Wicked Generation

Description

Wicked Generation is the third album by the American metal band Sacred Warrior, released on Intense Records in 1990, a division of Frontline Music Group, distributed by The Benson Company. The album was recorded and mixed by Harry Witz at River North Studios, Chicago, Illinois; and was produced by Jim Homan.

Sacred Warrior returns to its roots of on-the-edge, guitar-dominated music to create its best material yet. While last year’s ‘Master’s Command‘ took a departure from the straight-ahead power metal featured on ‘Rebellion‘, this project solidifies Sacred Warrior’s identity as a formidable heavy metal band.

This world-class effort is a concept album that focuses on the issues of child abuse, incest, suicide, and alcoholism.

The album features three main characters, who share their testimony via spoken dialogue between songs (this album features lots of production details, and should be listened to with headphones) and song lyrics. ‘Wicked Generation’ dives headfirst into the pain of these subjects with «No Happy Ending», a depressing song with no resolution that communicates the hopelessness and agony victims of these crimes face everyday. The album’s most poignant moment comes in the next song, «Little Secrets», when lead vocalist Rey Parra screams out, “You’ve hurt me, you’ve hurt me, YOU’VE HURT ME!!!” The lyrics handle these volatile issues with sensitivity and passion, creating what some thought impossible: intelligent metal!

Side two follows the main character as she toys with the concept of Christianity and is confronted with the choices before her, as well as commenting on the shape of this world (in the title track) and giving tribute to the people who choose to serve Christ as a “spiritual warrior.”

Sacred Warrior has successfully created a concept album with the credibility of an ‘Operation Mindcrime’ or ‘The Wall’, which alone should garner the band a much wider audience. Hats off to the producer, Jim Homan, for capturing the raw passion and power of this energetic band. The band’s innovative, bold approach will probably help this project go down in Christian rock history as a milestone, as well as helping many people cope with and talk about the emotional, physical, and sexual abuse suffered in their past. [Doug Van Pelt, CCM, November 1990]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/wicked-generation-remastered/389685908)

CD tracklist:

01. No Happy Endings – 5:09
02. Little Secrets – 6:18
03. Standing Free – 5:00
04. Are You Ready – 3:05
05. Minister By Night – 3:35
06. Miss Linda – 4:51
07. In The Night – 5:58
08. Warriors – 3:13
09. Wicked Generation – 4:44
10. War Torn Hero – 4:57

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP, and CD by Intense Records.