It’s fair to say that it’s been a while since the last studio album from Sanctuary – over 24 years, in fact! – but the band are officially back with their brand new offering The Year The Sun Died, and it’s exactly what you might expect from a Sanctuary album.
There’s plenty on The Year The Sun Died to contend with, and an early highlight is Let The Serpent Follow Me, which has some fantastically chunky instrumentation and an incredible face-melting guitar solo that complements the track well – and indeed, it’s so good that it gets revisited as a way to round up the track!
Another great inclusion is the slower paced One Final Day (Sworn To Believe), which shows a softer and more chilled side to the band, proving that they aren’t just about fast-paced energetic numbers and that they’re capable of writing songs in other styles as well.
The Year The Sun Died is an all-round powerful piece; there’s a lot of substance to the 11 tracks and it’s a rewarding listen you’ll keep wanting to revisit. Sanctuary are back alright, and they’re back in style!
8/10
