ALBUM REVIEW: Deimos Sanktuarium – Vanhelgd

A decade on since the release of their first album Cult of Lazarus, VANHELGD are back with their fifth studio record, Deimos Sanktuarium. It comes two years after their last release Temple of Phobos, as the band look to continue their unique mix of Swedish dark metal.

The new record kicks off with A Plea For Divine Necromancy, which from the very first second is extremely hard hitting; there’s a lot of emphasis on the bass and the echoing riffs give a chilling intro to really set the tone. Frontman Mattias Frisk really delivers on the vocals to give a haunting feel to the track, and the more the track goes on, the more that VANHELGD‘s sound becomes apparent; a blend of doom and death metal, which works very well and really grabs your attention.

This recipe remains the same throughout the record, with the tracks themselves remaining fairly long in comparison to really fit in with the doom side of the band. While most bands release tracks in one language, whether it be English or their own mother tongue, VANHELGD have a mix of both English and Swedish tracks, which helps to appeal to a wider audience and showcase the bands ability to maintain the same sound throughout.

One of the big highlights of the record is The Ashes Of Our Defeat, running over seven minutes and really is a doom anthem. The way the sound of the whole band comes together to create a chilling atmosphere, from the riffs and rhythmic drumming, to the low vocals and heavy bass, truly is something to behold, and really is one of the most unique sounds currently out there in the metal scene. That track also follows straight into The Silent Observer, which takes more of a death metal path compared to the previous – the drums form the ending of the last song and the intro of the next, building in volume and pace, and the riffs kick the tempo up a fair notch while still giving off that doom feel.

There are only seven tracks on the record, but when you consider the length of the tracks it averages out to the same as most records out there, and really in this album it is a case of quality over quantity.

It’s hard to emphasise enough just how unique VANHELGD‘s sound is, it really is something that needs to be heard to be believed. The tracks are quality, and whether you’re a beginner with doom or a veteran of the genre, it is well worth picking up the record.

Deimos Sanktuarium really only appeals for those who have delved into the doom genre or at least have an idea of what to expect; if you’re looking for a hard, fast, aggressive record then this may not be for you, but if you want to expand your music collection and dip your toe into what doom metal is all about, go give it a listen.

Rating: 7/10

Deimos Sanktuarium is out now via Pulverised Records.

Like VANHELGD on Facebook.