Reviews › The Heavens Shall Burn ›

Rock Midgets

How deliciously old-school! Sanctorum play metal the way metal used to be played: loud, angry and without pretension. The 10 tracks on offer here deliver soaring melodic guitar work and thundering rhythms reminiscent of the likes of In Flames and At The Gates, and an energy many bands strive for but never quite achieve. They are let down a bit vocally, as Aaron Sly's dry bark can become monotonous, particularly on 'Lifeless Love'. It is clear though that this is very much a musician's band, and the technical ability on this album heavily overshadows the mediocre vocals.

For a first release from a relatively new and young band, The Heavens Shall Burn is a very professional sounding album. Whilst not so overproduced that it sweetens the sound, the mixing of this album has been done impeccably, giving those all important double-bass drum rumbles the power they deserve.

Sanctorum are releasing this album at a time where, thanks to the internet and other such mediums, young bands can get noticed more easily than ever before. With this much potential, there's no reason they can't leave a decent-sized dent in metal history.

Rating: 4/5 by Liam Knowles