The Year the Sun Died - 9.5/10

[lorinc]

I've been listening to it the whole week and it's a great album. If you were expecting a new Nevermore album, you won't get it, but you also won't be disappointed. It's probably Warrel's best work since DNB, the vocal lines are extremely well written and executed. There is some place for the vocal (something that clearly lacked in the Nevermore albums of the last decade), and the songs are worth something more than on his solo album.

If it were to remind me something, that would be some old Queensryche, due the some vocal lines and some guitar leads. There are some links to the first Nevermore album and to In Memory as well, but not that much. I don't see the musical connection to DNB, apart from the fact it's a concept album. The atmospheres are completely different on both records. Everything after DNB has nothing to do with this record. Regarding the 2 first Sanctuary records, I don't know them as much as I known the Nevermore discography, but I don't see that much connection too. The songs are too slow and too produced for that, in my memory Sanctuary was far more raw than that (both in the writing of the songs and the production).

The drums and guitars work really shines out. Beautifully written and very nicely produced.

It's been a long time since I did not enjoy a record that much. Probably since The Catalyst 2 years ago, or maybe even further because I like this better. I can't find a song I dislike (apart from the cover of the doors), and my favorites are probably The Year the Sun Died, along with Exitium and Frozen. Although Let the Serpent Follow Me, I Am Low and One Final day are also very great. Arise and Purify and The World is Wired are also great. Ok The whole album is just great.

 

[Talking Backwards]

It's been a long time since I did not enjoy a record that much.

I think you mean it's been a long time since you've enjoyed a record that much?

I just wish some of the songs were longer. Many of them could have used at least another 30s if not 60s. You start to really get into them, and then they are over. This is also not really what I was expecting after all of the Into The Mirror Black and Dreaming Neon Black comparisons, yet there's not really a single song on here that I could consider skippable. The last track is so good too, and it's a great accompaniment to "This Godless Endeavor".

Also, I don't know what's up with the price of the CD, but it's only $10 on Amazon. Yet they are also charging $9 for the MP3s (which are almost ALWAYS VBR or at best 320k). Are they just playing on people's ignorance, or did Century Media just reward those who bought a physical copy? I mean, it's about time CDs lowered in cost to where they should have been a decade ago, but this still just seems to stray from the norm.

 

[lorinc]

I think you mean it's been a long time since you've enjoyed a record that much?

You're right. That's one of the problems of not being a native speaker, sometimes expressions have the opposite meaning when you translate them badly.

I just wish some of the songs were longer. Many of them could have used at least another 30s if not 60s. You start to really get into them, and then they are over. This is also not really what I was expecting after all of the Into The Mirror Black and Dreaming Neon Black comparisons, yet there's not really a single song on here that I could consider skippable. The last track is so good too, and it's a great accompaniment to "This Godless Endeavor".

Also, I don't know what's up with the price of the CD, but it's only $10 on Amazon. Yet they are also charging $9 for the MP3s (which are almost ALWAYS VBR or at best 320k). Are they just playing on people's ignorance, or did Century Media just reward those who bought a physical copy? I mean, it's about time CDs lowered in cost to where they should have been a decade ago, but this still just seems to stray from the norm.

I bought the digipack 14 euros (around $18) on amazon in France, which is not expensive considering regular CDs in France are more around 15 euros and digipack around 20 euros.

I feel the same for the length of the tracks. For instance, I would have loved to have another bridge and another chorus on the year the sun died. Sure the song would have been in the 7-8', but given that this chorus is so expressive, it would not have been boring. Although you can't say the album is too short (about 50').

 

[~Lynn~]

:Spin: Got my 3 copies in the mail today.

 

[~Lynn~]

Defiantly not Nevermo'. A very inspiring effort that brought back a long lost feeling of anticipation when I was ripping it from the shipping package to the player and awaiting.... Digging the drums.

 

[DreamNeonBlack]

Happy Sanctuary day!!! Woke up to the album in my inbox, thank you Amazon. Physical copy will be waiting for me when I get home from work. Listened to about 4 songs so far and I'm really enjoying it. Can't wait to crank it in the stereo.

 

[craptastic]

Loving it.

I do like that it has Sanctuary elements more than trying to recapture the original sound.

Very listenable and production is great.

Warrel is really strong on this. So is everyone else. I was expecting a thrashier sound to be quite honest but this has been a pleasant surprise.

I still itch for that sound with WD vocals though....

 

[~Lynn~]

 

[buzz21]

The limited edition made it to me yesterday which was nice - wasn't sure if the shipping would be delayed as the CM website seemed to suggest. Really nice packaging and look - listening to it nonstop to let it all soak in, the production is fantastic!

 

[nckissfan]

buzz, is that the one that came with a little book and patch?

 

[Ophidian]

Doesnt anyone feel like its just a Nevermore album without Loomis?

It is a Sanctuary album in the sense that Dane and Sheppard are reunited with Rutledge and I think the core foundational aspects of what compromised Refuge Denied, Into the Mirror Black and every Nevermore album are present.

It is not just a Nevermore album with Loomis. Removing Loomis from the equation regardless of whether or not the name of the band is Sanctuary or Nevermore changes everything.

