SACRED REICH have their first album in seven years in the can, and bassist/vocalist Phil Rind says the Arizona thrash veterans got there by throwing out his own songs.
Into The Abyss, the follow-up to 2019's Awakening, was recorded at The Focusrite Room in Mesa, Arizona, produced by John Aquilino together with the band, and mixed by Bill Metoyer. It will be released via Metal Blade Records.
Speaking to Dionysis Metallourgos of Metalourgio, Rind explained that guitarist Joey Radziwill — who joined in 2019 — wrote the bulk of the record. "I was working on a few new songs, but when we heard what Joey was doing, we scrapped those and went with Joey's songs," Rind said. "It gave us a different direction. It is much faster and heavier. It was obvious to us, and we think the fans will really dig it."
The tone matches what the band has lived through since Awakening. "A lot has happened since 2019," Rind said. "We all went through some dark times. I personally had a lot of challenges. The title 'Into The Abyss' reflects that. It is about going into the unknown. I think we all can relate to this. It's much darker musically and lyrically. There are a few optimistic songs which is important so we remember that this too shall pass."
The album also marks a change behind the kit — sort of. Longtime drummer Dave McClain recorded the drum tracks before leaving the band in October 2025, and Brazilian drummer Eduardo Baldo has since taken over. Baldo, previously of Los Angeles outfit RED DEVIL VORTEX, first filled in on SACRED REICH's November 2025 European shows with HATEBREED and was confirmed as a full member that December.
Rind kept his comments on McClain's exit short: "It was time for a change. Our new drummer Eduardo Baldo is a beast! Can't wait for you to see him."
McClain's history with the band runs long and non-linear. He first joined in 1991, played on the A Question EP, Independent and Heal, then left for MACHINE HEAD, and returned in December 2018 to record Awakening — SACRED REICH's first album in 23 years.