Sacrilege: Behind the Realms of Madness

Even though I sometimes wonder about the value of certain reissues, this one comes as a welcome friend. No, I didn't listen to Sacrilege back in the 1980s, but I would have loved them as much as I loved Anthrax, Iron Maiden, Metallica, and others. This release, done through the auspices of Relapse Records, is the only authorized reissue of this album. There are probably several unauthorized recordings floating out there, but this is the one that collectors will want for sure.

For those, like me, who didn't catch this band the first time around, they play music that successfully blends several styles: doom, death, hardcore, thrash, and others. Back in those days, it would have probably been described in slightly simpler terms, as thrash metal, punk-inspired metal, and so on. With older ears, we can hear that this band was helping to expand the idiom of heavy metal. The band also warrants attention for Lynda "Tam" Simpson's vocals. She sings with all the energy and rage demanded by the genre and does so with lyrics charged not only by politics, but also by fantasy.

This release features seven unreleased tracks, two of which are live. The sound quality of the extra tracks is mixed, but I don't think anyone expected polish from a band like this. The album artwork has also been expanded. I like the rawness of the original release, but the new art is so cool, it deserves a careful look as well. It has a strong Lord of the Rings vibe to match several of the songs on the album. Check it out! This is high quality material.

Track Listing:
1. Lifeline
2. Shadow from Mordor
3. At Death's Door
4. A Violation of Something Sacred
5. The Closing Irony
6. Out of Sight, Out of Mind
7. The Captive
8. Flight of the Nazgul
9. Sight of the Wise
10. Feed
11. Dig Your Own Grave
12. The Closing Irony (Live)
13. Bloodrun (Live)

Added: December 18th 2015
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 1780
Language: english

[ Printer Friendly Page ]
[ Send to a Friend ]