Any similarities in the writing, lyrics, etc to Nevermore can be attributed to the fact that two of the current members of Sanctuary spent almost two decades in another band (Nevermore) and an equal amount of time passed since the previous Sanctuary release.

I don't know how anyone that considers themselves a Nevermore or Sanctuary fan could complain in anyway about TYTSD. Not many bands have an opportunity to regroup after over 20 years since their last release and put out material as strong as what is on the new album and still have a fan base that is large enough to support playing live and touring.

TYTSD was obviously not going to be Refuge Denied Version 2.0 or significantly like Into the Mirror Black. Too much time passed, people grow, vocal abilities take a toll and as musicians, the same key players are not in the same place they were when they were younger.

It's still a Sanctuary album. And if Sanctuary had not reformed and Dane, Sheppard and Williams had continued Nevermore without Loomis, I would still consider their next release to be a Nevermore album.

 

[buzz21]

buzz, is that the one that came with a little book and patch?

Yes, but now that I think of it - there wasn't a patch inside so I guess I need to ask CM about it!

 

[wildfyr]

Well said, Ophidian. My physical copy was acquired yesterday from a B&M store. The limited version wasn't available so I cannot comment on The Doors cover. With the exception of the track list, pre-exposure to the new material was nothing heard and no lyrics read before physical copy was in hand. That's the usual M.O. and my preference. The music clicked instantly but only time will tell if it can stand up to repeated plays. More time is needed to better absorb it and the text. The first 2 spins were in the car with shitty speakers so I was eager to get home and run it on a better system. "Proles" wasn't immediately clear at first so anticipation was sky high for giving the work as whole my undivided attention. References to god(s) and humanity are familiar themes but I was also eager to know if any other reference(s) to lower orders of the animal kingdom - other than serpent - would be found in the new text. Subsequently confirmed is: - rabbit - sheep - swansong Serpent appears to be a more general reptilian reference in this piece whereas in past text snakes were more specifically mentioned. But I digress, and I suspect no one wants that. Another spin on the better system produced grins with this angle: - all earth's creatures The new words are profound and "radically poetic" but that was expected. The music sounds great in my ears too. I'm a fan of Mr. Kernon's work on the Nevermore material and this seems to be on equal footing there as far as I can tell, so I think it's a win. It was money well spent but I had faith it would be. Pax, R

 

[buzz21]

After quite a few listens I have settled into it and can't stop singing a lot of those great WD choruses and melodies. The production – it is really tight and clean but crunchy as hell….I know most people these days listen to music on their phones/tablets or online, but it really sounds awesome when cranked through a real stereo system. The songs take on a different life when cranked up so it gave me a chance to annoy my neighbors the last few days! My main thought is that it sounds “familiar”, in a good way - meaning it has elements of old-school Sanctuary as well as some Nevermore and some of Warrel’s solo material. It isn’t revolutionary or eclectic – it just reminds me of the early-90s metal that I loved back in the day, but with more modern production. I hear some things that remind me of old Queensryche and maybe even Savatage – that style of power metal with real singing instead if screaming. Warrel is definitely the star of the show – his vocals have never sounded better and he still creates those big melodic choruses…a lot of it is done in his lower pitch, but he layers in some high squeals along the way that sound pretty cool. There are a few lines where he does the spooky King Diamond thing ("some say there's truth here" from TWIW) that I really like and I wish he would do even more of that because it sounds great. The guitar playing is a lot more simple than what Loomis brought to the table, but that does make it sound more like Sanctuary and not Nevermore. Loomis got a lot of his heaviness from the 7-string, but this has a different kind of heaviness with the normal 6-string crunch, not as muddy and very much in-your-face. I’d say that things are more song-focused instead of riff-focused, but there are still lots of good thrashy/galloping rhythms that get you moving. Brad adds a few killer solos that are more flashy than what Lenny usually plays – they make a good combo with their different styles. There are only a few “metal” bands I care for these days and my faves like Opeth and Mastodon aren’t really even metal in a traditional sense so this kinda brings me back to those glory days which has been a refreshing detour.

 

[Pitiless Wanderer]

I am addicted to Exitium. The riffs are just fucking brutal and the vocal melodies are amazing. My favorite song on the record by far.

 

[Pitiless Wanderer]

There are only a few “metal” bands I care for these days and my faves like Opeth and Mastodon aren’t really even metal in a traditional sense so this kinda brings me back to those glory days which has been a refreshing detour.

I can give you some suggestions if you'd like. There are lots of quality bands still making exceptional music.

 

[rebirth]

You
Mean experimental music....

Cool

 

[Shpongled]

I am addicted to Exitium. The riffs are just fucking brutal and the vocal melodies are amazing. My favorite song on the record by far.

Totally agree. The whole album is great, but that song is special.

 

[Shpongled]

I can give you some suggestions if you'd like. There are lots of quality bands still making exceptional music.

If I recall, you like the brutal shit. Have you heard these guys? Album of the year for me.

 

[Det Som Engang Var]

Exitium is a 10/10 song.

The rest of the album is mostly damn boring. Sounds like a second rate Nevermore at times. Boring thrash and wanky solos. Sorry Warrel, you are still one of my personal heros, I'm just being honest. That's why I hoped this would be a new solo album, since that was more focused on songwriting instead of musicianship.