Sacred Leather Keep The Fire BurningCD (Slipcase, 2026, High Roller Records)

Keep The Fire Burning is the second full-length studio album from American traditional heavy metal band Sacred Leather. Released in 2026 through High Roller Records, the album builds on the foundations established by their acclaimed 2018 debut Ultimate Force, delivering a sharper, more focused and more expansive expression of classic heavy metal.

Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Sacred Leather have become an important name within the modern American traditional heavy metal underground. The current lineup features Dee Wrathchild on vocals, Lynn St. Michaels on lead guitar, Cvon Owens on rhythm guitar, Magnus Legrand on bass and Don Diamond on drums.

Following their privately released live cassette, the Ultimate Force debut and a series of digital singles, Keep The Fire Burning represents Sacred Leather's most definitive statement to date. The album embraces the raw energy, powerful riffs and melodic songwriting of classic 1980s heavy metal while giving the band greater room to develop their own distinctive identity.

The album was produced by renowned metal producer Arthur Rizk, known for his work with bands including Eternal Champion and Power Trip. His production brings clarity, weight and impact to Sacred Leather's old-school approach while preserving the raw character and high-energy performance that define the band's sound.

Tracks such as Spitfire At Night, Phantom Highways and Malevolent Eyes showcase Sacred Leather at their most direct and aggressive, combining driving rhythms, powerful guitar work, soaring vocals and memorable traditional heavy metal songwriting.

Rather than simply recreating one particular era or sound, Sacred Leather draw from the broader tradition of classic heavy metal. Judas Priest are a particularly important influence, both musically and aesthetically, while the band also look to KISS, Scorpions and Queensrÿche for their ability to move between hard-rocking aggression, melodic songwriting, epic arrangements and more restrained moments without losing their distinctive identity.

That versatility is central to Keep The Fire Burning. Sacred Leather aim to explore different sides of heavy metal while maintaining a consistent musical personality, resulting in an album that can rock, rip, soar and become epic without losing sight of its traditional-metal foundations.

Compared with Ultimate Force, Keep The Fire Burning represents a clear progression in songwriting, musicianship and execution. The debut established the band's foundations, while the new album expands those ideas with tighter arrangements, greater musical confidence and a more refined approach to songwriting.

The result is a relentless journey through the heart of traditional heavy metal: familiar in spirit, but unmistakably Sacred Leather.

For collectors of modern traditional heavy metal and the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal (NWOTHM), Keep The Fire Burning is a highly recommended release. Sacred Leather represent the continuing strength of the American underground metal scene, combining genuine appreciation for classic heavy metal with their own contemporary songwriting and identity.

The High Roller Records 2026 slipcase CD edition is an essential physical release for fans following the modern resurgence of traditional heavy metal and collectors of quality underground metal releases.

Recommended if you like: Judas Priest, Dokken, Scorpions, Midnight Priest, RAM, Enforcer, Visigoth, Eternal Champion, Night Demon, Midnight Speel and other New Wave Of Traditional Heavy Metal bands (NWOTHM).

Artist: Sacred Leather 
Title:  Keep The Fire Burning 
Label: High Roller Records
Catalogue Number: HRR1081CD
UPC: 4251267725205
Release Year: 2026
Duration: Album
Format: CD 
Packaging Type: Slipcase/Jewel Case
Condition: New & factory sealed

Tracklist:

1. Resurrection
2. Spitfire At Night
3. Phantom Highways (Hell Is Comin' Down)
4. Wake Me Up
5. Fallen Angel
6. Flatline
7. Tear Out My Heart
8. Malevolent Eyes
9. Keep The Fire Burning
10. Mistress Of The Sun