Sacred Surf

Growing up with thrash metal through my teens, it really helped to set the foundation for a lot of my core beliefs. While there were certainly those bands that focused on more fantastic themes of violence and satan, there were also a large number of bands that were more grounded in reality... pushing back on expected norms with more progressive lyrics around questioning authority and social justice issues, such as environmental concerns, attacking big business, class and race issues, as well as general vibes about a more peaceful world. For every Slayer that was screaming "Do you want to die" there was a Nuclear Assault and Testament singing about handling the earth with care and the greenhouse effect... and while I loved the satanic stuff, the songs that called out real world problems had the most impact on me.

One of those bands that was big for me in the late 80's was Sacred Reich. Their lyrics on Ignorance, especially Administrative Decisions, hit me hard, and I remember a video clip of them on Hard n' Heavy where they said they hated George Bush, and I was just like "fuck yes" this band gets it. As a young kid, they just seemed so smart and wanting to make a positive impact on the world around them. Honestly, stuff like that was a huge influence to my jump over to hardcore and punk around 1990.

Anyway, yeah, Sacred Reich were a huge band for me, and I clearly remember listing to their Surf Nicaragua tape in my car a lot on the drive to college or between classes. With a song about the problem of US intervention in Central America and One Nation fighting against prejudice and bigotry, it just seemed important. We need more bands like this in 2026.

I've been wanting to pick up the vinyl for this EP for a long time now, so I was very happy to grab it from Tim's collection.

Awakening Of Sacred Reich

There is no denying how big Sacred Reich were to me in the late 80's. Ignorance is one of my favorite thrash albums of all time...I can clearly remember sitting in the parking lot at college, and listening to the Surf Nicaragua EP between classes...and then for those car rides home from Boston shows, I'd crack open a can of Jolt Cola, pop a couple of No-Doz, and throw on the American Way album to stay awake for the ride home. Man, I loved that band.

I always assumed that Sacred Reich would be one of the few bands that would never reunite and record new material. I could have sworn that I'd read years ago, that they would never do that...but here we are. Every other band seems to do it, so why shouldn't they, and in these days of Trump and political insanity, we need bands like Sacred Reich.

While the new album, Awakening, isn't as biting and angry as I'd hoped, it is still a solid album from a band that hasn't see a new album for over 20 years.

Because it is 2019, there have to be a ridiculous amount of pressings for each album. There are eight different vinyl pressings for Awakening, but I just went with the "haze" pressing. Limited to 500.

Sacred Reagan

Sacred Reich were a hugely important band for me as a kid. Their first three albums, Ignorance, Surf Nicaragua and The American Way, all left a big impression on me at the time. For people that thought that metal bands only sang about killing your parents and worshiping Satan, they obviously never heard Sacred Reich.

In Trump's America, we need bands like Sacred Reich more than ever...bands that are pissed off and vocal about the shitty things going on right now...so I was stoked to learn that the band was back together and recording a new album that is due out this summer. We get a preview of what's to come with this split with Iron Reagan, and it does not disappoint with this fast and furious attack that leaves me wanting more. Bring on that full length album.

Over on the b-side, Iron Reagan offer up a scorcher as well. The band is the king of split releases, and it cool to see them partner up with Sacred Reich this time around.

Only 1,000 pressed...all on black vinyl.

Getting Ignorant

When I set out to pick up some original pressings for Metal records, one of the ones that I really wanted to get my hands on was the first Sacred Reich LP.

Back in 1987, I was headed into my last year of High School, and my life revolved around Thrash. I lived on a steady diet of Venom, Kreator, Exciter, and Slayer. The faster and more obnoxious the better. The first Sacred Reich album certainly topped my list at the time. Damn, that thing is so aggressive...with lyrics that took a strong atheist stance, as well as as the Dead Kennedy's lyrically influenced Administrative Decisions...this album was certainly a favorite.

Original US press on Enigma/Metal Blade Records. A pretty good pick up at $10.