SACRED REICH 'The American Way' Roadrunner Although time has not been especially kind to Sacred Reich and their ilk and the output they produced during the commercial boom days of Thrash (mid 80's - early 90's), this is an album that so perfectly encapsulates what the genre was all about circa 1990 that it now contains a fair dose of charm and comfort. By 1990 Thrash had settled into a familiar formula that made it mandatory for songs to contain a vaguely 'political' element, a 'social' comment, a more laidback 'jokey' element, whilst at the same time the bands where increasingly finding the need to bolster the supposedly 'close minded' genre by admitting their fondness for other previously alien genres such as hip hop, funk and jazz. 'The American Way' was a shocking album when it first emerged, shocking because it for the most part showcased a more serious and adept Sacred Reich from the one that had issued the enjoyable but undoubtedly second rate 'Surf Nicaragua' and 'Ignorance' records, undoubtedly Thrash albums of some interest but ever-so-slightly ham-fisted attempts at up tempo Metal. 'The American Way', on the other hand, featured catchy songs that boasted riffs of high calibre particularly on the bombastic title track and the groove-orientated 'Way It Is' - these songs were stripped down but instantly catchy and showed a band on a mission to prove that they could mix it with the best of them. However, the Reich were constrained by the Thrash cliches that were to prove the genres downfall, and whilst Megadeth were producing a tech masterclass with 'Rust in Peace' and Metallica were about to kill Thrash stone dead with the black album, Sacred Reich were still singing about social injustice and and using standard structures on 'Crimes Against Humanity'. Such a literal translation of their subject matter became what separated the major league bands from the morass of would-be contenders, as the more basic lyrical and thematic approaches of bands such as Testament and Xentrix etc were trumped by the lyrical superiority of the Hetfield's and Mustaine's of the world. So why give 'The American Way' the time of day? The reason, simply, is that in all its naivety it takes you back to a time when Metal was less concerned with a fashion sense and being the next hot shit mixing twenty different styles into one mess. Instead, if not exactly content with the genres limitations, bands who were really unable to break free from them just did the best with the tools they were able to master and offered up honest, pure and heartfelt records. On the album opener 'Love...Hate' vocalist Phil Rind suggests a simple and basic approach to the worlds problems by just being nice to one and another........an admirable sentiment, and one lost today in an era of self-centeredness and esoteric lyrical output. You have to ask yourself, for all their amazing ability, just what are The Dillinger Escape Plan trying to say? What exactly is their point? At least Sacred Reich wore their hearts on their sleeves when imploring "When will segregation end/the masses must be free again" on 'State of Emergency'. Tabloid in its basic-ness it may be, but who's to argue given the state of the world's current problems? Another favoured topic of Thrash is explored on 'Who's To Blame' which relays the story of an unfortunate youth driven to suicide by uncaring parents who can only see his musical interests (Ozzy, Priest naturally) as the cause for his demise. Sounds kinda cheesy, but remember Columbine? Or in fact any time a kid, who has one Manson CD in his collection, goes of the rails........music always gets the blame. The gang mentality of a time when Metal really was outsiders music is summed up perfectly here - during the Thrash years it really was 'us against them' and there was no chance that half the schoolyard would be into the same kind of music as they are now. Metal fans needed the likes of Sacred Reich and say what had to be said in basic terms. As the album draws to a close with the enjoyable thrasher 'I Don't Know' (more tales of trying to retain individuality in the face of peer pressure), the final 'Thrash circa-'90' rule is adhered to as the band employ a 'so-bad-you-can't-believe-it' rap/funk medly named '31 Flavours' expressing their love and open-minded appreciation for other kinds of music, in a frankly horrible attempt to ride the impending tsunami that was the Faith No More funk/Metal hybrid. 'The American Way' is massively flawed but its also just about one of the best examples of 'meat n' potatoes' US Thrash Metal from this period. The songs are catchy and well constructed, and the subject matter of each documents a moment in time that shared none of the concerns of the modern extreme scene, a time when simple global situations like discrimination, pollution, political ineptitude and the way Metal was used as an excuse for just about any non-conformist teenage behaviour were of paramount importance. When today being 'alternative' is actually to be almost normal, so widespread is the acceptance of 'rock' music these days, Sacred Reich stand as a band of historical interest and a band that whatever their shortcomings did things from the gut. So pick this up if you can still find it and simply enjoy it warts n' all, because that's how it was back then, and its simplicity its its most endearing quality in an age of smart-arse musicians and know-it-all fans. Released 1990 Dan Tobin