Album Review: Fallen Sanctuary - Terranova

This should be an easy situation. Serenity is coming off what I think is their best album, and Temperance has been releasing some of the most melodic power metal around, so putting two of the creative forces behind those bands together in a new project can't fail, can it? We'll get to that later, but I want to start off by saying, as a general rule, such arrangements are as hit-or-miss as any other band. Creativity is not math, and putting two people who are good on their own together does not mean they will have the same success together. That's why I'm always wary when I see people who already have bands that are going well create these side-projects.

To my mind, I don't understand why these musicians would use any of their best song ideas on a new band that doesn't have the same reach and notoriety of their main gig. So either they are in a way sabotaging the next outing from their main band, or they are using second-rate material for the side-project. Neither of those options seems like the best idea to me.

The title track leads things off with traditional power metal speed, blazing through guitar parts that blend into a wash of noise. There isn't really a riff to the song, just a constant drone of chord tones to go with the never-ending bass drums. It's exactly the kind of power metal they cite as their influences, and the kind I grew tired of when I realized just how much of the actual music to that era was interchangeable and inessential. The ending of the song, with a spoken word message about drug abuse, is incredibly cheesy, and feels totally out of place. It sounds to me like it's there mostly because the lyrics don't get the message across, so they needed to add something to make clear the song had a message.

"Now And Forever" follows with something far better, sounding more like what Serenity and Temperance do best, and boasting a big and powerful chorus. That huge hook is made even better by the blend of George and Marco's voices, which gives depth and space that echoes the way Temperance is able to build massive walls of vocals with their trio of singers. On song like that one, or "Broken Dreams", the identity of Fallen Sanctuary is clear; take Serenity's musical sound, add in Temperance's vocal approach, and the results sit right between the two bands. It's a winning formula, to be sure.

And once that odd opening song is out of the way, the rest of the album is hit after hit. The band delivers huge choruses and hooky melodies all over the place. It's a gloriously fun ride through the good aspects of power metal, with the only downside being that it does sound a lot like it's just another Serenity album. A good one, I must say.

So here's the deal; Fallen Sanctuary doesn't do anything that Serenity or Temperance don't already do, but they mine that territory well. Whether or not the band is 'necessary', they deliver far more than most of these collaborations do. "Terranova" is power metal done the right way, and done well. I haven't heard any better this year, or since, ironically, Temperance's album last year. Hmm... maybe that's a hint.