'Semper Fidelis'
Ownblood- Magazine.de - **NEW** (Translated from German)
Third album from the British, who are finally back in the starting blocks with the follower 'Semper Fidelis' after 'Ashes Of Redemtion'. 13 raw, trashy, crushing tracks, who are always again and again interspersed with beautiful melodics and vocal parts. The guitar solos and the melodic vocals fit perfectly into the sound and form a catchy Mélange, without running the risk of sounding old. Sanctorum are creating with 'Semper Fidelis' a bright spot inside this retracted metal scene and doing everything right with their fresh rythmic, ruthless sound, the way Metal ála 2011 has to sound! 8/10.
Wretched Spawn - **NEW**
Hailing from Colchester, Death Metallers Sanctorum deliver their third highly-anticipated full-length album 'Semper Fidelis', with a chock full of riffs, blastbeats, grunts and growls that you could ask for, a real steamroller of an album. With each song a musical structure comes out clean as a whistle, but the vocals remain true to the essential infrastructure of Death Metal. Seen as one of Essex's best bands in competition against the other Metal counties, Sanctorum are set to become a nationwide killing machine, where the album acts as the catalyst, the revolution has begun, those who are 'Semper Fidelis' are 'Semper Fidelis' to Sanctorum and the British Metal scene.
[10] RHYS STEVENSON
Splizz Magazine - **NEW**
The nice Medieval flavoured cover art on Sanctorum's third full length outing is well
complemented by the ominous intro track but some cracking riffs soon herald the
smashfest that is "Rise of the Underdog" as it bludgeons its way into your brain!
Sanctorum play highly accomplished compositions that amount to Heavy Metal gold
of a very British standard. From fans of Devildriver to Maiden and far far beyond,
this album will delight all listeners of a heavy persuasion with gargantuan riffs and
fantastic guitar soloing throughout. The aggressive vocals are ramped up to the max
on tracks like the aforementioned 'Underdog, "Paradigm" and "Son of Perdition"
while there is a palpable softening of the clean vocals in places, which introduces an
effective light and dark element to proceedings. There are some very catchy choruses
here, surrounded by plenty of satisfying chug and thrash. "Thorn in my Side" is a real
double-bassdrum stormer whilst "Empty Glass" starts in ballad style but builds into a
mighty metal anthem. Closer "Crown of Scars" rounds things off nicely. As has been
reported before in these pages, Sanctorum are a band that really come into their own
in a live situation, so if you really want proof that Britain really has got talent, then
get off your lazy Saturday night asses and check them out as they tour the nation
somewhere near you!
(9/10) Steve Dulson
Andover Music Photography - **NEW**
Sanctorum are a band up until a few weeks ago have totally avoided my rock n roll radar but thankfully i saw these guys support My Ruin at Winchesters tiny Railway Inn and i've been hooked ever since. Hailing from Colchester in Essex these boys have oodles of talent.It has to be said that they're far from unique as there's plenty of other outfits out there who offer up the same style of southern rock/thrash/hardcore or whatever pigeon hole you want to throw them into but Sanctorum have a little sparkle about them that really wants you to crank that volume dial up to eleven. Semper Fidelis is the bands third studio release and in my opinion there finest so far. Theres touches of Slayer, Maiden and countless other bands to be found within the album,in fact i found myself saying 'that track reminded me of........' several times during the initial listening but after a few clicks of the Play again button it really did hit home how bloody good this album is. Track after track of blinding metal, chugging riffs and electrifying solos neatly held together with the powerful vocals of frontman Aaron Sly. The album is packed full of neat well put together songs with the highlights for me being 'Thorn in my side' and 'Crown of scars'. Overall a fantastic piece of work and one that will be placed high up in my 'best of 2011' list.
Dagheisha.com - **NEW**
We appreciated the qualities of the British in connection with the publication of 'Ashes Of Redemption' but in these two years the progress made by the band is truly remarkable. Experience of live rhythmic thrash that made the proposals more solid and personal and even though the echo of Lamb Of God is always present, just as the veil in the gothic vocals Aaron Sly, the Holies were able to carve out a place precisely in the European metal scene and now they see all the efforts paid off. 'Semper Fidelis'is the prelude to 'Rise Of The Underdog' and 'Severed' two pieces that could be lethal in the hands of Robb Flynn. With every passing minute production is apparent in all its details and 'Paradigm' and 'All We Are'is the thickness of the technical articles and Matt Alston. 'Thorn In My Side' and 'Crown Of Scars' dancing close by offering incentives to listen to the album again and showing the potential not delivered yet to be exploited.
