When Warrel Dane of Sanctuary and Nevermore passed away on December 13th 2017, if left a hole in our community that has not healed. His label Century Media has now announced Shadow Work, the final recordings Dane made, as he was preparing a second solo album. He had teamed up with Brazilian musicians Johnny Moraes (guitar), Thiago Oliveira (guitar), Fabio Carito (bass) and Marcus Dotta (drums) as his touring band and ultimately this successful collaboration led to plans for a new studio album. Recordings for Shadow Work, the follow-up to 2008’s Praises to the War Machine, started in fall 2017 at Orra Meu Studio, São Paulo, and Travis Smith commenced to create the artwork following a concept and ideas previously discussed with Warrel. Shadow Work will release on 26th of October 2018. Continue reading →
The music world is still reeling from the loss of Warrel Dane. The Nevermore and Sanctuary vocalist died of an apparent heart attack last month, and left a hole in the scene that no one will be able to fill. Yesterday his band mates, friends, and fans gathered together in Seattle to share their memories of Warrel, and thankfully for those of us who couldn’t make it, the entire service was streamed online. Continue reading →
A memorial is being held tomorrow for Warrel Dane (Nevermore/Sanctuary) who passed away following a heart attack on December 13th. The service will be livestreamed at the link below.Continue reading →
Just when we thought 2017 couldn’t take any more legends from us, we’ve learned that vocalist Warrel Dane had a heart attack last night and could not be rescued. Continue reading →
Formed in 1985 in the city most associated with grunge, Seattle, was Sanctuary. They released two killer albums before breaking up in 1991 due to the changing music scene and growing divisions within the band. They reunited in 2010, with their much vaunted comeback album The Year The Sun Died (Century Media) coming out in 2014.Continue reading →
Melodic progressive metallers Ghost Ship Octavius, featuring lead guitarist Matt Wicklund (God Forbid, Himsa, Warrel Dane), drummer Van Williams (Nevermore, Ashes of Ares, Pure Sweet Hell) and vocalist Adōn Fanion, is streaming the lyric video for “Mills Of the Gods,” off of their brand new self titled album through a successful Kickstarter fan campaign launched in 2014. The record is available via digital outlets such as iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, Google Play, Spotify, or simply via www.ghostshipoctavius.com. Stream it below.
The new self-titled album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Aaron Smith at Envisage Audio in Seattle, WA. Ghost Ship Octavius’ sound features technical and groove metal elements, highlighted by Adōn’s powerful clean vocals, Van’s tasteful rhythms and Matt’s melodic and intricate guitar solos. Their diverse yet complimentary music styles combine to create a powerful and dynamic sound highlighted by soaring vocals, virtuosic guitars and hooky but progressive arrangements.
Guitarist Matt Wicklund is beyond grateful for their fans who donated to their album campaign.
“GHOST SHIP OCTAVIUS is musically and artistically everything that I have always wanted to do. We put everything we had into this album and couldn’t be happier with how it turned out! The fans have been outstanding and made it possible for us to successfully fund this album independently through Kickstarter. It’s really exciting to see this all come to life! See you all on tour!”
Drummer Van Williams adds,
“I’m super stoked on this album and if I weren’t in the band I know I still would be a huge fan. It’s an exciting time for us as we are collectively brand new and forging our own path. The fans that backed this record not knowing what they would get, and our family and friends that have showed and provided support during this process are truly awesome and the ones who really brought this album to everyone else. For that I’m truly grateful and look forward to getting this beast out on the road to meet the fans that have been so positive and patient.”
Watch guitarist Matthew Wicklund’s Ghost Ship Octavius solo-writing demo video featuring a Caparison Guitars C2 Series axe below.
The 2014 comeback album, The Year The Sun Died, from the legendary Seattle band Sanctuary took the metal world by storm. The four original band members – Warrel Dane (vocals, ex-Nevermore), Lenny Rutledge (guitars), Jim Sheppard (bass, ex-Nevermore) and Dave Budbill (drums) – proved to be still on top of the game with an album that pleased every old fan without sounding old fashioned. Now they will be touring Europe with Overkill and have announced Nick Cordle will be part of their live lineup.
Lenny Rutledge comments:
“Brad Hull has recently parted ways with SANCTUARY. We are excited to welcome Nick Cordle from ARCH ENEMY and ARSIS to the SANCTUARY team. Nick is an amazing musician and we believe he will bring a fresh energy to the line-up. You can see Nick Cordle with SANCTUARY this March touring Europe on the Killfest tour.”
Nick Cordle adds:
“It’ll be a great pleasure to join SANCTUARY on tour in Europe! I’ve admired the band for a long time and ‘The Year The Sun Died’ is a breath of fresh air. It’s a welcome challenge to work up these songs and I’m excited to get moving!”
