Sacred Reich is a Phoenix, Arizona based thrash metal band that formed in 1985. Singer/songwriter Phil Rind's interest was in socially-conscious and political hardcore metal. After several records on Metal Blade Records, they signed to Hollywood Records for a short stint, but later returned to Metal Blade to continue their musical career. The band split in 2000, but reunited in 2006. Sacred Reich has been credited, along with Testament, Destruction, Death Angel and Dark Angel, for leading the second wave of thrash metal movement in the late 1980s. Former drummer Dave McClain went on to join Machine Head in 1995. Lead guitarist Wiley Arnett went on to form The Human Condition with St. Madness vocalist Prophet in July 2000.
In November 2006, the band announced they would play several shows in the summer of 2007 in Europe, including Wacken Open Air; however, they had no plans to record a new album.
The band also contributed the Black Sabbath cover "Sweet Leaf" to the Hempilation: Freedom Is NORML compilation album to benefit NORML, and the Subhumans cover "The Big Picture" appears as the B-side of the "Open Book" promotional single. A three disk boxed set with remastered versions of Ignorance and Surf Nicaragua with additional bonus material, including the "Draining You of Life" demo tape and a live DVD, was originally slated for release in September 2005, but was released in Europe only in the summer of 2007 by Metal Blade Records. In the spring of 2017, the band announced their first North American tour in 21 years.
In January 2018, Sacred Reich signed to Metal Blade Records and began working on their fifth studio album, Awakening, tentatively due for release in the summer of 2019. This will be the band's first full-length studio album since 1996's Heal, and their first since drummer Dave McClain and guitarist Joey Radziwill replaced founding members Greg Hall and Jason Rainey respectively. Current members Phil Rind – vocals, bass (1985–2000, 2006–present) Wiley Arnett – lead guitar (1986–2000, 2006–present) Dave McClain – drums (1991–1995, 2018–present) Joey Radziwill – rhythm guitar (2019–present) Former members Jason Rainey – rhythm guitar (1985–2000, 2006–2019) Greg Hall – drums (1985–1991, 1996–2000, 2006–2018) Dan Kelly – vocals (1985–1986) Jeff Martinek – guitar (1985–1986) Ray Nay – drums (1985) Mike Andre – bass (1985) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sacred-Reich/24848950195 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Reich http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Sacred_Reich/120 https://myspace.com/sacredreich/photos http://www.angelfire.com/az/SacredPages/ http://www.discogs.com/artist/251904-Sacred-Reich