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Bury St Edmunds band Celestial Sanctuary sign deal with Metal Blade Records
From rehearsing in a cramped shipping container to signing with the label that helped launch Metallica, a Suffolk death metal band's dreams are now coming true.
East Anglian rockers Celestial Sanctuary have signed a record deal with US label Metal Blade Records after years of relentless touring across the UK, where they opened for some of the biggest names in death metal.
Formed in 2019, the band features Tom Cronin and Matt Adnett from Bury St Edmunds, along with Jay Rutterford and James Burke.
Earlier this year, they caught a surge of attention after playing to thousands at Download Festival and supporting Slayer’s iconic guitarist Kerry King within the same week.
After sharing a stage with one of their metal idols, the band received a message from Metal Blade Records — an independent label founded by Brian Slagel, known for releasing Metallica’s first commercial recording and representing bands like Slayer, Mercyful Fate, Cannibal Corpse and Amon Amarth.
Frontman Tom said: “For Brian Slagel to even listen to our music is incredible, let alone him liking it enough to sign us.
“It’s what any metal band’s dreams are made of — it’s all so surreal, I’m still pinching myself about it now.”
The band, which has already released two albums and an EP, will now have the backing to record and release more music than ever before along with the potential for their first American tour.
They signed the contract at their regular practice space, The Rehearsal Rooms in St Andrew's Street South, Bury, before it was posted off to LA.
After signing the dotted line, Tom said he reflected on just how far they have come from their early days rehearsing in a tiny converted shipping container.
Despite these humble beginnings, Celestial Sanctuary hopes their journey will inspire other young musicians to keep following their dreams.
“You just have to keep going and keep at it,” Tom said. “We’re all in our early 30s now, which could be seen as quite old in other genres, and there’s definitely been times when we all wanted to give up on it.
“And after years and years of always making music, we never did — we kept writing, playing and trying our hardest, and now this is the biggest success we’ve ever had as a band.
“If you’ve got something worth writing, keep writing. At the end of the day, there is a lot of luck involved in the industry, but the more you play, the more you put out, the more you promote whatever you’re doing — that’s just buying yourself more tickets for the lottery.
“One day, the opportunity will come along.”
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