Biography
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Years Active
1996 – present (29 years)
Sacred Steel is a German true metal band from Ludwigsburg. The group was founded in 1996 by musicians who had previously played in other bands and projects but only began to attract broader attention with the formation of Sacred Steel. Following support shows for acts such as Blitzkrieg, they signed a record deal with Metal Blade Records in April 1997, becoming the first German band to do so. Their debut album "Reborn in Steel" was released in October of the same year.
In 1998, Sacred Steel performed at the Wacken Open Air festival, recorded their second album with producer Bill Metoyer, and were shortlisted for a Grammy nomination in the category Best Heavy Metal Performance. The album "Wargods of Metal", released in November 1998, surpassed the debut in sales. The band toured Europe in 1999, contributed tracks to various compilations, and played another show at Wacken. Their third album "Bloodlust" was recorded in 2000 and released later that year, produced by Achim Köhler, who would go on to produce the band's subsequent albums.
In 2001, the band toured more extensively again, including performances with Primal Fear and Children of Bodom. They also began working on their next album and signed a new record deal with Massacre Records. "Slaughter Prophecy" was released in 2002, produced by the same team as its predecessor. The band gradually reduced its live activities to occasional gigs, short tours, and underground festivals. This period also saw the release of various smaller projects, including the title track for Century Media’s Uriah Heep tribute album "A Return to Fantasy", compilation appearances, and a limited-edition vinyl single with Wizzard.
"Iron Blessings" was recorded in 2004 and presented during a large release party at the Karlskaserne in Ludwigsburg on October 30, 2004. The concert was also recorded and later released in 2006 as the live CD/DVD "Live Blessings". The album was produced with the same team around Achim Köhler and continued the stylistic direction of "Slaughter Prophecy". A week after the release party, Sacred Steel performed at the Keep It True festival.
The year 2005 was quieter for the band, and the release of the "Live Blessings" DVD marked the end of an era, as guitarists Jörg Michael Knittel and Oliver Großhans left the band to focus on their death metal project My Darkest Hate. Jens Sonnenberg moved from bass to guitar, and new members Kai Schindelar on bass and Jonas Khalil on guitar joined the band. Khalil had previously been a guitar roadie and played in Eternal Glory.
In 2006, Sacred Steel recorded their first album with the new lineup, working with Sodom producer Harris Johns.
Musically, Sacred Steel combines American-style true metal with heavier thrash and speed metal elements while occasionally incorporating influences from epic and doom metal.
The band members have been involved in various other projects. Founding members Knittel and Großhans left in 2005 to focus on My Darkest Hate, and Knittel also performs with Dawn of Winter. Along with Andreas Preisig, Knittel and Sonnenberg operated the label Iron Glory Records from 1997 to 2004. After its closure, Preisig founded Battlecry Records. Sonnenberg has also played in Stikki Fykk and Baphomet and was the publisher and editor-in-chief of a fanzine for several years. He is the uncle of indie and pop musician Björn Sonnenberg of the band Karpatenhund.
Vocalist Gerrit P. Mutz continues to perform with Dawn of Winter and Chapel of Gore, the latter also including guitarist Jonas Khalil, who has played in Stikki Fykk, Disbelief, and was a guitarist for Eternal Glory from 1999 to 2000. Drummer Matthias Straub has performed with the power metal band Mystic Prophecy and played drums on the debut album by Stikki Fykk, "Fazt Carz An' Rock'n Roll Starz". Bassist Kai Schindelar is also a member of Lanfear and played on Stikki Fykk's album "Sleazy We Meow!".
Studio albums
Reborn in Steel (1997)
Wargods of Metal (1998)
Bloodlust (2000)
Slaughter Prophecy (2002)
Iron Blessings (2004)
Hammer of Destruction (2006)
Carnage Victory (2009)
The Bloodshed Summoning (2013)
Heavy Metal Sacrifice (2016)
Ritual Supremacy (2025)
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