Sanctuary at the Gramercy Theatre

Sanctuary is a heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington. The band formed in 1985 and was discovered and promoted by Dave Mustaine of Megadeth; Mustaine produced and played guitar on Sanctuary’s debut album and signed the band with his own management. Sanctuary had little commercial success, however, and by the early 1990s was pressured by its record company’s moguls to fit in with the flourishing Seattle grunge scene. Sanctuary resisted and disbanded in 1992, with several members forming the band Nevermore. Sanctuary reformed in 1990 and released its third album, The Year the Sun Died, this year.

The question remains: can a band that did not gain a substantial following or commercial success during heavy metal’s heyday reform in today’s indie-saturated world and succeed? Sanctuary’s performance at the Gramercy Theatre tonight indicated that this would be a formidable challenge. First of all, the room was less than have filled, showing a dearth of interested ticket buyers in the New York area. As in Sanctuary’s early days, vocalist Warrel Dane hit Rob Halford-like shrieks and high notes, the band’s rhythm section pounded away and the two guitarists traded impressive guitar licks. Nevertheless, the epic-styled performance was only marginally interesting or engaging. Not all 1980s heavy metal bands are classic.