Joe Stump’s THE REIGN OF TERROR – Sacred Ground [remastered + 3] (2025) , MP3+FLAC

With the release of the new Joe Stump’s Tower Of Babel’s album ‘Days Of Thunder’ Silver Lining Music is reissuing as well the albums of Joe 1990’s previous band THE REIGN OF TERROR. While the first two THE REIGN OF TERROR albums are fine, it was with the third, 2001’s “Sacred Ground” when the project really reached a stellar status.

After using two unknown vocalists, for “Sacred Ground” Stump joined forces with the impressive Michael Vescera (ex-Yngwie, Loudness) taking THE REIGN OF TERROR to a completely new sonic dimension. Vescera co-wrote all the songs, co-produced the whole album, and of course, provided his awesome voice – 3 things that blows out of the water this band previous albums – and turned “Sacred Ground” one of the best and criminally unknown classic hard rock neoclassical albums from the last two decades.
On “Sacred Ground” Vescera gave Stump the necessary focus to create a ‘real band sound’ and not a ‘guitarist sound’. This is the album Yngwie should have done if accepted external songwriters. This album is pure ’80s Yngwie / Axel Rudi Pell + classic Rainbow – they even do a strong cover of ‘Kill The King’. Ex- Yngwie too, talented Mats Olausson, is the keyboardist here.

Joining up the talents of guitar master Joe Stump and Mike Vescera has proved to be a very lethal combination. Most great metal / hard rock bands throughout history have always had that explosive duo of a super guitar player and excellent vocalist. With this album The Reign Of Terror joins that elite list.
The powerful rhythm section of drummer Matt Scurfield and bassist Jay Rigney, both from the band Event, proved to be another stroke of genius. These Berklee grads are able to keep up and add their own special touches to these very memorable tunes written by the mighty tandem of Stump / Vescera.
”Sacred Ground [remastered + 3]” features three bonus tracks – one recorded by Joe specially for this reissue – a new (and better) cover art, and a fully remastered treatment.

Joe states, “I had been trying to hook up with a great vocalist and by luck I met Mike and we hit it off instantly. We did a few live dates just to see if we clicked in a concert environment and to say it was musical magic is being humble. We also seemed to think as one when it came to writing the material for Sacred Ground.”

Trying to pick the best songs from this CD is not easy – all are good! From the opening massive riff of “Save Me” to the elongated guitar solo on “Still Holding On” nothing in between weakens the final effect of Masters of their craft bringing a remarkable album to the heavy musical landscape.
Tracks such as “Set Us Free,” title track “Sacred Ground” and that opener “Save Me” are relentless uptempo barn burners. The band’s commercial mind set is most apparent in tracks such as “The Unknown” and “Last Time.” All of the songs are melodic metal masterpieces.
The band covers the Rainbow classic “Kill The King” as if it was created specifically for The Reign of Terror.

Vescera adds “Joe handed me the music to the songs and told me to write whatever I wanted. I set out to try to write the absolute best lyrics and melodies to the amazing music that Joe had composed. I spent nearly a year making sure that everything was just right before we let it out the door. The music is a perfect fit for my voice and style. I have never been happier with a recording!”

To say Joe Stump has raised the bar for all aspiring guitarists of the world would be an understatement. Joe’s amazing riffs, solos and harmony guitar parts on this album will be hard for anyone to top. Never before has Joe released such a mesmerizing performance that matches his always impressive guitar chops within great metal songs.
And Vescera, well, he’s always amazing, and this CD is among his best – if not the best – works.
Highly Recommended

01 – Save Me
02 – Sacred Ground
03 – The Unknown
04 – Paganini’s Purgatory
05 – Set Us Free
06 – When Will We Know
07 – Last Time
08 – Undercover
09 – Hellbound
10 – Dante’s Danza
11 – Still Holding On
12 – Kill The King [Rainbow cover]
BONUS TRACKS:
13 – The Innocence
14 – Blood on Your Hands
15 – Paganini’s Purgatory -2025-

Joe Stump – guitars
Michael Vescera – lead & background vocals
Jay Rigney – bass
Matt Scurfield – drums
Mats Olausson – keyboards

MP3 FLAC