Since this is your first interview for Voice From The Underground eMagazine, could you provide us with a brief history of the band up
till now?
Sure. I guess the seeds were put into place back in high school where we were all buddies. We were just a bunch of punks who liked
drinking beers and listening to metal. Eventually we picked up some cheap gear and started making some shitty noise, but we were
having a blast doing it. We were really terrible at the time haha. Fast forward to 2008 and we were still jamming so we figured, lets
do this for real. We scraped some cash together and recorded a five song demo. The response was good! Then it was basically back
to saving pennies so we could afford to get some new tunes out there. In September 2009, we went back in the studio to record
our follow up EP ‘Black Magic Brew’. In between recording we set up a quick western Canadian stint through BC and Alberta just to
keep our brains sane. Once we got back we finished the album, had one last show in the Yukon, and packed up our entire lives in our
van… the Skank Tank. We set up a one way cross Canada tour all the way to Halifax which is where we’re at now.
The name you have chosen for your band, Sanktuary…why was this name chosen? Just curious as we all know the famous metal band
Sanctuary.
Yeah, we’ve been getting a lot flack for the band name and have seriously been thinking about changing it… we’ll see. The name
came up when we were playing a talent show back in high school. We entered with Sanktuary as our name and it just kind of stuck
from there.
How could you compare the new music on “Black Magic Brew” to what you’ve been doing formerly? Does this differ a lot?
I think that the musicianship in BMB takes a step forward compared to the first demo. It’s a little more technical and the song writing
is a bit more mature. We still feel that we have lots of improving to do but we’re happy with the way the band is evolving.
How do you foresee the future evolution of Sanktuary as far as music is concerned?
Well… we just want to keep getting better. We’re going to keep on writing tunes that sound good to us and hopefully metalheads
around the globe will embrace our sound. I guess only time will tell.
You guys moved from the cold Territory of the Yukon to the dark and damp East Coast Province of Nova Scotia. What was the
reason for the band to make such a long distance move…if you don’t mind me asking?
Although we still call the Yukon home there’s only so many people you can play to up there. We’d done all the bars, done the
festivals and it was just time to go play for some new faces. My mom owns a house in Nova Scotia in the middle of nowhere so we
can play as loud as we want, whenever we want, and the rent is dirt cheap!
From where does Sanktuary draw its musical and lyrical influences? The bands of old? The Beer and Alcohol? The Chicks? Please tell
us…
Lyrically we sing about whatever weird, demented, violent thoughts happen to drift into our minds. Mammoth hunting, people
hunting, tit hunting, the mentally insane, and just generally waiving the metal flag high! Our influences are mostly made up of the 80’s
Bay area thrash movement and the NWOBHM. Also there’s a ton of wicked new metal bands that have started to make a name for
themselves in the last couple years that we’re pretty into.
You recently recorded “Black Magic Brew”. Have you started sending it to magazines and webzines or is it available only on you’re My
Space page? Have you gotten any reviews, comments? How have people reacted to your material?
Well, we’re actually just getting around to doing all of that now. While we were touring across Canada the reactions were great
though! I remember in Saskatoon this one old timer bought a CD for 50$! We were like “no… we can’t accept that” and we were
trying to give him shirts and stickers and whatever we could throw at him but in the end he just took the CD. He wasn’t even drunk,
haha! At this point the album is only available through our myspace or at a live show.
Maybe it is still too early to ask but do you have any plans for a full-length album in the near future. I hope that you will not let us wait
for to long a time...
You’ll probably see a full length sometime next spring/summer. We’ve got a bunch of new tunes that are 95% done so it’s more of a
money issue than anything.
Do you notice any changes in people's attitudes towards gigs since the times when you first started listening to metal? I do… It looks
quite different now in Ontario. I would say - It is worse. People stay at home, get lazy... How is it on the East Coast of our country?
Well that’s a tough one. I mean, we’ve only ever really lived in the Yukon and I’m not sure what the rest of the country is like. But
up north the scene is only getting stronger. The all age shows are the craziest! They’re packed with young kids who are passionate
about their metal. Also there’s a ton of younger talented metal bands starting up and they’re helping each other out. It’s not like this
stupid competition between bands that I’ve seen in a few places now. They care about their metal, there’s no egos and it only
makes the scene stronger. I’ve been to a few shows in Nova Scotia and I’ve really enjoyed the bands but I haven’t been here long
enough to say if the scenes gotten better or worse. I’ll say its gotten better now that we’re here! Haha.
Does Sanktuary play live often? How would you describe a Sanktuary gig?
Normally we play as often as we can but we’re currently looking for a lead guitar player so it’s been a little slow. We’ve got it
narrowed down to a few different guys now so we’ll be looking to make up for lost time ASAP. As far as a Sanktuary gig… lots of
sweat, lots of liquor and maybe the odd blow up doll. I encourage anyone and everyone to show up and find out for themselves!
What would you say are the primary challenges, trials and tribulations that extreme metal bands face in Canada, in trying to get known
and established beyond the country's borders?
Goddamn working Visa’s!
Thanks for the interview! Anything else we might have forgotten to mention? The last words are yours.
We’re going to be doing a quick 2-3 week stint to southern Ontario and back in December so come on out and show us those pretty
faces of yours… we’ll see you on the road!
