Phoenix thrash metal pioneers Sacred Reich have been battling away since '85, but for a hiatus between 2000 and 2006. From the very start, the aim for frontman Phil Rind was to create socially conscious, politically motivated lyrics, and he did exactly that with albums such as Ignorance and The American Way. All too often, metal is viewed as the stomping ground of the suburban republican white kids, but Sacred Reich crushed that stereotype with pro-Obama messages and, more recently, by publicly calling Trump an embarrassment. There's a new album on the way this year, appropriately titled The Awakening. Meanwhile, drummer Dave McClain, who left in '95 to join Machine Head, is back in the ranks. Good times.

Sacred Reich plays with Vio-Lence, Excel, Sworn Enemy and Yidhra at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 31 at the Regent Theater.

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