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Rating: Sacred Reich, a mocking moniker, a fierce warm critique towards dictatorial regimes, towards war in all its forms. An American thrash metal band among the most underrated of the '80s, and one of the least prolific in terms of releases, also due to the overwhelming overexposure of Yankee bands in the same period.
The Sacred Reich had everything it took to grasp the status of a leading band in American thrash: experienced and willing musicians, committed lyrics (far from playful), custom mascots, well-calibrated speed and power. Even friendships in the metal world of the time (Kerry King and Jason Newsted). The band is suffocated by the '90s, those of post-thrash, barren of satisfactions for this quartet of convinced pacifists, admirers of hardcore and Black Sabbath.
Phil Rind (vocals and bass), Jason Rainey (rhythm guitar), Wiley Arnett (lead guitar), and Greg Hall (drums), hail from Arizona and are fellow countrymen of the Atrophy and label mates of Flotsam & Jetsam. They arrive at their debut album "Ignorance" (1987), preceded by the demo "Draining Your Life" (1986), famous in the underground scene not only for the very Slayer-style sound mix but also for the lyrics that discuss various social issues without rhetoric. From the photos in the inner booklet, we see their musical influences through their t-shirts: Greg Hall with the Slayer logo, Phil Rind with the Corrosion Of Conformity mascot (another of their hardcore influences), Wiley Arnett with an enigmatic "Death" writing (which has nothing to do with the late Chuck), while Jason Rainey rounds out the view with the bloody axe of Metal Blade, the same label as Nasty Savage. From the cover and the title, one can sense how the music and biting invectives go hand in hand. Especially with the majestic opener "Death Squad", which condemns right-wing movements with vehement rhythms that surpass Slayer's speed and the excellent production (by Bill Metoyer) that emphasizes all instruments where the wall of sound created by the guitars approaches death metal at times:
"...Democracy at all costs/The methods of freedom clear/The radicals of the right, abusing control/The choice will be the democracy of death/Taken by force/Controlled by fear/Death squad-law police must eliminate subversion/Dissent, riots/Those who oppose will meet their death..."
In "Victims Of Demise" Greg Hall eases off the accelerator and the speed matches other thrash bands, while Phil Rind continues to bellow with a hoarse and nasal tone, a truly catchy trademark that underscores the lyrics centered on the effects of cancer:
"Mutant genes/Confuse the DNA code/Cancerous assault/You pray for the end of your suffering/Disfigured/A lesion, a polyp, a cyst/Functional torture/Stricken and twisted guts..."
A characteristic of the Sacred Reich, shared with Metallica, is the presence of only one lead guitarist, the talented Wiley Arnett. In this debut, he signs only the instrumental "Layed To Rest", while rhythm guitarist Jason composes four other tracks along with Phil Rind. During solos Wiley seems at ease, even though the quality is lower than Holt/Hunolt’s acrobatics, for example. The tones of the solos always seem the same to my untrained ear, with prolonged squeals suffering from the lack of a counterbalance like in Death's "Leprosy". In that case, Rick Rozz's erratic highs were balanced by Chuck's regular geometries, giving the product the necessary variety. In Sacred Reich this does not happen; in fact, there is a noticeable similarity between parts of the various tracks. For example, the lightning-fast "Administrative Decisions" stands out for its critical lyrics (..'disobedient classes/In this great small fascist school/That encourages apathy/Participate and you'll be burned...) which seem to replace the novelty that the listener expects after listening to 6-7 fast songs. "Sacred Reich" (featured on the compilation "Metal Massacre VIII") is also good, condemning Nazism with a slowed-down and groovy rhythm that breaks the album's tension, and the tough "Violent Solutions" alternates between slow and fast parts with great ease, without descending into pure uncontrollable speed. One of Sacred Reich's best songs.
The band, however, was composing sly pieces at the same time Slayer and Metallica had just forged classic tracks like "Angel of Death" and "Battery", speed pieces hardly surpassable in pathos and catchiness. Difficult for Sacred Reich to reinvent speed in equally benevolent compositions. Already in '88, Forbidden, with the debut "Forbidden Evil", were indicating the new route to thrash, slowing down the sonic fury in favor of skillfully performed tempo changes, thus taking much allure away from Sacred Reich's third record, "The American Way," released in 1990.
The mini LP "Surf Nicaragua" (from 1988) closes the first phase of Sacred Reich's career, the one turned towards hardcore: the title track is a masterpiece in music and lyrics. The iron had to be struck while hot, and three years between the debut "Ignorance" and the follow-up "The American Way", interrupted only by the mini-LP, further penalized the band.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Death Squad (04:27)
Putting to dead those who oppose you
Will take control, no matter the cost
Bodies are mounting the carnage around you
At the last count, 10.000 have died
Taken by force
Controlled by fear
Death squad police of the right
Must stamp out subversion
Dissention, unrest
Those who oppose will meet death
Automatic weapons in hand
You say you're what the police want
Why must you kill them to secure their vote
Death squad escort them to the polls
Puppet regime with you at the head
You've rid them of a communist threat
Your brand of "democracy" is now in control
And all of your people lie dead
Taken by force
Controlled by fear
Death squad police of the right
Must stamp out subversion
Dissention, unrest
Those who oppose will meet death
"Democracy" at any cost
The methods of freedom unclear
Right-wing radicals, abusing control
The choice will be democracy of death
Taken by force
Controlled by fear
Death squad police of the right
Must stamp out subversion
Dissention, unrest
Those who oppose will meet death
Those who oppose will meet death!
