Fallen Sanctuary – Terranova
AFM Records
Release Date: 24/06/22
Running Time: 01:01: 47
Review by Laura Barnes
9/10
I won’t beat around the bush here: this album absolutely rules.
Power Metal gets a pretty bad rep within the Metal scene, and it’s easy to understand why. With its surplus of historically inaccurate Viking helmets and bizarre but enduring obsession with wolves, Power Metal is (aside from Black Metal, of course) the easiest Metal subgenre to make fun of. Alongside its many quirks, Power Metal is also criticised for its repetitiveness. For a subgenre that claims to be massively influenced by fantasy, there is often a distinct lack of imagination that can make Power Metal hard to get excited about – after all, there are only so many times you can hear about a big shiny dude with a big shiny sword fighting a big scary dragon before it gets stale. In such an overcrowded landscape, it is tragically easy to forget just how awesome and life-affirming this music can be when it is done right.
So, thank you Fallen Sanctuary, for reminding me.
“Terranova” is an album that soars, an album that bounces with energy and joy, even in its darkest moments. Fallen Sanctuary’s enthusiasm is as contagious as it is obvious, and I can guarantee that after a couple of listens you’ll be jumping on your bed and singing into your hairbrush like a thirteen-year-old girl in a smelly battle jacket. This album may be Fallen Sanctuary’s debut, but it is far from their first melodic rodeo. Fallen Sanctuary’s founding members include Serenity vocalist Georg Neuhauser and Temperance guitarist Marco Pastorino, and it is clear that they have brought all of their song-writing experience to the table, resulting in a sound that is way more mature and consistent than your Average Joe’s debut album. In fact, the album is so consistently good that it’s mighty hard to pick out highlights, but I’ll try my best! ‘Now and Forever’ and ‘To The Top’ are two fiery, fist-pumping anthems, and the inclusion of keyboards gives ‘To The Top’ that softer emotive edge. ‘Rise Against The World’ is a track that really showcases Fallen Sanctuary’s range; poppy choruses meet with a thunderous bridge and an electrifying guitar solo. ‘Destiny’ fizzes with a Classic Metal kick that is almost Maiden-esque. ‘I Can’t Stay’ is the obligatory Power Metal ballad that no self-respecting Melodic Metal album could go without. Granted, it’s a little cheesy, but so is pizza and pizza is, of course, the best savoury dish in human history, so get over yourself and enjoy this delicious cheddar already!
Whilst “Terranova” can hardly be accused of re-inventing the Melodic Power Metal wheel here, they do certainly sand-down the wheel’s rough edges. The production is nice and glossy, and the song-writing is tight and compact; you never once feel like a song is overstaying its welcome. Fallen Sanctuary do set themselves apart from other Power Metal bands lyrically, however. Instead of songs about, er, wolves or something, Fallen Sanctuary are more interested in things like interpersonal relationships, climate crisis, and drug addiction. Title track ‘Terranova’ is a great example of this as it hauntingly depicts the physical, emotional, and interpersonal consequences of drug addiction (however this renders the spoken word segment at the end unnecessary, admittedly). The vulnerability displayed though these lyrical themes really give the album staying power and proves that Fallen Sanctuary’s song-writing go beyond crafting catchy verses and sick guitar solos. With such strong performances across the board, the fact that this is Fallen Sanctuary’s debut album and not their third or fourth is mind-boggling.
All in all: this album absolutely fucking rules.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Terranova
02. Now And Forever
03. Broken Dreams
04. Rise Against The World
05. To The Top
06. Destiny
07. I Can’t Stay
08. Trail Of Destruction
09. No Rebirth
10. Bound To Our Legacy
11. Wait For Me
LINE-UP:
Georg Neuhauser – Vocals
Marco Pastorino – Guitar
Alfonso Mocerino – Drums
Gabriele Gozza – Bass
LINKS:
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