Nothing Sacred (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, singles |
Nothing Sacred is a speed metal group originating from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, established in 1983. Recognized as trailblazers within the Australian heavy metal movement, they were among the earliest bands in the country to embrace speed metal. The band disbanded in 1989 but later reunited during the 2010s.
Formation and initial years (1980–1989)
The beginnings of Nothing Sacred date back to 1980 when drummer Sham teamed up with guitarists Craig "Corpse" Chenko and Kevin "Chunder" Christopher in the band Satans Child, which dissolved in 1982 after producing several demo recordings. Following this, bassist Karl Lean and Sham formed Vengeance alongside vocalist Mick Burnham and guitarists Corpse and Alan Raskas; this group soon changed its name to Heresy. After the departure of the guitarists, Lean, Sham, and Burnham aimed for a speedier and heavier sound, rebranding as "Nothing Sacred" in 1983 with the addition of guitarists Mark Woolley and Richard "Buddy" Snape.
Drawing inspiration from acts such as Motorhead, Judas Priest, and Thin Lizzy, Nothing Sacred emerged as one of Australia's pioneering speed metal outfits. They became regular performers within Melbourne’s expanding heavy metal community. Their first EP, Deathwish, was self-released in 1985 following positive audience responses at live shows. The band headlined the Metal For Melbourne festival in 1986 and toured major cities including Melbourne, Adelaide, and Sydney.
In 1986, Buddy departed and the band carried on as a quartet before briefly enlisting George Larin (known from Taramis). Between 1985 and 1988, members engaged in various side endeavors: Lean and Sham launched the punk band Non Compos Mentis; Sham also had a short stint with punk group Depression; Woolley contributed to initial demos of Hobbs' Angel of Death and later joined them full-time for their debut release.
Following Woolley’s exit, guitarists Terry Campbell and Richard Bubica joined the lineup in 1987. The group recorded Let Us Prey, which Cleopatra Records released in 1988. Created under financial constraints within five days, the album suffered from substandard production values. Nothing Sacred was scheduled to open for Megadeth during their inaugural Australian tour in 1988; however, the tour was cancelled abruptly.
Work on a follow-up album commenced in 1989 but was halted due to internal conflicts, resulting in an unofficial dissolution that year. The band briefly reunited for a tenth-anniversary performance in 1993 before entering another period of inactivity. After disbanding, Burnham joined Melbourne’s Seizure; Woolley formed Toecutter after leaving Hobbs' Angel of Death; Sham pursued session drumming opportunities; Lean initiated the symphonic metal project Temujin in the mid-2000s.
Reunion phase (2010–present)
In 2010, Lean, Sham, and Burnham revived Nothing Sacred for a one-off appearance at the Metal for Melbourne reunion event, featuring Ross Percy from Ion Drive on guitar. The band reassembled again in 2012 with Percy and returning guitarist George Larin, performing alongside a reformed Hobbs' Angel of Death and supporting Paul Di'Anno. Members appeared in Australian metal documentaries Metal Down Under (2014) and Thrash or F*** Off (2019). Vocalist Burnham left in 2015 and was succeeded by Chris Stark. During this period, the band took part in Sydney's Steel Assassins festival and completed a tour in Japan.
In 2020, Stu Bedford replaced Percy on guitar while James Davies took over vocals from Stark. Nothing Sacred issued their first new recording in over three decades—a 7" single entitled First World Problems—followed by the full-length album No Gods released in 2021. Stark returned to vocals in 2022, with the group unveiling a six-track EP called Leviathan in 2023 that combined fresh compositions with re-recorded material. Throughout 2024, they supported Metal Church, Udo Dirkschneider, and Paul Di'Anno on tours across Australia. Later that year saw Nothing Sacred embark on their inaugural European tour, performing at Headbangers Open Air festival along with concerts across Germany, Czech Republic, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and the United Kingdom.
In celebration of their debut EP Deathwish reaching its 40th anniversary in 2025, Nothing Sacred scheduled two special shows: opening for Uli Jon Roth in Melbourne on September 5th and co-headlining with Persecution on October 25th.
Current Lineup
- Joel Henderson – lead vocals (2024–current)
- Stu Bedford – guitar (2018–current)
- Darin Cherry – guitar (2024–current)
- Sham – drums (1983–current)
- Karl Lean – bass guitar (1983–current)
Past Members
- Mick Burnham – lead vocals (1983–2012)
- Richard Snape – guitar (1983–1987)
- Mark Woolley – guitar (1983–1987)
- Terry Cameron – guitar (1986–1989)
- Richard Bubica – guitar (1987–1989)
- Ross Percy – guitar (2012–2018)
- Chris Stark – lead vocals (2015–2020, 2022–2024)
- George Larin – guitar (1986–1987, 2012–2024)
Releases
- Deathwish (EP) (self-published, 1984)
- Released again as a picture disc in 2015
- Demo (1985)
- Let Us Prey (album) (Cleopatra Records, 1988)
- Reissued in 2024 by Diabolical Might Records (Germany), featuring alternate versions of Deathwish tracks
- No Gods (album) (Rockshots, 2021)
- Deathwish Boxset (Dies Irae, 2021)
- Contains the original EP, alternative mixes, additional demos, and a 2012 live concert DVD from Japan
- Leviathan (EP) (Rockshots, 2023)