When I push play for the first song of Sanktuary’s record, Winter’s Doom, it’s like listening to Raven and Venom when they first came out on the scene. The raw sound, no extreme effects, keep the vibe of this record down to earth and relatable. The lyrical content has elements of fiction, fun, and fury like the bands mentioned above and this record gets a bit more thrashy as well.
This seven song album serves up a plate of hot, steamy, metal-old school style. Bands like this keep the original metal sound alive and vibrant.
“Space Race” has the same substance as Rust In Peace (Megadeth) with their choice of subject matter. “Wild As The Wind” and “Vermin Lord” have the heavy metal groove thing down, with a thrash back beat. The title track, Winter’s Doom, and “Open Your Eyes” keep the thrash drive alive with speedy rhythms and angry vocals. “Corpse Blockade” and “Maximum Authority” end this record with heavy thump and infuriated rhythms.
Sanktuary
Winter’s Doom
(Independent)
Written by: Tim Duran
8 out of 10
This album is a romp through the old fashioned way of making heavy metal music; write it down and slam it down. There’s nothing boring about Winter’s Doom, listening makes you envision being at a live show. It flies by too quickly and when it’s over it feels like a cliff hanger, but that’s okay because you can always push repeat – ah the joys of CDs! I give “Winter’s Doom” a cool 8.
Tim Duran, HMS
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