(Translated from Italian)
'Ashes Of Redemption'
Rock Matrix
From the moment album opener 'Carved in Stone' grinds to a halt you just know that this could possibly be one of the best albums you have heard in a while. The Robb Flynn like vocals rip through the song on a wave of monumental rhythmic riffs before being replaced with Nick Holmes style melody for the chorus. 8.5/10 Read More
OneMetal.com
Just shy of two years ago as album landed on my desk for review. The album in question was "The Heavens Shall Burn", an offering from young East Anglian upstarts Sanctorum. I was not familiar with the band, but after listening, I realised that these reprobates had something about them as they bludgeoned their way into my psyche with a cracking record. Read More
Rock3Music.com
Opening the album with a huge ground shaking thunderous track in 'Carved In Stone', Sanctorum crunch into your consciousness like a runaway Juganought into a wendy house, I take my boots off to further feel the huge shockwaves rippling through the concrete floor as I pump the volume, lovely stuff… it’s true!. Read More
MetalReviews.com
From the opening minute of Carved In Stone you'd be fooled into thinking you were listening to a fully established act with several albums and world tours under their belt. First of all the production is excellent. It's heavy, it's raw and clear without sounding too polished. Read More
Metal-Observer.com
So now I have SANCTORUM’s latest album “Ashes Of Redemption”, which is coming through via Copro, and to be honest, if the CD had not accidentally started playing, when I put it into the computer, I might not even be writing this review, but...this one is something different. The opening riff is definitely not Alternative or modern, the drums definitely are far more powerful and the roar of Aaron Sly that follows it up proves it: this is Death Metal, so this four-piece from Colchester definitely does not fall into the usual Copro category, I would say. 7.5/10 Read More
Imhotep.no
Second time around for these Colchester guys, and it's not at all bad stuff they have to offer. It's a mixture with many different components – you have a base which consists of equal parts thrash and "classic" British metal, but with lots of other stuff added into; some Sepultura-like chuggy riffing, some dints Paradise Lost, Amorphis and some more.
Read More
ConcreteWeb.be
Push coming to shove, this is a really exciting album with an instant appeal from the get-go...and even more so once you've come to get acquainted with the album overall and its interesting varying vocal moods. Read More
Splizz Magazine
Their youthful exuberance and enthusiasm is tempered by a mature and commercially aware writing ability that pitches well above their tender years. Sanctorum play a mightily impressive blend of British metal that is well crafted and will delight fans of outfits such as Bullet, Trivium, Arch Enemy, Devil Driver and Killswitch to name but a few. Read More
RockMidgets.com
...they take equal parts Metalcore and Thrash just like a lot of bands, but on Ashes Of Redemption they blend them into some truly blinding songs. Read More
BrutalElite.com
On first listen ‘Ashes of Redemption’ is simply thunderous; with its relentless bulldozer like structures every track simply shakes the foundations and re-arranges your surroundings. Read More
Dagheisha.com
...the initial impression is that of being in the presence of a band desirous of moving themselves in a powerful heavy metal context, almost like Nevermore, which shows they already have a firm foot in the door. Read More
Subba-Cultcha.com
...With a sound which falls somewhere between Paradise Lost, Katatonia and Slayer, and an excellent production courtesy of Dave Chang... Read More
Pure Metal
I missed out on Sanctorums’ debut CD so I have never heard of them before so I wasn't really quite sure what to expect, though of course the name screams death metal. However it actually isn't really death metal at all. It's a mix of thrash and melodic modern metal with great old school solos. First of all I must say that Dave Chang has managed to give these guys a very decent sound... Read More
Metal Hammer Magazine
Colchester's Sanctorum have developed a style that combines ferocity with neatly focused arrangments. But despite traces of Mastadon and Testament, and some genuinely impressive performance levels, promising beginnings often seep away as potential is wasted. Thier next album could be their defining moment. 6/10
Dead Earnest.co.uk
Yeah, OK, so it's huge, it's heavy and it roars with the effervescence of an exploding coca cola factory, but I've heard it all before. It's done well – very well – the production is immense... Read More
Big Cheese Magazine
Let me set this straight. I have no qualms about rising UK thrashers Sanctorum, except that maybe their unrelentingly savage onslaught is perhaps a touch clichéd in today's suffocating metalcore climate... Read More
live/GIGS/TOURS
The Railway Inn Winchester (My Ruin Tour 2011)- **NEW**
Opening tonight's entertainment were the extraordinary good Sanctorum.If you like your metal pure and loud this is he band for you. Frontman Aaron Sly's powerful growled vocals and the relentless crunching guitar riffs were just simply intense, In fact it was rumoured that the car alarms in the neighbouring car park had been set off by the wall noise coming from this normally quiet backstreet venue. Sanctorum release Semper Fidelis which is their third studio album later this month,These guys need to be checked out either through their albums or at one of their fantastic live shows.
