KAMELOT have added another great song to their already impressive catalog with “Sanctuary,” featuring Clémentine Delauney of Visions of Atlantis and Ignacia Fernández of Decessus. The track appears on the band’s new album, Dark Asylum, out now through Napalm Records.
KAMELOT have unlocked a power metal and symphonic metal formula that works incredibly well for them, and “Sanctuary” is another example of why there is no reason to change it. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. After decades of making music, they have figured out how to pack the size, atmosphere and power fans expect from the genre into a shorter song without sacrificing the epic feeling power metal is known for.
The guitar work from Thomas Youngblood is phenomenal. The riffs have plenty of weight while still leaving room for the massive cinematic elements surrounding them. Oliver Palotai’s keyboards and orchestrations are amazing and add so much to the song, helping create the huge symphonic atmosphere that has become such an important part of KAMELOT’s sound.
The vocals are one of the biggest highlights. Tommy Karevik, Clémentine Delauney and Ignacia Fernández give “Sanctuary” three distinctly different voices that work incredibly well together. Karevik and Delauney deliver the powerful melodic vocals, and I love the mixture of his and her voices throughout the song.
Then Fernández comes in and takes things to another level. Her aggressive screams are amazing, and when those vocals collide with the heavier side of the song and an incredible breakdown, “Sanctuary” hits with an entirely different level of aggression. It is a fantastic contrast to the clean vocals and symphonic atmosphere surrounding it.
According to founding guitarist Thomas Youngblood, “Sanctuary” represents the moment when the darkness of RavenHill is finally left behind. The song deals with hope, freedom and finding your way back to yourself after everything you have endured. That journey from darkness into light fits perfectly with a song that can move between beauty, melody and outright heaviness.
“Sanctuary” is another great addition to KAMELOT’s catalog. The phenomenal guitars, huge keyboards and orchestrations, three vocalists and crushing heavier moments all come together without making the track feel overcrowded. KAMELOT know what works for them, and “Sanctuary” proves once again just how powerful that formula can be.
KAMELOT’s Dark Asylum is out now through Napalm Records.
PR: Atom Splitter PR
