hardcore Thrash Metal fans were disappointed with these changes, and this partially contributed to the band's demise, making In Search Of Sanity Onslaught's last album before disbanding in 1991 (only to ultimately reform in 2004).
(𝚆𝚎𝚕𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝙳𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚎, 𝟷𝟿𝟾𝟿)
Despite the mixed critical reaction, In Search Of Sanity is Onslaught's only album to enter the UK Albums Chart, peaking at No. 46, while the cover version of AC/DC's Let There Be Rock was the band's only single to appear in the UK Singles chart, peaking at No. 50.
(𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙻𝚎𝚝 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝙱𝚎 𝚁𝚘𝚌𝚔 𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝟷𝟿𝟾𝟿)
Onslaught toured for over a year in support of In Search Of Sanity, playing alongside Annihilator, Xentrix, Slammer, the Crumbsuckers, Horse, Drunken State, Sabbat and Dead On.
The album was remastered and re-released by Blackend Records on October 30, 2006, after being out of print for some years.
The album was re-released by Candlelight Records USA on March 11, 2008 with one bonus track, the Angel Witch cover, Confused.
In 2016, the album was packaged by Dissonance Productions containing a second disc of a recorded live concert in 1989 at the Bristol Hippodrome.
Notice: Any reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells
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IN REMEMBRANCE...
Stephen Grimmett (August 19, 1959 – August 15, 2022)