Upon the release of their first EP, Surf Nicaragua (1988), and second album The American Way (1990), the band gained significant acclaim, with the latter reaching No.

[5] On the album, Hit Parader proclaimed: "Intelligence and metal are two things not normally associated with each other, but in the case of Sacred Reich, they blend to form a powerful musical message."

[2] Later that year, Greg Hall parted ways with Sacred Reich and was replaced by former S.A. Slayer member[2] Dave McClain.

[16][19] Dave McClain departed Sacred Reich to join Machine Head after receiving several offers from them earlier that year.

[22] In November 2006, Sacred Reich announced they would play several shows in Europe in the summer of 2007, including Wacken Open Air,[22] before reforming as a live act that year.

[6][10][23] In June 2007, Metal Blade Records released a three-disc box set of remastered versions of Ignorance and Surf Nicaragua, bonus material including the "Draining You of Life" demo tape, and a live DVD.

[28] In September, Machine Head announced that Dave McClain was leaving their band, officially rejoining Sacred Reich in December.

[4] In April, Sacred Reich released the split single "Don't Do it Donnie" alongside Iron Reagan,[6][30] later co-headlining a monthlong tour with them in May.

[40] In 2021, Sacred Reich was scheduled to support Sepultura on their Quadra tour in North America and Europe but was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

[45] At the beginning of 2024, Sacred Reich announced they were recording their upcoming sixth studio album, which was expected to be released at the end of the year.

[46] However, it appeared this plan had changed, with Rind announcing in a post on New Year's Eve of 2024 that the band would soon be entering the studio to record their new album for a late August 2025 release.

"[55] Sacred Reich's earlier works, primarily their debut Ignorance, are significantly influenced by punk rock and hardcore.

[10] Their next release, Surf Nicaragua, showed a change in the band's sound, with better production, less hardcore influences, and slower tempos, sometimes described as "more mature".

[9][10] The American Way saw Sacred Reich progress further from their debut Ignorance, featuring less use of double bass pedals and shredding[8] and favoring slower tracks for a more diverse tempo and tone.

"[53] According to Wiley Arnett, the name "Sacred Reich" originated from a road trip taken by Dan Kelly and Paul Stottler[57]—a friend of and artist for the band[3]—to Hollywood, where they spotted graffiti tagged by a gang, labeled "SR-13", in the form of "[an] equal sign with the SR, and then a jagged 13 below it."

"[57] The band's mascot, named "Our Dude" (or simply "OD"), appears on the cover art of several of Sacred Reich's releases and merchandise.

[58] The mascot was created as a sketch by Paul Stottler during class at Coronado High School[58] in either 1986 or 1987,[59] and was later drawn in pen and ink and then colorized for merchandise.

"[59] The band's discography, most notably Ignorance, Surf Nicaragua, and The American Way,[38] have often been cited as influential on the thrash metal scene.