SACRED REICH – Live At Wacken

The Thrash Metal veterans, Sacred Reich, have released their epic live reunion performance from the 2007 Wacken Open Air Festival. The band originally split up in 2000. Although they still have not reported any plans to record an album with new material, they continue to tour, including a recent performance at the 2012 Wacken Festival.

Sacred Reich never fully achieved A-List status as they were not one of the original Bay Area Thrash Metal Bands. The band was formed by bassist/vocalist Phil Rind in 1985 and was based out of Phoenix, AZ. Having only released four full length albums and one EP from 1987 through 1996, Sacred Reich did gain a very successful fan base by being part of the legendary Metal Blade Records family. Their rugged and strident style could easily be viewed as a predecessor to bands like Pantera and Suicidal Tendencies, who ended up gaining success during the 1990’s.

Live At Wacken is very different from their previous live album Still Ignorant, which was released in 1997. This is definitely a much older and wiser version of Sacred Reich and approaches their audience of 60,000 crazed Metal fans with great humility. Phil Rind expresses heartfelt gratitude throughout much of the show. At one point early during the concert, Rind asks the audience if they have their first record Ignorance released in 1987, and thanks them by saying “from us to you thank you very much for 20 years of support … I never would have believed 20 years later we could have come and played such a show like this, so thank you to all of you.”

Later on in the show, Rind also takes a moment to poke fun at himself for being “old and fat.” While introducing the song “Ignorance” he states, “You make a bunch of old guys feel very good … we’re old, I’m fat, and I don’t give a shit.” Despite love fest going on between Rind and the audience, the band performs aggressively and flawlessly throughout the show. It is clear; they are all having a great time, and simply honored to be playing for such a huge audience.

The track listing isn’t exactly representative of their entire discography. The band’s primary focus are songs from their first three, and arguably best albums. The set list does seem appropriate, however, considering the air of nostalgia going on. Rind is still able to prove himself as the clear leader of Sacred Reich, getting involved with a considerable amount of audience interaction, and even inviting them to sing the entire first verse of their famous Black Sabbath cover of “War Pigs.”

There is also a deluxe version available of Live At Wacken, which includes a DVD video of the entire show. Fans of Sacred Reich that may have forgotten them in their music collection for several years will certainly enjoy this album. Hopefully it catapults a surge of new fans to this great classic Thrash Metal band, and maybe with enough wishful thinking, a new studio album.