Sure, the Nevermore contrasts were inevitable. However, they take what should have been dribbles of Nevermore's influence and escalate it far beyond its acceptable perimeters. If we're looking at a representative song like, say, "Arise and Purify," it's easy to see Sanctuary is not fooling anyone by pretending to be beating around the bush. Mid-paced, mechanical-sounding riffs are stacked up like flapjacks and layered in place by plentiful guitar solos brought together under a squeaky-clean production job. Unfortunately, all these guitar parts go in one ear and out the other, unable to sound interesting or appealing. There is a degree of admirable sophistication in all the patterns and riffs, but since maybe one out of five actually sticks, "The Year the Sun Died" comes off sounding more miss than hit.

The curse of the mundane routine is everlasting: "Question Existence Fading" or "The World is Wired" is just as foreign to me after fifteen listens or so as it was after the first. Warrel Dane's low register and unique tone sound decent in the setting, but the sort of personality he added to the old Sanctuary and Nevermore albums is more of a gimmick than much-needed charisma. His lyrical exploits are downright goofy at times; the abstract bellyaching never throws in the towel. The whole process of FOLLOWING STUFF BLINDLY and WE'RE ALL SLAVES gets old fast, and it's obvious at this point that "The Year the Sun Died" fell on its face upon ignition and never bothered to turn itself over. Down and out before the first snap.