Metal Church – Masterpeace – Review

Metal Church

Masterpeace (Nuclear Blast)
by Tim Den

I’ll be the first to admit Metal Church is a funny-ass name, one you’d see on a faded black t-shirt worn by an old biker. It’s probably also used in the sentence “Who remembers/cares about…” Personally, I’ve had metalhead friends of mine laugh at me for liking them. And with reason. It is a funny name, and one that screams “heavy metal!” with all the ’90s cynical overtones. But that’s where the funniness stops.

If you weren’t too young (or too cool playing football) during the band’s more successful days with second vocalist Mike Howe, here’s a recap: ’91’s The Human Factor saw multiple “hit” singles in the metal community, including a nice season of brown-nosing from MTV’s “Headbanger’s Ball.” 1993’s Hanging in the Balance, though not as successful, maintained unbelievable hooks and riffage, complimented by insightful lyrics like the record it followed. Those two records – honest, good, heavy metal records – made me willing to endure every heckler out there that didn’t believe in the Church. I knew better, I thought, so everyone else could take their presumptions and shove ’em.

You could say I was one of the dozen or so people rejoicing the band’s reformation. I was, however, skeptical about the return of original vocalist David Wayne (who sang on the band’s first two releases, Metal Church and The Dark, and had nothing to do with the modern-sounding group that claimed my heart). And just as I feared, the man reeks of ex-Exodus’ Steve “Zetro” Souza circa ’86 (nasal twine and all). But the difference is, Zetro didn’t have Kurt Vanderhoof as guitarist and songwriter. Yes, the man who bowed out of the band, only to become its mentor and continuing main songwriter, is back in the fold, and that cancels out Wayne’s annoyance factor. Vanderhoof’s sense of melody draws upon other’s work (“Into Dust” recalls “In Harm’s Way” in the acoustic passages), Queensrÿche (“Kiss for the Dead”), and Dream Theater (the chorus of “Lb. of Cure” could’ve come from Images and Words), and makes this a true Metal Church record. Strong in its structures and never self-indulgent (no instrument gets a long-ass solo or show-off, ego-boosting techie licks), it doesn’t matter who’s at the mic. It’s Metal Church, and it’s good fuckin’ metal.

Some will continue to laugh at the band’s name, their clouded production, and the singer’s squealing voice, but I know better. As long as Metal Church continues to put out metal of deliverance proportions, I’ll be the one laughing at the blind, deaf, and dumb audience. And the congregation shall laugh with me.
(PO Box 43618 Philadelphia, PA 19106)