SACRILEGE - UK

Behind The Realms Of Madness - 1985 - Children Of The Revolution
Within The Prophecy - 1987 - Under One Flag/Metal Blade
Turn Back Trilobite - 1989 - Under One Flag/Metal Blade
Live At Leeds 1986 - 2021 - Back On Black

Sacrilege image
  
 
Members
Vocals
Innocent Victims>>LYNDA 'TAM' SIMPSON

Guitar
Warhammer, Unseen Terror>>Mitch Dickinson>>Unseen Terror, Heresy, Napalm Death, Intestinal Infestation - Cadaverous Clan, Warwound, The Varukers>>DAMIAN THOMPSON>>Warwound - Annihilator, Napalm Death>>Frank Healy

Bass
Final Attempt, The Varukers>>Tony May - Cerebral Fix>>Frank Healy>>Cerebral Fix, Benediction, Anaal Nathrakh, Memoriam, As The World Dies - Paul Morrisey>>Prolapse, Healer

Drums
Warwound, The Varukers, Arbitrater, Cathedral, Cerebral Fix>>Andy Baker>>Arbitrater, Cathedral, Cerebral Fix, Warwound - Alternative Attack, English Dogs, War Dance, Killing Joke, New York Dolls, Morrissey, The Damned, Conflict>>SPIKE SMITH>>Alternative Attack, English Dogs, War Dance, Killing Joke, New York Dolls, Morrissey, The Damned, English Dogs, Conflict, Memoriam, GBH




History & Biography
Sacrilege was a British thrash/doom metal band formed with a female singer in Birmingham in 1984. Known for the blend of thrash metal, hardcore and doom metal later, they quickly gained underground acclaim. Two members came from the Discharge influenced Warwound. Three members came from The Varukers. Bassist Tony May and guitarist Damian were the founders. Damian left The Varukers to form Sacrilege. He brought his girlfriend Lynda 'Tam' into his new group. The earliest drummer was Liam Pickering. Andy Baker, who was a better drummer, replaced Pickering.

Demo I was issued in 1984. Demo II was issued in 1985. The debut album, Behind The Realms Of Madness (1985), was considered a landmark in UK crossover thrash, featuring politically charged lyrics and aggressive riffs. The songs were taken from the act's demos. It is considered a MLP by some as it's less than 30 minutes long. Either way, it quickly sold 7,000 copies. Earache took notice of Napalm Death when its owner Digby saw them open for Sacrilege in October 1986. The band signed with FM (the label), which quickly released the band upon the Christian founder finding out his staff had signed such an extreme band! Guitarist Mitch and bassist Tony departed however. The former never played live or in the studio with the act. The latter left in the middle of the sophomore album's recording.

A live tape was simply called Sacrilege in 1986. The follow-up studio album, Within The Prophecy (1987), marked a shift towards a darker, doom-inspired sound. As mentioned earlier, bassist Tony May departed in 1987. Andrew Barker was replaced by Paul Brookes (later in Marshall Law) on the stool. Their final album, Turn Back Trilobite (1989), continued exploring doom before the band disbanded shortly thereafter. The late material was folksy and quite different. Members were being interchanged too often and the founding couple were concentrating power and decision-making. A slew of compilations attacked the market. Sacrilege reunited briefly in 2014. Tam and Damian, Frank (on bass) and Spike T. Smith were going to record an album tentatively called Emptiness Intoxication. Nothing happened. Live At Leeds 1986 was released by Back On Black in 2021.

The band seeded other groups such as Cerebral Fix, Memoriam and Benediction. Frank Healey and Spikey T. Smith would join Memoriam eventually where Lynda Simpson (now Lynda Hughes) offered guest vocals and narration. A Sweden-based Sacrilege was founded a decade after the Britons. The Swedes almost copied the Brits' logo.


Reviews

Interviews







Sacrilege