Sacred Warrior

Sacred Warrior is a Christian heavy metal band formed in 1988 and based in Chicago, Illinois. Their music is often compared to that of Queensrÿche or Iron Maiden.

Sacred Warrior
OriginChicago, Illinois
GenresChristian metal, heavy metal
Years active1988–1994, 2000, 2008–present
LabelsIntense
Websitesacredwarrior.net
MembersBruce Swift
Tony Velasquez
Steve Watkins
Tom Sanderson
Erik Schelling
Past membersRick Macias
Jon Johnson
Eli Prinsen
Joe Petit
Rey Parra

Background

The band was formed out of a general market metal band known as Nomad,[1] which formed in 1985.[2] Subsequent to the conversion of guitarist Bruce Swift to Christianity, he led fellow band members Tony Velasquez and Rey Parra. He also converted Rick Macias, who had been a bouncer at a nightclub.[1]

Their first album, Rebellion, was released in 1988 and supported its release on a tour with Rez in 1989. Later that year, Master's Command was released, featuring guest vocals from Vengeance Rising frontman Roger Martinez. Their third release, Wicked Generation, was considered a partial concept album about a young person struggling with life seeking hope.[3] Their fourth and final album from the 1990s was Obsessions, a more straightforward melodic metal album. The band initially broke up in 1994.[4] The band performed at a reunion show in 2001[2] at the Cornerstone Festival which was recorded and released on CD later that year.

In 2008, the band reformed and began performing shows. Keyboardist Rick Macias died on February 9, 2009.[5] On April 23, 2012, lead vocalist Rey Parra announced he has left the band due to time constraints and distance issues. He lives in Florida, while the rest of the band is from the Chicago, Illinois area.

Parra rejoined the band in 2016[6] and released the single "Slave" in advance of a full album.[7] He left Sacred Warrior again in 2019 to focus on a new band after releasing "Blood River" as a single.

In 2020, after a nationwide search, Erik Schelling, another native to Chicagoland, joined the band as lead vocalist. The band is currently writing and recording new music at Gathering Storm Media in Aurora, IL. They released a single and music video in the summer of 2020, reprising the old worship song “On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand”.

Discography
  • 1987: six-song demo/rehearsal tape
  • 1988: Rebellion (Intense Records)
  • 1989: Master's Command (Review: Cross Rhythms[8])
  • 1990: Wicked Generation (Review: Cross Rhythms,[9] CCM Magazine[10])
  • 1991: Obsessions (Review: Cross Rhythms[11])
  • 1993: Classics (Intense Records)
  • 2001: Live at Cornerstone 2001
  • 2001: Demo (Bottomline)
  • 2013: Waiting in Darkness

Members

Current

  • Bruce Swift – guitars, backing vocals (1988–1994, 2000, 2008–present)
  • Tony Velasquez – drums (1988–1994, 2000, 2008–present)
  • Steve Watkins – bass, backing vocals (1988–1994, 2000, 2008–present)
  • Tom Sanderson – keyboards, backing vocals (2016–present)
  • Erik Schelling – lead vocals (2020–present)

Former

  • Rey Parra – lead vocals (1988–1994, 2000, 2008–2012, 2016–2019)
  • Eli Prinsen – lead vocals (2012–2016)
  • Rick Macias – keyboards (1988–1989)
  • Jon Johnson – guitars (1989–1990)
  • Joe Petit – keyboards, backing vocals (1991–1994, 2000, 2008–2016)

References
  1. Powell, Mark Allan (2002). "Sacred Warrior". Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music (First printing ed.). Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers. pp. 786. ISBN 1-56563-679-1.
  2. "Hard News". HM Magazine (86): 23. November–December 2000.
  3. Waters, Scott. "Sacred Warrior". No Life Til Metal. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  4. "About Sacred Warrior". Official Sacred Warrior Site.
  5. "Sacred Warrior keyboardist dies". www.heartofmetal.net. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  6. "Sacred Warrior reunite with singer Rey Parra". Sleaze Roxx. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
  7. Oliver (March 11, 2016). "Sacred Warrior release lyric video for "Slave" with proceeds going to a shelter". Sleaze Roxx. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
  8. Smith, Alan (July 1990). "Sacred Warrior - Master's Command". Cross Rhythms.
  9. Cummings, Tony (June 1991). "Sacred Warrior - Wicked Generation". Cross Rhythms (6).
  10. Van Pelt, Doug (November 1990). "Reviews / Wicked Generation". CCM Magazine. 13 (5): 57.
  11. Cummings, Tony (February 1992). "Sacred Warrior - Obsessions". Cross Rhythms (10).
  • Hale, Mark (1993). "2481 Sacred Warrior". Headbangers (First edition, second printing ed.). Ann Arbor, Michigan: Popular Culture, Ink. p. 299. ISBN 1-56075-029-4.
  • Canfield, Dave (1989). "Interviews / Sacred Warrior". Cornerstone. 18 (91): 31–32. ISSN 0275-2743.


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