Customer Reviews

Sacred Oath

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2009's self-titled album is just the third studio album in 20 years from Connecticut-based metal band Sacred Oath. The band's lengthy absence from the metal scene was due to the usual reasons - lineup changes, label issues, changing musical climates - but founding member/vocalist/guitarist/songwriter/producer Rob Thorne seems determined to make Sacred Oath last, and with any luck this album may help the band do just that.

Sacred Oath always felt like the Queensryche that might have been had that band opted for more "Queen of the Reich" and less "Silent Lucidity". Well, Queensryche's days as a heavy metal band are long behind them, and Sacred Oath has moved on to a fiercer, more focused metal sound. Thorne's vocals still sound eerily like Geoff Tate's, but that's where the Queensryche similarities end this time around. With this album, Sacred Oath brings to mind the great power/thrash metal acts from the mid 80's - Vicious Rumors, Armored Saint and Helstar. You have thrashing guitar riffs, soaring vocals, a merciless beat, and snarling, angry lyrics. If you think song titles like "Wings of Salvation," "Scourge of Sin" and "Hunt for the Fallen Angel" mean that Sacred Oath has turned religious; think again. Nearly every song on this album is a seething indictment of organized religion and blind faith.

With its blend of traditional, power and thrash metal elements, Sacred Oath has a classic heavy metal sound, but at the same time feels completely current and relevant. Sacred Oath has successfully brought their brand of heavy metal into the new century, and in the process has created an album that should appeal to old fans and newcomers alike.

Queeensrych on royds man. Half of it's good, the first 4 and the 9th track. The other half could've been filler. I don't know if they're really proud of that material, I'm not a musician; but I think that I wouldn't be. Queen's Rych only came out with two hits in their entire career. So 5 good songs on one album isn't something to scoff at. Range of subjects, the Counting Zeros song -best on the album- was played repetitively on the Headbanger's Ball. That's why I bought the album. It's worth some listens, not my favorite -by far. I like consistency and didn't find it here. Funny to look at the singer and wonder 'what ever happened to that eighties do. Did they all just cut it off or disappear into the woodwork somehow'.