29th July 2022

Review: “Storms Over The Dying World” by Sacred Sin

Over the past three decades Sacred Sin have been leading the charge of both the Thrash and Death Metal scenes in Portugal with six skull crushing albums since their formation in 1991. In 1993 they became the first Portuguese band to appear on MTV’s Headbangers Ball with their music video for single “Darkside” before breaking new ground once more and becoming the first Portuguese band to tour Europe with Cradle Of Filth and Vader. In 2020 the band released EP “Born Suffer Die” and the strength of the trio of cuts has only served to heighten the intrigue around their seventh album “Storms Over The Dying World“, recorded at Rock’n’Raw by Bruno Miguel Jorge and produced by guitarist Tó Pica and the band themselves that also happens to mark the first work of new drummer Fernando Dantas…

…Now consisting of Jose Costa on vocals and bass, To Pica and Luis Coelho on guitars with the aforementioned Fernando Dantas on the kit, there is no doubt that the personnel changes may have threatened the bands legacy with Costa the last man standing from the original line up. However what Costa has done is bring in musicians who have scene heritage and understand completely what Sacred Sin is all about and the result means that things continue to drive forward with a record in “Storms Over The Dying World” that is perfectly balanced between Death and Thrash Metal in orientation. Old School to the bone with a modern production edge, the album has a timeless quality in that it could have been released at any point in the past 30 years and would not sound out of place, its sheer consistency one of its many strengths. Face melting solos dance around the eardrums accompanied by waves of thunderous percussive battery while Costa delivers a venomous vocal in time honoured tradition, on Tom Araya of Slayer side of unclean meaning that every single demonic thought is conveyed without misinterpretation. Unlike the adrenaline rush of the EP “Born Suffer Die” here the band have chosen to focus more on atmosphere, creating something sinister, dark and brooding with menacing undertones that threatens to bite at any moment. After the powerhouse opening of the title track, the shorter, faster “Last Man” injects an adrenaline boost with a Municipal Waste style narrative that works incredibly well while the arty “Icons Of Blood” adds a mantra style spoken word about a populous under the control of corporations and zombified to their will with classic South American Metal hallmarks. “Rites of Doom and Death” is immense, another atmosphere soaked cut that builds on almost tribal rhythms with sinister and menacing attitude before a haunting classical acoustic guitar fade that is simply stunning. As an album it stands up well against current offerings from bands like Exodus and Sepultura while boding well for the future of Scared Sin on the international stage, not only is their legacy left intact but enhanced [7.5/10]

Track Listing