Sacred Warrior

Saw an ad for this band recently. I thought it was a recent release but it turns out its an album cover from a 2012 release. I forgot the name of it. Was wondering what they sound like. Think I remember reading they have a new vocalist and that the 2012 release has had very good reaction from people who like them. Iv personally have never heard anything from them

Sacred Warrior has been around for many years, although like a lot of bands from the 80's they pretty much disappeared during the no-metal 90's. They reappeared in 2000 with an announcement of a reunion, but they didn't do anything new until 2012, the CD you saw advertised, which as you noted included a new vocalist.  They are a guitar-driven power metal band (IMO, some may call them "classic metal"), and have five studio releases:

Rebellion - 1988
Master's Command -1989
Wicked Generation -1990 (concept album)
Obsessions - 1991
Waiting in Darkness - 2012 (excellent come-back album)

All are excellent and worth buying, even at out-of-print prices.

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Their old stuff from the 80s and early 90s was gold. The new album from 2012 didn't so much do it for me. The title track that BearDad posted above - Waiting in Darkness - was the only song on the album that interested me. Other than that one song, the songwriting was much less melodic and much more American power metal, which bores me. And while I like Eli Prinsen (the new vocalist), when I hear him, I hear The Sacrificed. Ray Perra will forever be the voice of Sacred Warrior.

Thankfully, Ray returns soon with Worldview, his new project with George Ochoa. The songs that have been released from that upcoming project sound far more like the Sacred Warrior of old than the latest SW album did.

I agree that album number 5 was different, but that is a lot of what I liked about it. I don't like picking up new CD from the 21st century and hearing the music from the 80's. I've grown up, the band has grown up ... the music needs to grow up too.  Stryper is another example; their latest sounds nothing like their 80's music IMO, but it rocks just the same.

As for hearing Eli's other work when you hear him sing, that is an unfortunate side effect with lead singers shifting bands.

I liked the new SW album as well.  Yes, it's not like the previous 4 albums, but I expect that just as Beardad said.  I don't want to hear musicians play the same thing year after year . . . that's what I've got my iPod for

Great band!
I agree with FOJ's assesment of the new album be less melodic (and also having less "hooks") than much of their previous work.  I did think Eli did well as the replacement vocalist, but Ray left some really big shoes to fill (figuratively).  Having said all that I thought it was a pretty decent release.
I was listening to their back catalog this weekend and really noticing how poor some of the production was on those records.  Really wishing someone could remaster their early catalog (much like was done with their first release "Rebellion").

BearDad wrote:

I agree that album number 5 was different, but that is a lot of what I liked about it. I don't like picking up new CD from the 21st century and hearing the music from the 80's. I've grown up, the band has grown up ... the music needs to grow up too.  Stryper is another example; their latest sounds nothing like their 80's music IMO, but it rocks just the same.

See, I totally disagree. Stryper's latest was so well received precisely because it DID sound like their classic stuff. They finally returned to that style. Bloodgood was another example. They came back with a new album that fits well within the style of the old days without sounding stale at all.

Also, I am puzzled by your comment that their music "needs to grow up". I don't consider their older material to be immature at all. Those four albums feature many spectacular arrangements and great lyrics. Why does a change in style have to be made? What is grown up about their latest album that was not grown up on previous albums from back in the day? That comment just puzzles me. Can you elaborate?

Why does everyone think "grow up" means become more mature.  I know lots of "adults" that are far less mature than my 19 year old college student!  The world thinks "grown up" means mature, which is why we have phrases like "mature audiences only" and "adult book store", neither of which really apply to someone's real maturity. No real adult would even consider reading (looking at) a Penthouse magazine, and I find that R and even PG-13 rated movies make me feel much less mature because those obligatory sex, swearing, gore, etc., detracts from the real story, when there is one.  But I digress...  When i say "grow up" I mean progress, get better, expand, improve, try new things, don't be stuck. When it comes to music that sometimes means trying different styles. I will never understand why some fans think their favorite artist needs to always sound the same.    I like bands better if they sound different from album to album, even if the direction they go isn't always the preferred direction. (Case in point: Rez Band's Hostage.) But then again, I have a very open mind with music and like all styles; right now I'm spinning the Bee Gees in my truck, while at work I've been listening to Journey, and at home I've been playing Ozzy lately.

