METALLIAN - Sacred Rite

August 11th, Anno 24

Sacred Rite - 1985 - Axe Killer
The Ritual - 1985 - Greenworld
Is Nothing Sacred - 1986 - Medusa

Members

Vocals

Bomb Squad, Sacred Idol>>MARK KALEIWAHEA>>Bomb Squad, Sacred Idol

Guitar

Bomb Squad, Slaughter>>MARK KALEIWAHEA>>Bomb Squad, Slaughter - Time Machine, Sami Jo Cole, Solo, Champions Of Terminal, SIN73, HereAfter, Sacred Idol>>JIMMY CATERINE>>Time Machine, Sami Jo Cole, Solo, Champions Of Terminal, SIN73, HereAfter, Sacred Idol

Bass

Peter Crane & Jimmy Dee, Paradise, Solo>>PETER CRANE>>Peter Crane & Jimmy Dee, Paradise, Solo

Drums

Kevin Lum

History & Biography

Here it is. The story of a band that managed to complicate and upset its existence by moving to Oklahoma from Hawaii, changing names half a dozen times, changing styles half a dozen times and eventually figuring out that Sacred Rite was the right monicker and heavy metal was the right style and settling back where it originally began.

The teenagers known as Sabre played covers (Iron Maiden, Scorpions, UFO, Judas Priest, etc.) and a few originals (like the song Killer In Disguise) and were active between 1979 and 1983. Crane had been the last to join. The band played at a battle of the bands and the Hawaii State Fair. A singer called Robbie Littlejohn was recruited and fired. The name changed and the band issued a self-titled demo in 1984. Peter Crane had suggested the new monicker. The name was inspired by the spiritual lyricisms of the act. Axe Killer Records of France licensed the demo in 1985. The European cover artwork flew the flag of 'Sabre' nevertheless. The original version omitted any artwork. The band was praised for its metal stylings as heard on tracks like Executioner. The album was recorded by Pierre Grill who had also worked with Hawaii and Vixen. The sexy vixen on the cover of The Ritual seemed to beckon both a sense of heavy metal and mystery. The group opened for Triumph, Quiet Riot and others in Hawaii. Propelled by a song like Cold Hearted Girl and even a Beatles' cover version Is Nothing Sacred took the opposite approach with its artwork, which was Michael Whelen's Destroying Angel. The third album on a third label managed to maintain a steady line-up before the group changed headquarters. Caterine was the guitarist for Rocky Horror Picture Show in 1987. Jimmy had family in Oklahoma and the band moved there in order to be on the US mainland. Polygram had shown interest and the band demoed material for the major label, but nothing happened. This was it for the band and after gigs playing cover versions the gang gave up. Kevin Lum left in 1988 due to diabetes and his replacement, Scott Dickerson, of several covers' acts, was with the band for a year when the act threw in the towel. Mark joined Bomb Squad. The other guys became Beauty Knows Pain. Tragic Nancy was active in 1991 and featured singer Tim Hewitt. Lum died in 2002. Caterine was sidelined with an arm injury in 1999. Rites Of Passage Vol. 1 and Rites Of Passage Vol. 2 were Sabre/Sacred Rite compilations in 2002. Mark Kaleiwahea was a live guitarist with Slaughter in 2006.

The band continued experimenting with new monickers and prevalent cover versions until eventually returning in 2018. In the meantime, 2003 brought a demo called SR-IV, which unsurprisingly was material meant to be on the band's fourth album of 1988. The 2005 independent live release, simply called Live, stemmed from 1983. 2007 brought an effort called Resurrection, which was criticized for a change in style and recycled drum samples. This had been in the works for three years. The 2018 reunion featured all three living members. Keep It True XXII booked the band in 2019. The reunion notwithstanding, two members initiated a new band called Sacred Idol back in Hawaii in 2023. The act itself was booked for 2 Minutes To Tulsa in 2025.

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Sacred Rite