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.
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)