Upcoming Release:
Rockshots Records - Australia's Nothing Sacred's "Leviathan" Marks Their Monster Return With New EP Out Feb 2023
The EP's title track and lead single can be heard via its music video directed and edited by Nothing Sacred drummer Sham. Additional drone footage by Julien Piazzon.
About:
Australia's NOTHING SACRED marked their return in 2021 with the release of their first album in 30 years entitled "No Gods" and now a year and a half later they are ready to continue that groundbreaking resurrection with the next record "Leviathan" due out February 3, 2023, via Rockshots Records.
Fans of the band will notice on this new EP that there has been a lineup change that now sees the return of Chris Stark taking the reins as lead vocalist, replacing James Davies. Stark had previously sung with the band for a number of years and has now returned in time to lay down the vocal tracks for their next monster.
"Chris has an amazing voice and definitely suits what we are doing today. We’d like to think that we are still growing as a band and the music we write is forever changing." says drummer Sham.
The EP "Leviathan" is a mix of new and older tracks that builds on what the band did with “No Gods”. It has plenty of riffs, killer solos, and big melodies from vocalist Chris Stark. The EP also includes the song “Sudden Death”, a thrashy unreleased track that was a mainstay during the band's live gigs in the mid-'80s plus re-recordings of a few tracks from the band's first album “Let Us Prey” and two new songs. All the new songs were written in group sessions with everyone jamming, throwing around riffs and arrangements into the mix. Overall, the EP is a blend of old and new, and something they could get done without a follow-up taking too long.
"The 2021 album “No Gods” was well received so we were keen to get back into the studio and follow up as quickly as possible. It was really a great experience and different from the way “No Gods” was done - that involved a fair amount of ‘online’ sharing. Getting together in the same room and just playing to see what came out was refreshing after the Covid isolation years! We think it takes things a step forward - Sacred fans will find plenty to enjoy." adds bassist Karl Lean.
The two new tracks "Leviathan" and "Drone" written for the EP are lyrically connected to the Ukrainian war. Drummer Sham explains further:
"It’s heartbreaking that people like Putin still twist countries into wars over land. We wanted to show support for the Ukrainian people, and also for the average Russian citizen too. No sane person really wants war and the lyrics try to reflect the madness and cruelty that underlies what’s happening now and we play a bit on the term Leviathan state. The Leviathan is described as an artificial person whose body is made up of all the bodies of its citizens. These people become literal members of the Leviathan's body. The head of the Leviathan is the sovereign”. This is by no means an attack on the citizens of Russia. It’s just a real shame that all this has happened, and we feel for all the good people on both sides."
Tracklist:
1. Leviathan - 3:27
2. Drone - 4:35
3. Guardian - 3:40
4. SirMegma - 3:02
5. Sudden Death - 2:29
6. DroneTrance - 4:33
EP Length: 21:49
Nothing Sacred is:
Stu Bedford – Guitar
Chris Stark – Vocals
Karl Lean – Bass
Sham – Drums
George Larin – Guitar
Links:
Digital - https://bfan.link/leviathan-1
Album Pre-order - https://bit.ly/LeviathanCD
About: Conceived in Melbourne in 1983, Nothing Sacred went on hiatus for two decades. During the 80s, the heavy metal band unleashed their EP “Deathwish”, which catapulted them as one of the most sought-after pit makers with the record’s title track becoming a classic within the Australian metal scene. Three years later in 1988, Nothing Sacred unleashed the full-length entitled “Let Us Prey” on Cleopatra Records. Unfortunately a year after that LP’s release, the band disbanded in 1989. Lead guitarist Mark Woolley, bassist Karl Lean, and drummer Sham went on to contribute to Hobbs’ Angel of Death‘s early work in the late 1980s. Woolley also appeared on Hobbs’ first self-titled album in 1988. Vocalist Mick Burnham later joined the short-lived Melbourne band Seizure in 1993.
Although their tenure was short-lived, Nothing Sacred still remains an underground metal phenomenon in Australia. Songs from the Deathwish EP still get airplay on several Australian metal radio programs.
In 2012, Nothing Sacred performed a series of 30th anniversary shows with Ross Percy (Ion Drive, Little House Godz) joining George Larin on guitar that included a support slot for the ex-Iron Maiden vocalist's Paul Di’AnnoP/Blaze Bayley Australian tour. Despite the success, the band agreed not to continue and returned to retirement.
In 2015, the band decided to re-activate with a lineup of Sham, Karl Lean, George Larin, Ross Percy, and new vocalist Chris Stark. A slot on Melbourne’s Brewtality Metal Festival received positive reviews before the band embarked on a short tour of Japan (That footage was released in 2021 as a part of a 3 disc boxset), which inspired them to continue and lead the band to headline day one of the Steel Assassins Festival in Sydney.
Line-up changes again slowed the band, James Davies was recruited for vocals along with Stu Bedford on guitar. From there, the band spent most of 2019 and 2020 writing and recording, what was their first full-length in over 30 years. Entitled “No Gods”, the record witnessed Nothing Sacred‘s resurrection to the metal world. The album peaked on the Australian iTunes metal charts in October 2021 at #4 along with metal media outlets giving multiple praising reviews.
Now ready to follow up "No Gods", Nothing Sacred has gone through another lineup change swapping singer James Davies out with the return of Chris Stark. Chris had sung with the band previously for a number of years and has now returned in time to lay the vocal tracks down on their next release "Leviathan" set for release in February 2023 via Rockshots Records.
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Australian iTunes charts, October 2021. No Gods #4 in the Metal charts.
“The highly infectious intensity this album began with has not diminished in any way shape or form. And if you ask me – the thirty-year wait for a new album has been well and truly worth it.” - Metal Roos - 4.5 / 5 - No Gods
“Dramatic speed changes with a dense rhythm section. Powerful vocals with that speed metal scream added to the top. They are definitely very good at what they do.” - Metal Epidemic - 4 / 5 - No Gods
“Excellent production but above all the perfect rhythmic synchrony between the powerful riffs and the war machine called Sham behind the skins … A record for those who inevitably feel strong and ready to never back down. A great Job.” - Metal Wave (Italy) - No Gods
“ ‘No Gods’ is full of dark, yet energetic riffs with a vocal style that is easy to understand yet doesn’t sound whiny or too dramatically sorrowful.” - Brutalism.com
“In their decades amiss from the public NOTHING SACRED has managed to keep under wraps a form that manages to sound contemporary yet as well offers the classical indulgences of Thrash roots.” - Metal Temple
“Time may have marched on, but with ‘No Gods’, the band pick up almost exactly where they left off 30 years ago … there is a lot of quality here and a real chemistry bubbling beneath that surface.” - Metal Digest
“Overall, if you are a fan of US power metal, more melodic thrash metal and, of course, power-thrash, you should check this album out” - Metal Music Archives - 4 / 5 - No Gods
“This new album, “No Gods” is a culmination of musical experience and renewed energy … a band who have nothing to prove and are just enjoying the creativity.” - UK Thrasher
“If you ever come across this EP (“Deathwish”) , do not hesitate to get it! It's essential listening for lovers of obscure old school metal.” - Encyclopedia Metallum
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