Sacred Blade’s story isn’t one you can summarise in a neat line. It stretches from early‑80s Vancouver rehearsal rooms to a global underground that kept their name alive long after the tape decks stopped spinning. What follows is a conversation with a band who never chased a scene, never softened their edges, and never stopped building their own universe.

Interview: Sacred Blade (Canada)

TheNwothm: For anyone discovering Sacred Blade for the first time, can you introduce the band and where you are from?

JAMES: SACRED BLADE is a progressive hard rock / heavy metal band originally formed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in the early 1980s. From the very beginning, we were interested in pushing beyond the boundaries of straightforward heavy metal and creating something more atmospheric, imaginative, and cinematic.

While we were certainly influenced by the heavy music of the era, we were equally inspired by progressive rock, science fiction, fantasy, and the idea of creating an experience that could transport listeners somewhere else mentally and emotionally. That combination became part of the identity of SACRED BLADE and shaped everything from our songwriting and lyrics to our visual imagery and stage presentation.

What makes this whole journey especially meaningful to us today is that the music somehow endured across generations and geographic boundaries. Back then, we were just a group of young musicians in Vancouver trying to create something unique and true to ourselves. We never imagined that decades later, people around the world would still be discovering the band and connecting with the music in such a passionate way.

I think that enduring connection speaks to the honesty of the music and the spirit in which it was created.

TheNwothm: Thinking all the way back, do you remember how the band formed and the chose the name Sacred Blade?

JAMES: Yes, absolutely. The origins of SACRED BLADE go all the way back to a group of young guys from Vancouver who were deeply immersed in all kinds of music, including hard rock, heavy metal, and progressive forms of music. Jeff Ulmer and William Rascan were at the center of the band’s formation in the early years. Paul was also a founding member and part of the nucleus of the band. Jeff was the clear leader and he provided creative direction by infusing fantasy and science fiction into our image and sound.

Like many young bands at the time, we started out rehearsing constantly, exchanging ideas, experimenting musically, and trying to find our own identity. There was a strong desire from the beginning to create something that felt larger than life — not just musically, but visually and conceptually as well.

As the history of the band’s name goes, the name SACRED BLADE was created after Jeff and the guys had to switch from using “Battleaxe,” because another band was already using that name. As Jeff later described in his memoirs, the name “SACRED BLADE” suited cover artwork and themes that he had already been developing at the time. That became an important turning point because the imagery, music, and overall atmosphere of the band all started aligning into a unified vision.

Jeff had developed large conceptual ideas rooted in science fiction storytelling, and those ideas would eventually shape the direction of SACRED BLADE for years to come. Even in the earliest days, there was a feeling that we were building a unique identity rather than fitting into the mold of what was popular at the time. That spirit of exploration and imagination became the DNA of SACRED BLADE.

TheNwothm: You are based in Canada! Has your local scene influenced your direction in ways listeners might not expect?

JAMES: Vancouver has never really had a metal scene, so in some ways we developed in isolation and had the freedom to create our own identity rather than follow trends. Our influences came from many directions — bands like Rush, Pink Floyd, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, and other progressive or atmospheric artists such as Captain Beyond, Vangelis, Mike Oldfield. 

At the same time, the underground tape-trading network became hugely important for us. Even though the local scene was limited, our demos started circulating internationally and we suddenly found ourselves connected to fans in Europe, Japan, and all over the world. 

So, our real “scene” ended up becoming the global underground metal community rather than just our local geography. I think that helped us develop a sound that was uniquely our own.

TheNwothm: Are there elements of Canadian culture or geography that have naturally woven themselves into your storytelling or atmosphere?

JAMES: Yes, I think so, although probably more subconsciously than intentionally.

Canada itself probably influenced us more than we realized while we were living through our journey. There is a certain vastness, isolation, and atmosphere to the Canadian landscape — especially on the West Coast — that naturally lends itself to introspection and imagination.

