Sacred Reich at the Gramercy Theatre

Phil Rind

Until age 12, Phil Rind lived in Brooklyn, New York. His family then moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, where he met rhythm guitarist Jason Rainey in high school. Rainey had formed Sacred Reich as a thrash metal band, but was unsatisfied with his original musicians. In 1985, Rainey fired the drummer and recruited Greg Hall, then fired the bassist and recruited Rind. They fired the vocalist and Rind became the singer as well. The guitarist quit and Wiley Arnett joined in 1986. This would become the classic Sacred Reich lineup. Sacred Reich started by playing Megadeth and Exodus covers, but then recorded five albums of original works, including socially conscious and political speed metal, before splitting in 2000. The band reunited 2006, but has not written, performed or recorded new music. Sacred Reich's most recent album is 2012's Live at Wacken.

Sacred Reich's first North American tour in 21 years came to the Gramercy Theatre tonight. Dubbed the "30 Years Of Ignorance" tour, the concert celebrated the 30th anniversary of the band's debut album, Ignorance, which was recorded when most of the band members were still in high school. Despite the title of the tour, however, the band did not play the Ignorance album in its entirety, but rather mixed only four of its nine cuts among songs from other albums. With a no-frills stage set that featured only banners and flashing lights, Sacred Reich retained its characteristic speed and thrash, much of it too fast for headbanging. Rind grunted and shouted, Arnett churned out the lightning leads and rolling riffs, and the band as a whole successfully revived a sound rooted in pre-grunge metal. There were no forays into unfamiliar territory, though. If the band hopes to move forward, the musicians may want to explore and expand into new vistas.

Setlist:

1. Ignorance
2. Administrative Decisions
3. One Nation
4. Love...Hate
5. Victim of Demise
6. Violent Solutions
7. Crimes against Humanity
8. Who's to Blame
9. I Don't Know
10. Free
11. Independent
12. War Pigs (Black Sabbath cover)
13. The American Way

Encore:

1. Surf Nicaragua