I've been a regular listener of Sadistik's work since Phantom Limbs with Kno back in 2015. Since then, I've heard and reviewed every project he has released. I've come to know what to expect from Sadistik in terms of subject matter filled with despair, versatile flow/delivery, clever wordplay, and a unique dark sound. With Haunted Gardens, I went into this album looking at it as the next chapter of this 4 year story I've had with Sadistik. Remembering where it started, and how both of us grown since then.
Right away with the intro track All My Poisons Sit in Frames, the Sadist hits me with a sound that's about what I'd expect but he still manages to surprise me with how distinct this track sounds from any other intro track that I've heard from him.
Eden the single to promote the album is a banger that you don't get hype to, just slowly die inside to. I love Sadistik's relentless flow that compliments this perfect intro follow-up beat. 8 1/2 is a track loaded with quotes that I can't get over, for example: "She always sees the best in me, I focus on the worst in her." "One day I told my God's I dug a grave that they'd be perfect for.""And now all I taste is chlorine, everything is boring, insects singing for me, morphing from the morphine."
Daisies is a track that grew on me after listening to the album a few times. The nihilism that it's laced with is depressing but also something I find myself agreeing with or having views similar to it. Lyrics like "No matter where I go I know I'll see the same patterns. Every single room's the same, some just rearrange better." and "Nooses tied reminding me I'm dying every second I'm alive" are examples of that. I absolutely love Man's Best Friend. The first half of the track is very atmospheric, but the second half is where the beat transitions into an almost haunting, chilling banger. Sadistik blesses this already amazing track with one of my favorite quotes from the album "Everybody running from the waves that we're made of, tracing the vapors to praise all their saviors."Sistine Chapel was created for the woman in Sadistik's life. Here he talks about seeing God in her, the God that religion promises, the God they say we all need. With that said, I couldn't help but think about how fucked up it would've been if the Sad one was talking about seeing the God in her that drives some people away from religion.Koi is dedicated to Sadistik's father who passed. While feeling that his father is still there with him, Sadistik can see his father in him when he looks in the mirror and it hurts because he was a good father. He details how his father gave him wisdom, lessons that he hopes are true and that he will learn, gave him something to idolize, and how he will continue to live through him. The final track From the Gossamer had the perfect sound & vibe for an outro for an album like this. It ended with the perfect last words "We weren't meant for a normal life."I said it on Twitter and I'll say it here, Haunted Gardens pulls me back into the darkness that I try to stay away from, but am willingly a fan of and feel a strange comfort in.
Be sure to listen & support below. My video review is featured below as well, just under the stream embed.
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