Sacred Reich

Sacred Reich

Genres: thrash metal, speed metal, heavy metal, metal, thrash

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About Sacred Reich

Sacred Reich is an American thrash metal band from Phoenix, Arizona, formed in 1985. As of 2025, the band’s lineup consists of vocalist and bassist Phil Rind, lead guitarist Wiley Arnett, rhythm guitarist Joey Radziwill, and drummer Eduardo Baldo. Former members include rhythm guitarist Jason Rainey, and drummers Greg Hall and Dave McClain, among others. Their music is characterized by mid-tempo song structures alongside influences from punk rock and hardcore punk, and their lyrics frequently address political and social themes. The band is associated with the second wave of thrash metal in the late 1980s, alongside groups such as Testament, Destruction, Death Angel, and Dark Angel. Sacred Reich formed at Coronado High School in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 1985. The original lineup included Jason Rainey, Jeff Martinek, Mike Andre, Dan Kelly, and Ray Nay. Phil Rind later replaced Andre on bass, Greg Hall replaced Nay on drums, and Rind also became vocalist after Kelly became ill. After the release of the demo "Draining You of Life", Martinek left to join the military and was replaced by Wiley Arnett. With Arnett, the band re-recorded the song "Sacred Reich" and recorded the new track "Ignorance". The song "Ignorance" was included on the Metal Blade Records compilation "Metal Massacre VIII" (1987), which helped the band gain wider attention. The band then signed with Metal Blade Records and released their debut album "Ignorance" in 1987. The album incorporated punk rock and hardcore punk influences and featured lyrics dealing with topics such as war, racism, and political oppression. It received generally positive reviews, with some critics highlighting its political content and lyrical approach. The band also attracted interest from other acts in the metal scene during this period. In 1988, Sacred Reich released the EP "Surf Nicaragua", which showed a more crossover-oriented approach and improved production while retaining elements of thrash metal. The release contributed to the band’s international exposure and was followed by extensive touring, including an appearance at Dynamo Open Air in 1989. A live recording from this performance was later released as "Alive at the Dynamo". In 1990, the band released their second studio album, "The American Way", which featured a shift toward more varied tempos and a reduced emphasis on the fast-paced style and punk influence of earlier releases. The album reached number 153 on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for nine weeks. The band toured extensively in support of the album, including co-headlining tours with Sepultura and Napalm Death. In 1991, they released the EP "A Question". Later that year, Greg Hall left the band and was replaced by Dave McClain. Sacred Reich signed with Hollywood Records and released their third studio album, "Independent", in 1993. The album incorporated groove metal elements but received limited attention, partly due to changes in the popularity of thrash metal and the time gap between releases. Dave McClain left the band later that year to join Machine Head. In 1996, the band released their fourth album, "Heal", which also received limited commercial attention. Greg Hall later rejoined the band, although Chuck Fitzgerald performed drums for touring. A live album, "Still Ignorant", was released in 1997. The band became largely inactive and disbanded between 1999 and 2000. Sacred Reich reunited for several live performances in 2006 and resumed activity as a live band. They performed at events such as Wacken Open Air in 2007 and again in 2009, with the latter performance later released as "Live at Wacken" in 2012. In 2017, they announced a North American tour titled "30 Years of Ignorance". In 2018, the band signed again with Metal Blade Records and began work on their fifth studio album, "Awakening". That same year, Greg Hall left the band and was replaced temporarily by Tim Radziwill for recording and touring purposes. Dave McClain rejoined the band after leaving Machine Head. In 2019, rhythm guitarist Jason Rainey left the band due to health reasons and was replaced by Joey Radziwill. The band released the single "Don’t Do it Donnie" in collaboration with Iron Reagan and toured together that year. Their fifth album, "Awakening", was released in August 2019, marking their first studio album since 1996. It received generally positive reviews, including a Metacritic score of 76 based on several reviews. The band toured in Europe with Night Demon and supported Gwar on tour. Jason Rainey died on March 16, 2020, at the age of 53. In 2023, Sacred Reich supported Carcass on a United States tour alongside Municipal Waste. In early 2024, the band announced that they were recording material for a sixth studio album. Later statements indicated that the album was expected for release in 2025. In October 2025, the band announced that they had parted ways with Dave McClain, with Eduardo Baldo temporarily filling in for live performances. It was also announced that their sixth studio album, titled "Into the Abys", would be released in spring 2026, and in December 2025 Baldo became an official member of the band. The band is scheduled to perform at Milwaukee Metal Fest in 2026. Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Reich Studio albums Ignorance (1987) The American Way (1990) Independent (1993) Heal (1996) Awakening (2019) Into the Abyss (2026) EPs Surf Nicaragua (1988) A Question (1991) Live albums Alive at the Dynamo (1989) Still Ignorant (1997) Live at Wacken (2012) Demos Draining You of Life (1985) Compilations Ignorance/Surf Nicaragua (2007)

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