Ελληνικά
Last Updated on 11:11 AM by Nikos Nakos
Genre: Heavy Metal/Doom
Country: U.S.A.
Label: High Roller Records
Year: 2024
Thankfully, the surviving band members of Manilla Road; Bryan “Hellroadie” Patrick (vocals), Phil Ross (bass) and Andreas “Neudi” Neuderth (drums) as they have been featured in the line-up of the band’s last studio album, 2017’s “To Kill a King”, chose wisely not to take the easy and dangerous road of continuing under the moniker of Manilla Road following the tragic death of guitarist and band founder Mark “The Shark” Shelton in July 2018.
Phil Ross explains: “Sentry was formed from the brotherhood and camaraderie of that tribute show in 2019. This band would not exist without Mark, so of course in a way you can classify it as a tribute to him. Lyrically you’ll pick up on many tributes you could say are ‘for or to’ Mark. We think he would like this LP but we are absolutely not trying to write music ’for Mark’ or ‘for Manilla fans’. We are doing it because we think we can create something new within the structure of this band that interests metal fans, and that includes Manilla fans! I think each member has contributed to the new LP in ways that we haven’t contributed to other recordings. We are mindful of respecting where we came from and how we got here but it happened naturally and organically. We never formed the band to ‘make a tribute’ to Mark. We were lucky enough to do that at Keep It True 2019.”
Not taking decisions fast, it took them five years to form a new band. They hired on Eric “Kalli” Kaldschmidt (credited as Kalli Coldsmith) to join them on the guitars and it was only then when Sentry was born, recording two-tracks promo EP in 2023 (“Heavensent” and “Black Candles”) and sign a contract with High Roller Records.
Sentry features 9 excellent songs (including cover on Candlemass “Incarnation Of Evil” on the cd as additional track), with powerful guitars, vocal lines that don’t mimic Shelton’ legendary voice but takes many times a great inspiration from and other moments follow a whole different path with strong personality vibes from Bryan “Hellroadie” Patrick. The band seems to have great confidence and why shouldn’t after all, as the compositions are definitely top notch with some tremendous ideas and executed perfectly by all the musicians. “Dark Matter” wins us from hello and until the grande finale with “Funeral” (I exclude the cover) through some epic hymns like “Valkyries (Raise The Hammers)” or some “angry” like “Awakening” or even gloomy slow like “Black Candles” and “Raven’s Night”, “Sentry” is a solid, well-worked, almost outstanding ode to Mark Shelton that worth your time and money.
