Sacred Steel
All poseurs must die! German speed metal rules!

Reborn in Steel Sacred Steel-Reborn in Steel (Metal Blade) 1997

1. "Metal Reigns Supreme" (3:58)
2. "Battle Angels" (4:45)
3. "Trapped in Hell" (3:25)
4. "True Force of Iron Glory" (3:43)
5. "Reborn in Steel" (4:42)
6. "Purified by Pain" (4:20)
7. "Sword of the King" (7:35)
8. "In the Mouth of Madness" (3:09)
9. "Kill the Deceiver" (3:35)
10. "Sacred Steel" (5:14)

Sacred Steel's sound derives from mid-eighties speed metal. Remember a time before Fates Warning was considered progressive metal and before Helloween was considered melodic metal? Well, cross Helloween's "Walls Of Jericho", Fates Warning's "Night on Brocken" with early Virgin Steele and Agent Steel and you get the picture. Lyrically, Manowar have got to be Sacred Steel's biggest influence. I mean, these guys must read Manowar lyrics like they were the Bible. Just check out the song titles: "Metal Reigns Supreme," "Sacred Steel," "Sword Of The King," "True Force Of Iron Glory", etc. I suppose that critical reviews would say that these guys are reliving the past when they should be striving for something fresh in the future, but I'm not complaining. As a matter of fact, I say more power to 'em. Raise the flag of metal for heavy metal still reigns supreme! Oh damn, now I sound like a disciple from the church of Manowar.

Sacred Steel-Bloodlust (Metal Blade) 2000

1.   "Stormhammer" (4:16)
2.   "Oath of Blood" (4:03)
3.   "By the Wrath of the Unborn" (3:46)
4.   "Blood on My Steel" (5:05)
5.   "Metal Is War" (3:05)
6.   "Sacred Warriors of Steel" (5:12)
7.   "Dark Forces Lead Me to the Brimstone Gate" (3:48)
8.   "Master of Thy Fate" (6:15)
9.   "Lust for Blood" (3:52)

Sacred Steel sound like Hammerfall and Manowar. The whole vibe of this disc is, "posers will die, heavy metal rules!" I don't have a problem with that necessarily, but it is a bit cliche. The music is uncanny to that of Hammerfall, but without the ballads. Still, despite the comparisons, I really liked this disc. I'm glad there are more new bands that are raising the heavy metal flag. "Bloodlust" is their third disc. Will have to investigate the first two.

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