Hammerfest 3 - **NEW**
Relative unknowns, Sanctorum are here as last minute stand-ins for Godsized. Hot off of a recent support run with My Ruin and Headcharger the Essex based band treat those curious enough to check them out to a fantastic set of balls-out thrashy goodness. Front man Aaron Sly and co ably blast through tracks from their debut album while throwing in a few from their new release 'Semper Fidelis' for good measure. These guys are definitely ones to keep an eye on.
17/03/2011 - Rock City Nottingham - **NEW**
St Paddy's day, neither of the TINAS operatives in action are Irish, so what better way to celebrate than a night out with a few jars of the old falling down water, and some heavy body wrenching tunes provided by three bands from three different nations. Sanctorum, Headcharger and My Ruin are on the menu, and we have our knives and forks ready to tuck in for the final night of the "Ghosts and Good Stories" tour at Nottingham Rock City.
Sanctorum are from England, they're young, brutal, and bloody talented. With their third album "Semper Fidelis" due to land on March 21st these boys have an arsenal of thrash infused weaponry that defies their youth. They take to the stage early, almost too early for most as the doors have only been open 15 minutes and deliver a set that threatens to separate your skull from your spine.
Frontman Aaron Sly is a monster, he spews sandblasted, razor driven vocals over the top of precision old school speed riffing. Lead guitarist Al Commons is equally adept, throwing in enough fretboard trickery and flowing solos to have the guitar nerds in the crowd nursing semis. Matt Alston pounds the skins to within an inch of their lives, one of the most talented young drummers on the scene, he is a technical rhythm machine and he is backed up with the latest addition to the band Adam "Cousin It" Paterson on bass. Delivering a set that is short and to the point, these boys really do deserve a larger stage. "Rise Of The Underdog" is huge and anthemic giving the crowd a taste of what is to come from the new album, sitting nicely alongside TINAS favourites "Carved In Stone" and the aptly dedicated to My Ruin and Headcharger "Call To Arms". Tairrie B Murphy and the My Ruin crew love these guys, they have taken them on the road twice now, and with a set like this it's bloody easy to see why.
15/08/09 - Bloodstock Open Air Festival 2009
Reviews from BaconMusic.co.uk / KomodoRock.com / HeadBang.co.uk....Read More
21/03/09 - O2 Academy 2, Birmingham - Ill Nino UK Tour '09
BrumLive.com - Sanctorum was a great opening band that set the standard and pace for the night ahead! Read More
31/10/08 - TJ's, Newport - S.Wales - My Ruin UK Tour '08
Splizz Magazine 9/10 - Where else would you see Scooby Doo play guitar and Kurt Cobain resurrected and snogging a giraffe? Not it’s not a bad dream. It’s Halloween and it’s the final date of the My Ruin tour...Read More
27/10/08 - Carling Academy, Newcastle - My Ruin UK Tour '08
RockTheNorth.com - To me Sanctorum gave the feel that they were far too big for the stage they were on, both coaxing the audience closer with one hand before continually blowing them away again with the other...Read More
26/10/08 - Spring & Airbrake; Limelight, Belfast IRE - My Ruin UK Tour '08
Kerrang - KKKK -
Taking the stage on a blisteringly cold Sunday night, attendance for My Ruin's first Belfast gig in Three years may be disappointingly low, but levels of anticipation among the devoted fan-base certainly don't suffer from the intimacy of such an exclusive gathering...Read More
23/10/08 - Islington Academy, London - My Ruin UK Tour '08
Terroriser - Continuing their tradition of showcasing some fucking impressive musical talent, Illuminatus, Speed Theory and Sanctorum sate the audience for Tarrie B and her boys...Read More
23/10/08 -Islington Academy, London - My Ruin UK Tour '08
Rockers Digest - Colchester's Sanctorum modern take on thrash metal is next up, with opener Carved In Stone reminiscent of Machine Head...Read More
22/10/08 - Talking Heads, Southampton - My Ruin UK Tour '08
On this tour, My Ruin run their three support acts in a cycle, with a different band opening each night – a brilliant idea, as each band gives it their all no matter what position on the bill they are in. First up are Sanctorum – a very cool four-piece from Essex, UK. They have a really strong Sepultura vibe, with loadsa hair, loadsa good riffs and some awesome break-beat drumming... Read More
20/10/08 - Corporation, Sheffield - My Ruin UK Tour '08
Up next were SANCTORUM, one of the best and upcoming metal bands in the UK.......
