Nothing Sacred – Leviathan EP
Nothing Sacred – Leviathan EP
Rockshots Records
Release Date: 10/02/23
Running Time: 21:49
Review by Paul Hutchings
8/10
One of those bands who evidently slipped under the radar in the 1980s, Nothing Sacred were one of the first Australian bands to play Thrash and Speed Metal. One album released before they split in 1989, ultimately making their full return in 2015 with their sophomore release “No Gods” finally released in 2021. Like those darn buses, you wait for one only for another to arrive not that far behind. And it’s worth the wait, for “Leviathan” is a very enjoyable and well-constructed release.
Vocalist Chris Stark’s return to the band marks the next chapter in their story, which began in Melbourne 40 years ago. He replaces James Davies and brings a powerful performance to the proceedings. In fact, his singing is a definite highlight in an EP that is gets better and better on repeated listens. Musically, Nothing Sacred are solid, with a nice balance of melody and jagged edge, at times they do verge into the muscular style of Iced Earth, such as ‘Drone’, which really does echo the Floridians.
“Levithan” mixes older tracks (drawn from debut album “Let Us Prey”) with two new songs and contains some real head bangers in the traditional metal sense. They were initially badged as a Thrash outfit, but their music rarely dips into that genre, sticking closer to the kind of broader Metal that Flotsam & Jetsam and Metal Church produce. ‘The Guardian’ is a fine example of their sound, with huge riffs, anthemic structures and ferocious solos but not quite the sheer savagery and pace necessary. That’s not a band thing, for Nothing Sacred bring their stories in different ways, and it’s Stark’s driving performance that really gives them a bit of difference.
One notable exception is the two-minute explosive ‘Sudden Death’, a real raging thrasher which is resurrected here for the first time since their gigs in eighties. It’s a ferocious throw back to the band’s early days, but it sits neatly enough here. Both new tracks are lyrically connected to the war in Ukraine. The title track and ‘Drone’ and drummer Sham elaborates a little more. “It’s heart-breaking that people like Putin still twist countries into wars over land. We wanted to show support for the Ukrainian people, and 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 lighter, synth-heavy final track ‘Drone Trance’ contains hooks and melody that linger for ages. It shows a wider attempt at a more varied range. It works with a very enjoyable release that is well worth a listen if you want something that straddles the Heavy Metal and Thrash world.
‘Leviathan’ Official Music Video
TRACKLISTING:
01. Leviathan
02. Drone
03. Guardian
04. SirMegma
05. Sudden Death
06. Drone Trance
LINE-UP:
Stu Bedford – Guitar
Chris Stark – Vocals
Karl Lean – Bass
Sham – Drums
George Larin – Guitar
LINKS:
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