Nothing Sacred

Country: Australia
Genre: Old School Speed Metal
Founded: 1983

Formed in 1983, Nothing Sacred emerged from Australia’s thriving underground heavy metal scene during the rise of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. While much of the Australian rock landscape was dominated by pub rock, founders Sham and Karl combined the speed and aggression of hardcore punk with classic heavy metal, creating a unique sound that helped ignite Melbourne’s punk/metal movement.

Through relentless touring across Australia’s east coast, the band built a reputation for their explosive live performances, culminating in a headlining appearance at the 1986 Metal for Melbourne Festival. During this period they independently released the cult classic «Deathwish» EP and the full-length album «Let Us Prey», featuring cover artwork by legendary Motörhead artist Joe Petagno.

Although changing musical trends and several lineup changes slowed the band’s activity during the 1990s, Nothing Sacred never disappeared from the underground metal scene. Members Sham and Karl also contributed to the early recordings of «Hobbs Angel of Death», further strengthening their influence on Australian metal.

Interest in the band grew again during the 2000s as classic heavy metal experienced a worldwide revival. Their legacy was highlighted in the 2014 documentary «Metal Down Under», which led to performances in Japan and introduced Nothing Sacred to a new international audience. The overwhelming reception confirmed that the band’s influence had reached far beyond Australia.

Nothing Sacred entered a new creative era with the release of new material beginning in 2020. The band released the «No Gods» album, followed by the Leviathan EP in 2023 while sharing stages with artists including Udo Dirkschneider, Metal Church and Paul Di’Anno. In 2024 they completed their first European tour, performing at major festivals across Germany and Finland.

The momentum continued with the singles Break and Burning From Above in 2025, along with a Black Sabbath tribute recording and a special 40th anniversary celebration of the «Deathwish» EP. In 2026 the band released the singles «Am I Going Insane» and «Your Time Will Come», before returning to Japan for successful shows in Tokyo and Osaka, proving that more than four decades after their formation, Nothing Sacred remain a powerful force in traditional heavy metal.

Members of the band:
Joel Henderson — Vocals
Karl Lean — Bass
Stu Bedford — Guitar
Darren Cherry — Guitar
Sham — Drums

Links:
Website: https://nothingsacred.com.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NothingSacredMetal
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nothingsacredaustralia
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@shamspage
Bandcamp: https://nothingsacredau.bandcamp.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/68L540i5tc7wLsj4cz2NrI