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29/06/08 - The Underworld, London
Sanctorum are a band that really come into their own in a live situation. Their Underworld gig with Barely Breathing at the end of June showed a promising ability to stamp their authority on stage... Read More
28/07/07 - 'Rock-Off' Festival, London
These four young lads from Colchester opened the upstairs stage with relentless riffing and gruff vocals.
There were a few technical problems during the sound check, which delayed the start of their set, but they took all this in their stride even though the sound was a little muddy.
They stuck faithfully to the thrash we knew of old those of us that were there at the time anyway] and ripped their way through several songs from their debut album ‘The Heavens Shall Burn’, along with a couple of extras for good measure.
In the half an hour they were on stage, they delivered a tight, no-nonsense set that left nobody in doubt of their competence. (PW)
Now imagine the scene: a hot Summer night, a group of people cooped in a typical sweaty venue clammering for air and a band having just witnessed a support act pull off what can only be described as a phenomenal set (that band being a certain ‘From Almost The End’). Most bands would whimper and "run to the hills". Not Sanctorum, not by a long shot...
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'The Heavens Shall Burn'
Kerrang
FRESH BRITISH STEEL WITH HEAPS OF POTENTIAL. Read more
OneMetal.com
Whenever I can, I try and listen to the albums for review “blind”. You know, slap a load of discs in the player, hit random and listen without prejudice and just see what comes up. Let’s face it, there is a lot of mediocrity out there, so when the Sanctorum album came up, it was time to sit up and take note. I didn’t know who it was at the time, but within minutes of the first track I was hooked. Read more
Splizz Magazine
...If you like any kind of heavy metal and / or you want to support up and coming British talent then you need to buy this album... Read more
Rock3Music.com
...Growling rattle of death vocals they immediately set out to crush and capture those with heart enough to stop and listen.... Read more
Metal4life.co.uk
Reaching fresh-cut, blood-soaked heights of brutality, Sanctorum raise hell with their debut release, "The Heavens Shall Burn". Read more
Metal France.net
Thrash metal by a group of 18 year olds, straight from the UK... Does that inspire you? Personnally, I received a huge smack.
The youngsters from Sanctorum must have seriously bathed in music to come out with an album of this breadth and musical quality... Read more
iwillbeheard.co.uk
The question is; have there been many other radical changes since the promising “Penumbra” EP? Read more
Lloyd Rust aka Revolution Promotions/DJ Revolution
Do you remember when thrash was thrash,metal was metal and frankly anything else was alternative and too lightweight to bother with? Being old I do, but with an average age of 17, Sanctorum frankly cannot be accused of this. They grew up when Take that were huge and this obviously inspired some kind of terrible metallic rage in their collective souls that they now direct forward in this, their debut album. Read more
Baconmusic.co.uk
Bursting onto the metal scene with their debut album The Heavens Shall Burn, Sanctorum have created their own distinct sound somewhere between thrash and death metal. This new breed of British metal is fast establishing itself worldwide. Read more
Rock Midgets
How deliciously old-school! Sanctorum play metal the way metal used to be played: loud, angry and without pretension. Read more
Live4Metal.com
This truly does rock like a bad mother and whilst the production is not Bang and Olufsen crystal clear, it is a darn sight better than many bands on majors that have assaulted my lugholes over the years.Read more
Planet Loud
Raw, Relentles and Riff-tastic, Sanctorum certainly know how to put together a good metal album. Read more
Battlehelm
Sanctorum are the UK 's answer to Poland 's Decapitated. Except they're better. Read more