WEB: http://www.myspace.com/sanktuaryslays
till now?
Sure. I guess the seeds were put into place back in high school where we were all buddies. We were just a bunch of punks who liked
drinking beers and listening to metal. Eventually we picked up some cheap gear and started making some shitty noise, but we were
having a blast doing it. We were really terrible at the time haha. Fast forward to 2008 and we were still jamming so we figured, lets
do this for real. We scraped some cash together and recorded a five song demo. The response was good! Then it was basically back
to saving pennies so we could afford to get some new tunes out there. In September 2009, we went back in the studio to record
our follow up EP ‘Black Magic Brew’. In between recording we set up a quick western Canadian stint through BC and Alberta just to
keep our brains sane. Once we got back we finished the album, had one last show in the Yukon, and packed up our entire lives in our
van… the Skank Tank. We set up a one way cross Canada tour all the way to Halifax which is where we’re at now.
The name you have chosen for your band, Sanktuary…why was this name chosen? Just curious as we all know the famous metal band
Sanctuary.
Yeah, we’ve been getting a lot flack for the band name and have seriously been thinking about changing it… we’ll see. The name
came up when we were playing a talent show back in high school. We entered with Sanktuary as our name and it just kind of stuck
from there.
How could you compare the new music on “Black Magic Brew” to what you’ve been doing formerly? Does this differ a lot?
I think that the musicianship in BMB takes a step forward compared to the first demo. It’s a little more technical and the song writing
is a bit more mature. We still feel that we have lots of improving to do but we’re happy with the way the band is evolving.
How do you foresee the future evolution of Sanktuary as far as music is concerned?
Well… we just want to keep getting better. We’re going to keep on writing tunes that sound good to us and hopefully metalheads
around the globe will embrace our sound. I guess only time will tell.
You guys moved from the cold Territory of the Yukon to the dark and damp East Coast Province of Nova Scotia. What was the
reason for the band to make such a long distance move…if you don’t mind me asking?
Although we still call the Yukon home there’s only so many people you can play to up there. We’d done all the bars, done the
festivals and it was just time to go play for some new faces. My mom owns a house in Nova Scotia in the middle of nowhere so we
can play as loud as we want, whenever we want, and the rent is dirt cheap!
From where does Sanktuary draw its musical and lyrical influences? The bands of old? The Beer and Alcohol? The Chicks? Please tell
us…
Lyrically we sing about whatever weird, demented, violent thoughts happen to drift into our minds. Mammoth hunting, people
hunting, tit hunting, the mentally insane, and just generally waiving the metal flag high! Our influences are mostly made up of the 80’s
Bay area thrash movement and the NWOBHM. Also there’s a ton of wicked new metal bands that have started to make a name for
themselves in the last couple years that we’re pretty into.
You recently recorded “Black Magic Brew”. Have you started sending it to magazines and webzines or is it available only on you’re My
Space page? Have you gotten any reviews, comments? How have people reacted to your material?
Well, we’re actually just getting around to doing all of that now. While we were touring across Canada the reactions were great
though! I remember in Saskatoon this one old timer bought a CD for 50$! We were like “no… we can’t accept that” and we were
trying to give him shirts and stickers and whatever we could throw at him but in the end he just took the CD. He wasn’t even drunk,
haha! At this point the album is only available through our myspace or at a live show.
Maybe it is still too early to ask but do you have any plans for a full-length album in the near future. I hope that you will not let us wait
for to long a time...
You’ll probably see a full length sometime next spring/summer. We’ve got a bunch of new tunes that are 95% done so it’s more of a
money issue than anything.
Do you notice any changes in people's attitudes towards gigs since the times when you first started listening to metal? I do… It looks
quite different now in Ontario. I would say - It is worse. People stay at home, get lazy... How is it on the East Coast of our country?
Well that’s a tough one. I mean, we’ve only ever really lived in the Yukon and I’m not sure what the rest of the country is like. But
up north the scene is only getting stronger. The all age shows are the craziest! They’re packed with young kids who are passionate
about their metal. Also there’s a ton of younger talented metal bands starting up and they’re helping each other out. It’s not like this
stupid competition between bands that I’ve seen in a few places now. They care about their metal, there’s no egos and it only
makes the scene stronger. I’ve been to a few shows in Nova Scotia and I’ve really enjoyed the bands but I haven’t been here long
enough to say if the scenes gotten better or worse. I’ll say its gotten better now that we’re here! Haha.
Does Sanktuary play live often? How would you describe a Sanktuary gig?
Normally we play as often as we can but we’re currently looking for a lead guitar player so it’s been a little slow. We’ve got it
narrowed down to a few different guys now so we’ll be looking to make up for lost time ASAP. As far as a Sanktuary gig… lots of
sweat, lots of liquor and maybe the odd blow up doll. I encourage anyone and everyone to show up and find out for themselves!
What would you say are the primary challenges, trials and tribulations that extreme metal bands face in Canada, in trying to get known
and established beyond the country's borders?
Goddamn working Visa’s!
Thanks for the interview! Anything else we might have forgotten to mention? The last words are yours.
We’re going to be doing a quick 2-3 week stint to southern Ontario and back in December so come on out and show us those pretty
faces of yours… we’ll see you on the road!
WEB: http://www.myspace.com/sanktuaryslays
Interview by: Nekro
