Release: 06/01/2022
If you’re looking for true underground gems this year that many probably won’t dig up, you can hardly get past Sentencer from Brazil. The quartet from São Paulo has been on our radar for quite some time – and therefore we can say: The guys have the spirit that we all love!
It is therefore particularly pleasing that now, with Inception, the debut EP is available, which will hopefully give Sentencer the attention they deserve. To anticipate one thing: Of course, the band is not reinventing heavy metal in 2022. If you haven’t been into traditional styles for a while, you’ve come to the wrong place. But if you like musicians who revive the glorious times of heavy metal with a lot of enthusiasm, you should definitely take your time for 27 minutes. At least if you don’t mind a rather raw sound (pure underground, I already said it in the introduction).
A special feature of Sentencer is that drummer Helio Junior is responsible for the vocals. Even if he is not an Air Raid Siren singing everything into the ground, he does a good job. Some vocal lines are strongly reminiscent of those we know from a certain Bruce Dickinson. In any case, the passion on the mic is as palpable as it is infectious.
A highlight are the riffs and leads, not least strongly – sometimes very strongly – inspired by Iron Maiden, which are all in all quite varied and promptly take the listener back to the eighties. There are days when I need just that – it’s like a good curry sausage: not gourmet cuisine, but simply timeless and delicious.
In terms of songwriting, I would like to emphasise one strength: Sentencer give the songs time to breathe, none of them is shorter than five minutes. The South Americans are not concerned with speed or harshness, but primarily with creating atmosphere – listen to “Look at Yourself“ or the band hymn “Sentencer” as an example.
Conclusion: Sentencer are undoubtedly an enrichment for the scene – and they deserve to play at European festivals in the future. I am sure that those present will have a lot of fun with their honest metal, technically performed on a solid level. I’m going to have a beer now…
Performance: 80%
Songwriting: 70%
Creativity: 70%
Variety: 70%
Entertainment: 80%
OVERALL: 74%