In Search of Sanity

In Search of Sanity is the third studio album by English thrash metal band Onslaught, released in 1989. This album was originally recorded with Sy Keeler, but London Records were not impressed with the final product from a commercial point of view and enforced a re-mix and a complete re-recording of the vocals by Grim Reaper frontman Steve Grimmett, being the only album featuring him. It features their longest song to date "Welcome to Dying".

In Search of Sanity
Studio album by Onslaught
Released	22 August 1989
Recorded	July–December 1988
Studio	Westside, Eden and Smokehouse Studios (London) Atlantic Studios (New York City)
Genre	Thrash metal
Length	57:17
Label	London
Producer	Stephan Galfas
Onslaught chronology
The Force (1986) In Search of Sanity (1989) Killing Peace (2007)
Singles from In Search of Sanity
"Let There Be Rock" Released: 1989 "Shellshock" Released: 1989 "Welcome to Dying (special edit)" Released: 1989

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Martin Popoff	[2]

While the album was mostly in the same thrash/speed metal vein as The Force, it contains a more polished sound than Onslaught's previous albums, acquiring a more progressive and melodic edge.^[3][4] Despite meeting mixed reviews by their fans, In Search of Sanity was moderately successful, peaking at number 46 on the UK charts while the single "Let There Be Rock" peaked at number 50 in that country.^[5] It was also Onslaught's last album before disbanding in 1991, only to reform in 2004 and the release of their fourth album Killing Peace in 2007.

The album was remastered and re-released by Blackend Records on 30 October 2006, after being out of print for some years.

Track listing

Side A

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Asylum" (Instrumental)	Stephan Galfas	5:16
2.	"In Search of Sanity"	Nige Rockett, Rob Trottman, James Hinder	7:32
3.	"Shellshock"	Rockett, Trottman, Hinder	6:54
4.	"Lightning War"	Rockett	7:03
5.	"Let There Be Rock" (AC/DC cover)	Angus Young, Malcolm Young, Bon Scott	4:06

Side B

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
6.	"Blood Upon the Ice"	Rockett	8:31
7.	"Welcome to Dying"	Rockett, Trottman, Hinder	12:45
8.	"Power Play"	Rockett, Trottman, Hinder	6:30
Total length:			57:17

CD bonus track

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
9.	"Confused" (Angel Witch cover)	Kevin Heybourne	1:58
Total length:			59:15

Note

In 2016, the album was packaged by Dissonance Productions containing a second disc of a recorded live concert in 1989 at the Bristol Hippodrome. The track listing is as follows:

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"In Search of Sanity" (Instrumental)	Stephan Galfas	5:16
2.	"Shellshock"	Nige Rockett, Rob Trottman, James Hinder	7:32
3.	"Fight with the Beast"	Rockett, Trottman, Hinder	6:54
4.	"Blood upon the Ice"	Rockett	8:31
5.	"Metal Forces"	Rockett	6:37
6.	"Lightning War"	Rockett	7:03
7.	"Welcome to Dying"	Rockett, Trottman, Hinder	12:45
8.	"Let There Be Rock" (AC/DC cover)	Angus Young, Malcolm Young, Bon Scott	4:06

Personnel

Onslaught

• Steve Grimmett – vocals
• Nige Rockett – guitar
• Rob Trottman – guitar
• James Hinder – bass, backing vocals
• Steve Grice – drums, backing vocals

Additional musicians

• Jody Gray, Dave Taggart, Phil Caffrey, Masaki Yamada, Stephan Galfas – backing vocals
• Steve Laws-Clifford – keyboards

Production

• Stephan Galfas – producer, engineer, mixing
• Paul Mortimor, Richard Barraclough, Jean Baptiste Liere – engineers
• Noah "T.T." Baron – mixing