SANCTUM PYRE – “He Who Remains” (2026)
As a debut album, “He Who Remains” serves as SANCTUM PYRE’s introduction to the metal world! The music fits the description of epic metal with strong emphasis on eastern scales, bringing to mind bands such as ARRAYAN PATH and WARLORD. The origins of the group are mainly Greek, as Nikos Tzouannis (BATTLE SYMPHONY) is the mastermind and responsible for the composition of both music and lyrics, as well as playing the keyboards occasionally. Mike G. handled mastering, recorded the guitars and bass, and programmed the drums. Here is where the ‘mainly Greek’ aspect comes into play, as on the vocals we find Rob Lundgren, known for his work in MENTALIST.
My first encounter with SANCTUM PYRE was through the single “The Oath” and I was immediately hooked. I am a big fan of epic music, so when a slow build-up led to the chorus, I knew I had to check the entire record. There are ten tracks in the disc version and one more song exclusively through Bandcamp (“Stand”), so eleven compositions in total. Verdict? I have a healthy dose of criticism, but overall it is a great and unique album, which I predict will end up as one of my favorites for the current year! The highlights and the main reasons why someone will want to listen to the album are the vocals and lead guitars. Regarding the first, Rob does an amazing job with his passionate performance, which focuses on theatrical, dramatic singing, while I enjoyed his screams and higher pitches. When used, backing vocals amplify the result, as perfectly showcased by “The Hammer and the Cross” and “The Oath” among others. He is not alone, as Thomas Karam from Canada guests in “Daughter of the Wind” along with the very welcome surprise of Shlomit Levi (ORPHANED LAND), and alone in “The Veil is Torn”.
As for the latter (lead guitars), what can I say? Here lie the strongest similarities with WARLORD, which is a huge compliment in my book. “She was Flame” is a great example of this, which highlights the emotional playing and eastern vibes that exist throughout the album. I simply cannot get enough of those melodies, but perhaps I am a little biased since that style is my weakness, with bands like MYRATH, ARRAYAN PATH and AETERNAM being some of my favorites. The rhythm guitars and bass play a supportive role, serving as a strong foundation, but they do not go much beyond that role. I enjoyed the drums though. While not very technical or complex, they have a nice groove.
Then, we arrive at the production. Another aspect I view as a strength, as they do a great job of putting the spotlight on vocals and leads, which, as already mentioned, are the meat. I could do with stronger rhythms, but all I care about is that all the melodies that matter are in focus and sound very polished. A small observation is that “Daughter of the Wind” was produced in a different studio, in Argentina, and it shows. It is placed towards the end of the tracklist and the instruments sound “dirtier”, which creates a small dissonance in the flow of the album. All is forgiven, as we are talking about an exemplary song. The scream at the intro is breathtaking, Shlomit is simply stunning, and the instrumentation only gets better as it progresses.
The tracklist remains solid in its entirety, but I especially think it picks up from “Pay the Price” onwards. I prefer it that way, when an album starts good and only gets better as it progresses, instead of placing all the bangers at the start. After a lot of listens I have not found any skippable track, which is also a very good sign. So yeah, I would say “He Who Remains” is definitely a winner for SANCTUM PYRE. Some aspects still feel rough but it brings a lot of personality as a counterbalance. Most importantly, it invokes a lot of emotions through its lyricism, which is why fans of the genre will probably enjoy it. Its creators definitely added a part of their souls in these compositions and it shows. I hope that this is only just the beginning for the band, because if they iron out some of the wrinkles I mentioned and retain this level of songwriting, they will create wonders. For now I will keep their debut close, as it is the type of music that you want to revisit often.
80/100
Pavlos Pavlakis
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