Horror Vacui – Shadows Sanctuary (Digital/CD/Vinyl Album – Artoffact Records)
The Italian band Horror Vacui has been active since 2010. For their fifth album, they have teamed up with Artoffact Records, a move that will undoubtedly help them reach a wider audience. “Shadows Sanctuary” explores darkness as a sanctuary in a world increasingly dominated by exposure, visibility, and instability. Through themes such as identity, isolation, love, and grief, the album reclaims darkness as a space for authenticity, protection, and quiet resistance.
The album consists of 10 tracks that immediately draw us back into the band’s dark musical universe. Straddling the line between Dark-Wave and Post-Punk, Horror Vacui delivers a powerful production driven by dynamic drumming. The quintessential 80s-style guitar work cuts through with intensity, evoking the brooding, doom-laden atmosphere typically associated with the genre. The singer’s deep vocal timbre adds a haunting quality, as if guiding the listener through a funeral ceremony.
While I have never associated Horror Vacui with innovation, they certainly know how to capture the spirit and soul of the 80s. In my view, the album lacks a genuine climax, but it will undoubtedly resonate with fans of the genre. (Rating:7).
Listen to “Writing On The Wall”:
https://horrorvacuilegion.bandcamp.com/track/writing-on-the-wall
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I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