04 Ignorance (04:10)
Evil minds bend on destruction
Ignoring the pleas of their race
The final chapter in humanic abduction
All signs of society erased
People asking fewer questions
Letting politicians do their thinking
Not questioning nuclear judgement
As warheads enter our space
Our atmosphere clouded with poison
We're killing ourselves to live
Filling the world with hate and dissention
We'll have only our lives to give
What we do now is the key to the future
We'll only have ourselves to blame
For arming the world with the tools of destruction
Our ignorance means death
Warring on opposite nations
Starvation amongst impoverished nations
Outlook bleak for the world residue
Ignorance of mankind
Clouding the world with residue
Of man's toxic industry
Slowly killing nameless victims
Whose ignorance leaves them dead
Our atmosphere clouded with poison
We're killing ourselves to live
Filling the world with hate and dissention
We'll have only our lives to give
What we do now is the key to the future
We'll only have ourselves to blame
For arming the world with the tools of destruction
Our ignorance means death
We're crowded with anger inventions of danger
From man's diabolical mind
Humanities dying no use in trying
It's only a matter of time
How long will it be before there's no air to breathe
And our water is polluted water
Ignorance runs rampant noone is caring
Suicide of the human race
06 Violent Solutions (04:17)
Lurking in the shadows
Hidden from the light
Admist the degredation
His thirst for blood arise
The quest for carnal pleasures
The growing need for flesh
Senseless brutal beatings
Phsycotic lust is fed
Maliciously tortured ripped to shreds
Innocent victims killed by death
Frenzied thrashings dreched in blood
Fleeting screams you have succumb
Up from wretched alleys
Strewn with shards of glass
Burning eyes of hatred
All sign of life be gone
Mission maim, destruction
Mauled and scarred to death
Return to darkened alleys
To rise and kill again
Maliciously tortured ripped to shreds
Innocent victims killed by death
Frenzied thrashings dreched in blood
Fleeting screams you have succumb
Cast into poverty
To live amongst the dead
Skid row life of hoplessness
Fuels hatred of mankind
Release of cruel emotions
Takes from homicide
No answer to his question
Violent solutions abide
Maliciously tortured ripped to shreds
Innocent victims killed by death
Frenzied thrashings dreched in blood
Fleeting screams you have succumb
08 Sacred Reich (03:18)
Striking fear in the hearts of men The war machine will leave you dead Rockets launching, lightning up the sky The end is near, it's your time to die Lightning war hititng fast and hard No time to act the world caught off guard The Fuhrer's troops invade the land To spread his teachings the master plan Blitzkrieg, lightning war Hitler to kill them all Pure bred Arayan man Sacred Reich's master plan His Nazi army to control the world Exterminate those who stand in his way Evil butchers know just what to do Killing millions of Russians and Jews Can this madman be stopped Is there hope for world peace We must kill Hitler To stop this Nazi disease Blitzkrieg, lightning war Hitler to kill them all Pure bred Arayan man Sacred Reich's master plan Goering's Luftwaffe turned to ash Stormtroopers fall in defeat The end of the Final Solution The Third Reich falls to it's knees His dream undone Hitler is dead The beloved Fuhrer Put a bullet in his head Blitzkrieg, lightning war Hitler to kill them all Pure bred Arayan man Sacred Reich's master plan
09 Administrative Decisions (03:24)
Comformity training center
Seas of mindless brain dead kids
Wandering lost forever
What an education is
Don't speak out, don't make waves
You get an education free
Just play along with our games
This system just ain't right for me
Faculty not ready to accept our needs
Schools geared to what parents want to see
Knowledge comes second to doing what you're told
We deny you exist we have an image to uphold
Obedient little classes
In this fascist little high school world
Encouraging apathy
Get involved and you'll get burned
Student council chosen
To meet the wishes, student needs
Principal with veto power
Sees these wishes meet defeat
Faculty not ready to accept our needs
Schools geared to what parents want to see
Knowledge comes second to doing what you're told
We deny you exist we have an image to uphold
Graduate or be cast out
You can't fit in there is no doubt
Just go get your GED
'Cause high school ain't right for me
What a shame you almost passed
Sorry though you could not be last
You have no chance to succeed
Fuck you all, just watch and see
Faculty not ready to accept our needs
Schools geared to what parents want to see
Knowledge comes second to doing what you're told
We deny you exist we have an image to uphold
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