When I think about songs like Of the Sun + Moon, Moon, or Fieldz the Sunshrine, I can hear that sense of space and expansiveness in the music. There is a feeling of distance and atmosphere that became part of our sound naturally.

At the same time, being somewhat removed from the larger music centers may have allowed us the freedom to evolve organically and pursue ideas that felt authentic to us rather than trying to fit into a particular scene or formula.

TheNwothm: Having lived through several eras of heavy metal, how do you feel the scene has changed around you?

RANDY: Well, locally speaking, I feel the sense of METAL community has faded over the years. There used to be many rehearsal facilities in Vancouver where multiple METAL bands would rehearse, get together and hang out. It seems the scene is more spread out now and bands have less opportunity to create those close bonds. 

I do however feel that the fans are still there and keeping the METAL fire lit!

TheNwothm: And how do you balance staying true to the spirit of Sacred Blade while embracing the realities of modern music culture?

RANDY: METAL has always been isolated from anything that is mainstream, modern or popular, if that is what you are getting at. When we play SACRED BLADE music, we play it as it should be and we don’t think about the outside influence of modern culture. We stay true to the traditional METAL ethos. That’s where our hearts are.

TheNwothm: Your journey began with the 1982 demo. What do you remember about capturing those first ideas and the atmosphere that surrounded that early recording period.

RANDY: Our bandmates Will and Paul did those early recording sessions, which is cool because our current line-up spans all eras of SACRED BLADE. In fact, there were only a couple of changes of personnel during the entire history of the band. Anyways, at the time of the first demo, SACRED BLADE was evolving very quickly, and you can hear the raw energy and power!

None of us came from wealth or industry connections, so everything was very Do-It-Yourself. The band built rehearsal spaces, traded labor for studio time, and devoted countless hours to developing the music. 

In chatting with Paul about this, he remembers how Jeff was constantly writing lyrics and concepts, and the band was evolving from more straightforward heavy metal into something more atmospheric and progressive. Songs like Salem, Master of the Sun, and Moon already carried elements of the sound and identity that would later define SACRED BLADE. Those early days were magical – we had our whole lives ahead of us – and there was a sense of excitement and wonder of what will come next. We were friends and still are – the foundational bond and sense of camaraderie continues…

TheNwothm: I would love to know! If you could collaborate with any artist from any era, who would you be most curious to share a studio with?

RANDY: I would love to work with Alice Cooper in the 70’s! Also, Ted Nugent and Pat Travers. Any of those artists back when there was a lot of experimentation going on in the studio. I miss the days of just jamming and seeing what comes out. While you can still do that today, it seems like creativity is more directed in keeping things in a certain structure.

JAMES: For me, it would be unbelievable to work with Rush and Pink Floyd. 

TheNwothm: With a great collection of music behind you, how do you choose songs for your sets when playing live?

RANDY: For the current shows we are trying to stay close to the release at hand, Of the Sun + Moon. We have a release of classic demos coming out soon so we may be adding one of the very early songs. We’ve also been thinking of doing a cover by one of our early influences. Which one, I don’t know yet!

TheNwothm: What are you touring plans for the rest of 2026?

RANDY: We will be concentrating on the Pacific Northwest with an eye to Europe later this year, early next year.

TheNwothm: What direction is inspiring you as you look towards new material?

RANDY: The world is changing fast. Some of those narratives will likely make it into the lyrics upcoming. Musically, I feel with the work we have been doing on this new release I have been revisiting some of our early influences, Saxon, Priest, early Maiden. I think a return to a simplified, heavier riff approach may take shape.

TheNwothm: How can our readers buy your music and merch?

RANDY: Come to our shows! Or visit the website at SacredBladeOfficial.com

TheNwothm: Where can fans follow you online?

RANDY: We’re on Facebook and InstaGram…

TheNwothm: If you could give advice to any new bands what would it be? 

RANDY: I always say gig as much as you possibly can. It’s the only way to get tight and away from the rehearsal hall. Take your music to the people and see how/if you connect. That should really tell you which direction to go in.