CoC : Unsanctum - Ignite the Skies : Review

Unsanctum - _Ignite the Skies_
(Cacophonous / Visible Noise, 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (6.5 out of 10)

UK's Unsanctum is a relatively fresh and young band (with an average age of around 17), having existed for a mere two years and with one demo to their name. They did however manage to get picked up by Cacophonous, who gave the band the opportunity to record _Ignite The Skies_ at Necrodeath studios. A crusade against pop music, _ItS_ features a mix between death metal, black metal and some hardcore elements -- they call it deathcore. For eleven tracks we're exposed to average guitar and bass playing and interesting drumming. It's a shame, however, that the vocals have such a bland sound in the mix. I can't honestly say that I'm a big fan of Unsanctum's screeching vocal style, but on _ItS_ the vocals seem to be detached from the rest of the music, creating a vocal layer with very limited use of the frequencies. Halfway through the album you either manage to block out the vocals and enjoy the music, or the vocals start annoying you too much to keep listening to the album. A shame, and hopefully their next attempt will be better than this.

(article published 23/6/2003)