We featured Sanguis Mortem as Headline Act a couple of months ago in the runup to the release of Merry Doomsday, and after much nagging from one of the band’s mum… here is our review! We’re sorry for the delay, Mrs Sanguis-Mortem!
As highlighted in our previous feature, the band themselves are a bunch of rapscallions still of an age where they can grow hair but not beards. Immediate comparisons may be made to Tortured Demon, who they are friends with, but musically they’re a different bag. Having ploughed through the album a couple of times I would largely say that Sanguis Mortem and heavy metal at the heavier end of the scale, with the occasional foray into some thrashy riffage.
Thematically a lot of the album has a warfare theme, more specifically an anti-war one. Included in the 1 hour and 8 minute (!) playlength are two scene-setting tracks, “Intro (War Is Hell)” and “…Rising Tides of Aggression”. Both leave you in no doubt that any songs coming from this act which include anything to do with bullets and bombs and combat are very much not intended as glorification.
“Parabellum” as an opener sums up the band well. A crushing beginning with the speed ramped up between verses, a traditional heavy metal guitar solo bridge and some low-pitched vocals. In the latter depaertment they’re definitely not trying to mimic Maiden or Sabbath. I also rather liked “Brotherhood”‘s “mandatory fucking breakdown”. I mean, if you’re going to chuck one in then you may as well announce it!
Another standout track is “Still With Me” which turns the whole album on its head, being a very slow number. It’s always good to try something a bit different, and this one does work.
The sound and production through out are top notch and I had to double check that the band did, indeed, only have one guitarist. There are so many places where it sounds like there could be two on the go at once. I’m not sure if this is studio layering or simply impressive playing.
As far as impressive debuts go, this is about as impressive as it gets. All the more so when you consider the ages of the band members, but this doesn’t really need taken into account. A solid release and I’m sure the songs will come across well live if you can catch the band playing somewhere!
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Merry Doomsday is out now
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