Cementing The Seams

I briefly mentioned these guys before in that review of Dolcim's "Guillotine Ride". Sanctions are a hardcore band from Nashville, TN and comprise the other two dudes from Cease Upon The Capitol, and I love that band so it was only a matter of time before I gave Sanctions a thorough listen. Now, unlike Dolcim, Sanctions sound pretty much nothing like CUTC, but I suppose to the uninocculated, the harsh vocals and thrashy guitar could create some confusion. Sanctions are probably best described as crust punk, which, as far as genre names go, is remarkably concise and sounds basically like you'd think. It's equal parts punk and grind but Sanctions seem more the former than the latter. Their first full-length, 2007's "Home Sweet Home" is a positively raging record that displays Sanctions aptitude for writing simple yet powerful punk riffs and working them into crushing, chaotic 2 minute hardcore jams. Most recently they released a split 10" with fellow Nashville band Dawn. The 5 songs on their side prove that their debut was no fluke and that Sanctions are the real fucking deal. "Home Sweet Home" is available on CD and cassette (unfortunately no vinyl release) while the split is vinyl exclusive and comes packaged quite excellently, hand-numbered with lovely screen-printed inserts.

For Fans of: Cursed, Hammers, Trap Them, Cease Upon The Capitol (kind of)

Sanctions on Myspace