Sacred Reich and Byzantine in NYC
When Sacred Reich announced its first North American tour, little did they know they would be embarking on a road of rediscovery. For 30 years the band has developed to the point where it has a guaranteed audience with a festive atmosphere.
When it was announced that Byzantine , another band with a cult following of 17 years, would be joining sacred reich on this tour, it became one of the must see shows of 2017.
Byzantine is promoting a new album, “The Cicada Tree.” They wasted no time launching into a short but sweet barrage of sound. The 6 song set was the perfect set up for the night. Songs like “New Ways to Bear Witness,” “To Release,” and “To Resolve” will ensure that these boys from West Virgina will make another go around in NYC, hopefully with a headlining slot.
The Sacred Reich logo was bathed in blue light, accompanied by the music of 2001: A Space Odyssey. The audience rose and prepared themselves for a night of heavy metal music. Phil Rind, who’s voice is better than ever, showed humility between songs which made the show feel like an evening amongst friends. His views of the world are serious in nature, and his commentary on aging fans in a mosh pit was hilarious. They covered every era of their career with songs like “Ignorance,” “Victims of Demise,” and “Crimes Against Humanity”.
Phil Rind at one point was grateful for the audience enthusiasm, even though they’ve had no new music for 21 years. During his rants, he hinted at possible new music. The band then paid homage to the Father’s of Heavy Metal by covering a version of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs”. After that, the band played the biggest song of their career, “The American Way.”
The band then closed the evening with “Death Squad” and “Surf Nicaragua” with a promise to return.
The vibe was positive through out the night, which should excite fans with anticipation of a possible new album and tour for 2018.
Photos by Anya Svirskaya
Words by Sebastian Bjorn Benedict
Byzantine
Sacred Reich
