Altar of Patrons #13
Band: Sacred Outcry
Title: Damned for all Time
Release date: 25 September 2020
Country: Greece
Even though there seems to be a never-ending flood of new metal releases at the moment, we shouldn’t forget that behind every album, there’s always an individual story. In case of my newest shout-out, I’m gonna talk about the Greek band Sacred Outcry, which was formed in 1998, just to present their debut album 22 years later, on the probably most insane release day of 2020, the 25 September. Let’s find out whether it was worth the wait.
The cover artwork shows an old man, standing on a rock in front of a mystic castle. The raging thunderstorm and the dragon in the air make it clear, that we’re gonna enter a gloomy fantasy story.
“Damned for all Time” starts with a short, instrumental intro, before “Legions of the Fallen” kicks in. It’s a catchy song with a great melody, only the guitars seem to be a bit shy at the beginning, the mixing could have added a bit more power here. The vocals deserve a closer look: Yannis Papadopoulos (Beast in Black), who is mentioned on Bandcamp as “Special Guest”, delivers an amazing performance, and fits perfectly to this symphonic powermetal outfit.
With the following “Sacred Outcry”, the band moves straight forward, and adds more symphonic elements. The guitars are stronger now, and impress with powerful riffs and melodic solos.
Over the next songs, they develop their music with varied song-writing and keep the listening experience interesting. You’ll find emotional ballads with strong vocal lines, mid-tempo songs with beautiful harmonies, but also faster parts like in “Lonely Man”, with great guitar and bass solos. The title track is the longest, and also most impressive here. Several changes in mood and tempo bring in a huge dynamic, and show the potential of these Greek guys.
Sacred Outcry’s debut album is an amazing discovery for me, and is recommended for fans of power- and symphonic metal. The production, that starts a bit too tame during the first song, gets stronger soon fortunately. Rhythm section, guitars and orchestration build a solid basis for the powerful vocals, but each musician has its very own solo moments as well. To sum it up: Was “Damned for all Time” worth the wait? Absolutely! And a follow-up in the foreseeable future would be highly appreciated. But for now, let’s crank up this first effort, and enjoy the music, that finally found the way to us listener 😊
Band Members
Yannis Papadopoulos – Vocals (Special Guest)
Dimitris Perros – Guitar
George Apalodimas – Bass
Stelios Darakis – Drums & Percussion
John Skalkotos – Keyboards
Vagelis Spanakis – Acoustic Guitar
Track List
1. Timeless
2. Legions of the Fallen
3. Sacred Outcry
4. Where Ancient Gods are Still Hailed
5. Scared to Cry
6. Lonely Man
7. Crystal Tears
8. Damned for all Time
9. Farewell
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