Reviews...
... for 'Ashes Of Redemption'
Rock Matrix - **NEW** 24/05/09
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.
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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
... For live/GIGS/TOURS
15/08/09 - Bloodstock Open Air Festival 2009
- **NEW** 01/09/09
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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05/01/06 - The Cavern, Exeter - Supp. Mendeed on their UK tour Jan '06
Support bands aren’t supposed to be this damn good....Read more
... for '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
... For 'Penumbra'
GIGS UNLIMITED Webzine
These guys rock and not just with a capital R. These guys know how to make noise and that’s always a good thing these days. If you like it loud and raw and the blackest of black then you have to listen to these guys. They definitely have that raw edge that anyone looking for a new heavy metal band is looking for at the moment. Read more
Dukesters Meltdown: March 2004
Metal remains a form that seemingly won't die whilst others suffer in the face of mainstream acceptance or failure. And Devolution is yet another welcome addition to the fold. Sounding fresh and despite also sounding like you wouldn't have heard this style more than 10 years ago, it keeps reminding you of Black Sabbath with riffs not simply three note stompers, instead satisfying rock but still heavy and deep, straightforward aggression with a bit more prowess. And, and solo's don't go amiss either. Read more
Metal Rage Webzine
A few weeks ago I was at my friend’s birthday and he got this EP from his (English) grandpa. That’s actually how I discovered Devolution. It sounded pretty damn good to me. Two days later I contacted the band with the question if they could send me a copy of this EP so I could make a review of it. They sent me a copy and here it is; a review of their ‘Penumbra’ EP. Read more
I Will Be Heard Webzine
They play a style of metal that largely harks back a couple of decades to the last half of the 80’s, when the shining lights were the likes of Metallica, Megadeth and Testament and the songs often carry these unavoidable comparisons - which definitely isn’t a bad thing! Read more
Rawnerve Promotions Webzine
Devolution bring to my review desk a really neatly designed CD, and in the opening strains of "World of unknown", there are some quiet, moody and brooding quiet guitars setting the tone, before a thrashing, rocking mix of early Metallica, mid era Faith No More and Testament takes over. Read more
Neon Promotions Webzine
"World of Unknown" opens gently, before letting go with some decent riffage, and an edgy vocal. Read more
