Everyone loves a comeback story, don’t they? A tale of fortunes regained, odds defied and former glories revisited. Unfortunately, as is the way with recoveries and revivals, there always has to be darkness before the dawn. And among all the typical and often comparatively inconsequential trials and tribulations artists face during their careers, death seems to play its part far too many times. A fact with which San Francisco act Metal Church are all too familiar.
Metal Church has graced its fans with Damned If You Do (Nuclear Blast/Rat Pak Records). It’s refreshing to listen to new, pure unadulterated Heavy Metal. Some music doesn’t need bells and whistles and Metal Church creates such music. Vocalist Mike Howe still sounds amazing – I, for one, was well chuffed at his return for 2016’s XI – and he shines again on this, the twelfth full-length Metal Church album. Kurdt Vanderhoof and Rick Van Zandt are twin guitar aces and added to this headbanging mixture is the rhythm section of Stet Howland on drums and Steve Unger on bass. Well, this is a win-win for all involved.Continue reading
Legendary American heavy metal band Metal Church has announced their new album, their 12th, for release this December 7th, via Nuclear Blast/Rat Pak Records/America & King Records/Japan. Damned If You Do promises to be full of killer songs and amazing singing in the vein of their best material. Watch the new video for the title track right now! Continue reading