Sacred Heart

Pure Underground Records es una pequeña división del sello Pure Steel que se dedica a editar joyas del metal que se han quedado guardadas en oscuros baúles o que en su momento no gozaron de la promoción necesaria para poder salir adelante, aunque la calidad fuera de las mejores.

Es el caso de Sacred Heart, banda que edita su demo de 1989 titulado The Vision con mejor calidad y añadiéndole temas raros de la discografía de Byron Nemeth, superguitarrista de origen latino que hace unos meses, casi un año ya, sacó un disco instrumental cuya reseña puedes leer pinchando aquí. En aquel momento vimos una version de "I am the walrus" que tambien puedes ver al final de la reseña, para que tengas una idea de cuanto ha crecido este guitarrista desde los tiempos de Sacred Heart.

Pero volviendo a la joya oculta, si eres fans de aquellos demos que corrían de mano en mano en cintas escritas a mano o rotuladas con centro pen, pues será un buen momento para recordar y a lo mejor hasta tuviste una cinta de este grupo. Sacred Heart es de Cleveland, y su demo de 1989 será re editado, con dos temas extra: “Time After Time“ del sampler de 1991 titulado “Heavy Artillery“ (editado por Auburn Records) y “Take Hold“ (un tema que se había olvidado no se sabe bien donde), y a esto se suma un Ep previamente inédito, que fuera grabado en el 2010 por el guitarrista Byron Nemeth (quien se fue para Amon-Ra después que Sacred Heart se desbandara en 991).

Las canciones del demo fueron remasterizadas por Bruce Maddocks en los Pacifica Studios de Los Angeles, manteniendo ese sonido del heavy de los 80, cuando surgieron magnificas bandas algo olvidadas hoy como Shok Paris o Fifth Angel. Del grupo destaca el cantante Keith Van Tassel, con un estilo vocal clásico, os duelos de guitarra y la poderosa sección rítmica.

Los temas que le siguen están en una onda más progresiva y moderna, incluyendo teclados y hasta violín. Aquí el cantante es Ray Richter que me hace preguntarme, como es posible que salgan tan buenos cantantes de metal y yo…

En fin, que si eres fan del heavy metal, te gustan los cantantes que suben octavas con la facilidad con que subimos escalones, y los guitarristas que parecen tener entre 7 y 8 dedos en cada mano, Sacred Heart será una magnifica oferta. - Cuba (In Spanish) — Escrito por Tony González

I love it when specific legends dig in the glorious past of Metal music and come up with official releases of molten gems from the past. SACRED HEART, hailing from Cleveland, OH only released a 3-song demo back in 1989 and faded into obscurity, with only guitarist Byron Nemeth joining other local outfits or offering some scarce solo works afterwards. Here presented in a complete package is the three songs off SACRED HEART’s 1989 demo adding two bonus tracks of that era plus a 6-song EP from Nemeth recoded in 2010.

Regarding SACRED HEART, I was left speechless by the American band’s almighty Metal style. Playing a Heavy/Power Metal style that was flourishing back then in America, the songs will remind you of the majesty and mastery of fellow US metallers EXXPLORER, SHOCK PARIS, NIGHTCRAWLER, PARISH and FIFTH ANGEL. Meaning: there are major melodies lurking in here with clear high-pitched but controllable singing and a rhythm section that gallops as if there’s no tomorrow (the whole package shall bring you the platinum 80s IRON MAIDEN patterns to mind, rest assured). The songs are rolling like thunder; they are heavy and powerful but with a melodic edge while the instrumentation is full and 100% metallic. Dating back to the late 80s, these songs should/would have made it big to the American market if it wasn’t for external circumstances beyond the band’s control.

The EP added by Byron Nemeth sees some different – but not that distant – profile by the SACRED HEART guitarist. Here we have a different kind of songwriting as if it was an instrumental virtuoso release, with enough ‘progressive’ or sophisticated moments and enough keyboard parts fattening the Heavy/Power Metal basis of the songs. You could use some parts as a movie soundtrack, in other words. The vocals are descriptive and high-pitched enough while the guitars work is impressive without being overloaded at all. I could describe this EP as the extent to which a US Metal follower would let his ‘open’ mind reach.

“The Vision” stands as an essential purchase for all those metalheads willing to find and unveil each and every notable US Power Metal band that was not lucky enough to stand the test of the music business or time back in the 80s. Imagine that if SACRED HEART had released this demo as e.g. a private EP it would surely go high in the lists of rare Metal record collectors worldwide. The grade below goes for the whole package.

7/10 - Fabulous review of "The Vision" Written by Grigoris Chronis from Metal Kaoz in Greece

The 80s rock and new wave of British Heavy Metal explosion created a lot of successful bands on both sides of the pond be it Iron Maiden, Angelwitch, Def Leppard, Diamond Head etc in the UK or Bon Jovi, Great White, WASP, Skid Row etc in the US. It also created even more great bands which for one reason or another did not make it.

Sacred Heart are one such band.

Having sadly split up in 1991 after releasing a three track tape called “The Vision” it is very surprising to suddenly find that some 21 years later a full cd would be released containing this classic, highly sort after, recording as well as rare tracks taken from a sampler album which was released by Auburn Records, a “lost” track and tracks from an un-released e.p from guitarist Bryon Nemeth.

Opening tracks “We’ll hold on till tomorrow”, “New Order” and “The Vision” are absolute underground classics easily on par with Angelwitch’s “Angelewitch”, Iron Maiden’s “Remember Tomorrow” or Judas Priest’s “Painkiller” for pure brilliance be it in the superb guitar playing, the great classic sounding vocals or the raw, pure unadulterated power of the track. You can never go wrong by re-releasing classic missing in action tracks to an unsuspecting public.

“Time After Time” has a great dual guitar attack and reminds me of the “Somewhere In Time“ era Iron Maiden.

“Take Hold” and “Demons Wing” unfortunately takes a different route and feels slightly over produced with its heavy synthesizer sounds, and a more “conservative” almost aor approach to the songs.

“Selfish” returns to a raw, almost guttural nwobhm feel with an opening riff that screams Lenny Kravitz “Are You Gona Go My Way”.

“The Game”, and “Dreamcatcer” feel strangely out of place with their slow, almost melodic pace and there aor radio friendly tones while “Whats Done is Done” reminds me of recently reformed cult band Salvation mixed with Robin George.



Overall this album is a must buy for all collectors of 80’s rock and nwobhm music and contains some superb tracks unfortunately I feel that the remastering lets them down slightly and leaves them feeling bassey in places.

Highlight of the e.p: “We’ll hold on till tomorrow”

8/10 - Sacred Heart – "The Vision" CD review by Lee Havegotone/Planet Mosh