As for the "more melodic," that I agree with. But I think Eli's voice fit well with the new (not "more mature," just not "more evolved") sound.

As for Stryper, I understand your thinking that their style is the same as it was back then, and for the most part I agree.  However, back then there was far too much "Calling on You," "In God We Trust" (trust trust trust), and "Honestly" (  ) to appease the commercial masses.  Their latest album was more of a hard rock / metal album than the other ones ever were, IMO; it was obvious to me the band followed Frank's advice and did it their way.  (On a side note concerning Stryper, I am probably in the minority in that I think Murder By Pride is one of their better albums. I'm not sure why, I just like it better than the old stuff, even THWTD).

Back to this thread ... I think you stated the difference in our opinions in your first response:

FOJ wrote:

the songwriting was much less melodic and much more American power metal

I tend to like power metal more than melodic metal.

BearDad wrote:

Why does everyone think "grow up" means become more mature.  I know lots of "adults" that are far less mature than my 19 year old college student!  The world thinks "grown up" means mature, which is why we have phrases like "mature audiences only" and "adult book store", neither of which really apply to someone's real maturity. No real adult would even consider reading (looking at) a Penthouse magazine, and I find that R and even PG-13 rated movies make me feel much less mature because those obligatory sex, swearing, gore, etc., detracts from the real story, when there is one.  But I digress...  When i say "grow up" I mean progress, get better, expand, improve, try new things, don't be stuck. When it comes to music that sometimes means trying different 

If everyone thinks the term "grow up" means to mature...then maybe you need to quit using it to mean "progress or evolve".  Seriously, not a dig at you, but if one persons understanding of a word or term does not equate to what the masses think it means then it would be better to use the word/term in the context understood by the majority if you want to be understood.  Heck I had to quit using "gay" years ago because people thought I was homosexual instead of happy! 

You're probably right.

And that is not to suggest your definition is wrong...but it will be misunderstood by many.

While we are on the subject (as I push Rich's thread into further digression).  When did the word "epic" turn from meaning "something large or grand in scale" to a mere "cool"?  I hear kids use that world all the time and I don't think it means the same thing to them as it means to me.

Wait, I thought Epic was a song by Faith No More.

Through The Dark Radio wrote:

Wait, I thought Epic was a song by Faith No More.

Yes a big song, grand in scale.....not just merely "cool".  

What is it?

Xid wrote:

What is it?

It's it.

Sacred Warrior is one of those bands that I like but isn't really a favorite.  They have songs that I love and some that just don't do much for me.  I do not really care for their latest.  Eli has a strong voice, but he has a tendency with all of his projects to mix his vocals low enough in the mix that I have a hard time understanding what he is singing.  That takes my enjoyment of any project down.

What does power metal mean as opposed to melodic.

Think Theocracy or Harmony as opposed to Stryper or Bloodgood.

Staybrite wrote:

Xid wrote:

What is it?

It's it.

Huzzah!!

 

As for their newest album... I think it's great.  I listen to it more than all their others (apart from Obsessions which is phanominal... fernominal... phenomial... great!)

Bloodgood and stryper are which power or melodic

I would think Stryper & Bloodgood are more melodic metal. I like Waiting In Darkness but like AllDat said, some of the vocals are really buried in the mix. Here are a few more tracks from it.

I like Sacred Warrior.. but I thought waiting in darkness was too much like the sacrificed... that could be because of the vocals and the way they are mixed.. it just wasn't Sacred Warrior to me..