Appalachian Metal Meisters hit the road to future stardom
Here's another band to review I have never heard of before. So a bit of background for you the reader/potential buyer, and for me also!!
Sanctity hail from Asheville, North Carolina, and have been tagged with another new genre to add to my list, Appalachian Metal! Fuck me, it's a good job Roadrunner have yet to sign a band from my homeland of Wales, otherwise we'd have Sheep Shaggin Metal!!
Anyway, Guitarist Zeff Childress and Drummer Jeremy London, childhood friend from a VERY early age formed the band in High School, Deliveranceville. In 2005 they hit the road and shared the bill with Trivium. Apparently Trivium frontman Matt Heafy was so impressed he recommended Sanctity to Roadrunner, and the rest we say is Chemistry.
What a start! Signed to Roadrunner, one of the foremost Metal labels. They have a mix of established and exciting new bans on their roster – Dream Theater, Killswitch Engage, Trivium, BLS, Opeth, Within Temptation, I could go on and on! Hopefully this will be a union that will serve Sanctity well
So, enough of the prattle, what's the album like Ches, I hear you ask. Obviously 'Return To Bloodshed' is Sanctity's debut album, and from the many listenings I've given it in the last three days alone, I think it is one to stand the test of time. RTB is a blistering blend of technical and good 'ol 80s style metal. Fans of Slayer, Megadeth, and the obvious main influence Mettrivium, will fall head over their Converses for Sanctity
The music is 100% full-on attitude, filled with steely, staccato guitars, huge bass ripping into your chest, and growling screaming vocals (not normally my favourite style of vocals) combine to grab you by your throat and assault your senses. Solos are (pick one from list or pick all) fast/frenzied/furious, but with those 80's style unforgettable hooks and granite heavy grooves
My Melodic Rock/AOR senses have been tingling, telling me I shouldn't be liking this at all, but I cannot ignore what I am listening to. Its absolutely fucking superb!!
A while ago, before I applied to become a writer, I remember a discussion on this very website about what makes for a 'heavy sounding' album. Three words my hard rockin' amigos, Return To Bloodshed!!
I find it difficult to pick out the outstanding tracks as all are great. Best track for me by far is the opener Beneath The Machine. Crunchy guitar riff opens the track, followed by growling but also melodic vocals, with a chorus to get under your skin. 'Constant noise inside my head' sings Jared MacEachern, and he's not wrong!
When he sings normally in sections on 'Brotherhood...' 'Billy Seals' and 'The Shape of Things', I want to hear more as he's got a great voice. More of this next album please. Other highlights for me are - 'Once Again', love the screaming vocals; 'Return To Bloodshed' Melodic Metal at its best; 'Billy Seals' opens with string section, melodic yet savage vocals and machine gun rhythm section.
If you love tour Metal at 100mph, or if you are in Europe, make that 140km/h, look no further than this. I managed to get some time on my own yesterday and cranked it beyond normal listening levels for me personally. It then took on extra life and really made the songs shine. They took on a whole new listening pleasure, even my missus quite liked it, and that's saying something!
Its not all that often a debut album comes around to get you all excited about the Metal scene. This isn't it!
No I can't lie, its brilliant! This should be high on people's playlists. Play at least on 11. Already a contender for one of the albums of the year
My only negative point is that by the time,
1. I have written this
2. you have read it
3. the album is released on the 24th
4. Sanctity will have almost completed their UK tour in support of Trivium, and we will have missed them.
Come back soon I want to review you live!