SANCTUARY live:
Mar 03: Underworld – London (UK) (supported by METASOMA and MONUMENT)
Mar 04: Meiers Music Hall Braunschweig (DE) (supporting OVERKILL)
Mar 05: Hell Raiser – Leipzig (DE) (supporting OVERKILL)
Mar 06: Kaminwerk – Memmingen (DE) (supporting OVERKILL)
Mar 07: Komma VZ – Worgl (AT) (supporting OVERKILL)
Mar 08: Szene – Vienna (AT) (supporting OVERKILL)
Mar 09: Dom Omladine – Beograd (SRB) (supporting OVERKILL)
Mar 10: Kino Sisak – Ljubljana (SLO) (supporting OVERKILL)
Mar 11: Tvornica – Zagreb (HR) (supporting OVERKILL)
Mar 13: Club 202 – Budapest (HU) (supporting OVERKILL)
Mar 14: Mega Club – Katowice (PL) (supporting OVERKILL)
Mar 15: B90 – Gdansk (PL) (supporting OVERKILL
Mar 17: Hedon – Zwolle (NL) (supporting OVERKILL)
Mar 18: Les Trinitaires – Metz (FR) (supporting OVERKILL)
Mar 20: Eightball Club – Thessaloniki (GR)
Mar 21: Gagarin205 – Athens (GR)
Mar 22 – 24: – Rock Hard Festival – Gelsenkirchen (DE)
So many bands have referenced the devil in their songs over the years that it’s probably easier to list the artists that haven’t flirted with Old Nick than the ones who have. Still, that doesn’t mean the subject matter has nothing new to offer as Washington D.C. quartet Yesterday’s Saints are keen to prove on debut record Generation of Vipers (Draconum).
With a concept on the role of Satan throughout the history of mankind and the album assembled like an opera with three acts each focusing on different styles of music, it’s fair to assume that the band don’t lack ambition. Thankfully they have the requisite chops for such a feat, for Generation of Vipers is a truly fantastic first attempt.
Rooted in melodic death metal but with a healthy dose of thrash along for the ride, the band start strongly with the hard-as-concrete riffs of ‘Fall of the Ancients’ and ‘Origen Adamantius’ which are so thrilling and perfectly crafted it’s impossible not to get instantly hooked. These are the kind of songs that the likes of Machine Head and Arch Enemy would kill to call their own, with the sheer power emanating from the speakers reminding the listener just how gut-pummelling traditional metal can be when it wants to. A more melodic side is demonstrated in the mid-paced splendour of ‘Sangreale’ while the blistering workout of ‘The Divine Tragedy’ is hands down one of the best modern thrash songs penned in many a year.
While the thunderous riffs, precision blasts and lock-tight groove is joy to experience, the bands’ secret weapon is undoubtedly vocalist Matt Rice who can growl with the best of ‘em but his WarrelDane style clean vocals elevate things to another level entirely and wholly justify that overused epithet ‘epic’. All these elements combine to make Generation of Vipers a contender for the most assured and enjoyable debut you are likely to hear this year, and one that any fans of ‘true metal’ should get their lugholes round as quickly as possible. Magnificent.
When you think of Seattle, the first things that usually come to your mind would be grunge, over priced coffee and a distinct feeling of melancholy which coincidentally has led to some of the best music ever to be produced, whether that be from The Melvins, Nirvana or Jimi Hendrix. Despite its rich musical history, you don’t expect Seattle to produce that many NWOBHM tinged thrash bands. After 25 years Sanctuary has returned with their new album The Year The Sun Died (Century Media) and in all honesty it might be worth the wait.
Despite the controversy surrounding frontman’s Warrel Dane’s decision to momentarily decommission progressive metal giants Nevermore to restart Sanctuary taking most of the press coverage around the release of this album, it would be foolish to not look at this album on its own merits. The Year The Sun Died is a sleekly produced modern trash album that packs one hell of a punch, in terms of its frenetic guitar leads and powerful drums that power the album forward like a charging rhino.
Warrel Dane recently informed fans worrying about his vocal ability that he could still nail the high notes from the bands previous albums and he has certainly proved his neigh-sayers wrong here. Dane is on fine form with his powerful almost operatic NWOBHM vocals which draw the obvious parallels to them of Bruce Dickinson and Rob Halford.
While its certainly more of an early days of thrash album than the heavier era or Exodus or Kreator, The Year The Sun Died certainly has its moments of thrash goodness, but overall the album is more Diamond Head than Slayer.
Overall, Sanctuary have hit a home run with their return album. The riffs are there as well as the one of the best production jobs you are likely to hear this year, the albums sounds like a razor sharp turbo charged Judas Priest and has the kind of bite that came from the Andy Sneap produced Megadeth albums. It is real treat for fans of anthemic, polished melodic metal.
