Only Heavy Metal

West coast metal veterans Metal Church will release From the Vault” via Rat Pak Records on April 10, 2020. This latest release is a special edition compilation album that features 14 previously unreleased tracks from the Mike Howe era, which include four newly recorded studio tracks including a redux of the band’s fan favorite classic “Conductor.” The remaining tracks are compiled from various recordings in the band’s history and include five tracks from 2018’s Damned if You Do recording sessions, three cover songs and two live tracks “Agent Green” and “Anthem to the Estranged” which was recorded at the famous Club Citta, Kawasaki, Japan on the Damned If You Do world tour. Tracks 1 through 4 were mixed and mastered by Chris “The Wizard Collier” (KXM, Whitesnake, Prong, Korn) and Tracks 5 through 14 were mixed & mastered by Kurdt Vanderhoof.

Mike Howe comments; “This album is for the fans and has some really cool unreleased tracks on it, I think metal Church fans everywhere will really enjoy it!”

Also available for pre-order is a ltd print twenty-two-page comic book “Return of the Fake Healer” featuring the artwork of mid-west comic book illustrator Andrew Owens. The comic book also comes with an additional compilation CD which features a mix of “XI” and “Damned If you Do” tracks as well as 2 previously unreleased mixes of “Killing Your Time” and “Needle & Suture”.

It is with our deepest regrets that we must announce the passing of our brother, our friend and true legend of heavy metal music. Mike Howe passed away this morning at his home in Eureka, California. We are devastated and at a loss for words. Please respect our privacy and the Howe family’s privacy during this most difficult time.

METAL CHURCH singer Mike Howe has died at the age of 55. No cause of death has been revealed.

The news of Howe's passing was broken by METAL CHURCH in a social media post this evening. The band wrote: "It is with our deepest regrets that we must announce the passing of our brother, our friend and true legend of heavy metal music. Mike Howe passed away this morning at his home in Eureka, California. We are devastated and at a loss for words. Please respect our privacy and the Howe family's privacy during this most difficult time."

Howe, who fronted METAL CHURCH from 1988 until 1994, officially rejoined the band in April 2015.

The reunion between Mike and METAL CHURCH was put in motion in July of 2014 when Mike started working with guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof on a side project Kurdt was forming with Nigel Glockler from SAXON. Through these initial conversations, Kurdt convinced Mike to ultimately return to METAL CHURCH. The idea was to see if they could recapture some of the magic from the three albums METAL CHURCH released in the late '80s: "The Human Factor", "Blessing In Disguise" and "Hanging In The Balance". Out of those sessions, 2016's "XI" was born and captured the sound that made the band fan favorites in the '80s and mixed it with a new, invigorated sound.

During the making of the "XI" album, Mike stated about his return to METAL CHURCH: "Kurdt Vanderhoof got ahold of me in August of 2014, and he proposed [me] coming back to the band. He said Ronny [Munroe] left the band and he didn't really wanna carry on with METAL CHURCH unless maybe I would consider coming back. So I said, 'Well, I don't know. I'm open to it. But let's see what kind of music we can come up with.' So Kurdt went back to the studio and started writing songs in the vein of 'Hanging In The Balance', where we left off twenty years ago, and he sent them to me over the Internet. And I was, like, 'Damn! The guy still has it and he's doing great work.' So he sent me another batch, and that batch was just as good [as], if not better than, the other. So, from there, I said, ‘Well, I can’t say no to this. And let's just see how it goes.' And we started writing lyrics and getting together, and it's now morphed into this, being back in Aberdeen in the studio making the new METAL CHURCH record."

Metal Church's late frontman Mike Howe took his own life ... according to the cops who found the rocker's body.

A spokesperson for the Humboldt County Sheriff's Dept. tells TMZ ... Mike's official cause of death was determined to be asphyxia due to hanging. Officially, authorities are calling it a suicide.

As we reported ... cops got the call Monday just after 10 AM in Eureka, CA for a report of an unexpected death at a home. When deputies arrived at the scene, we're told they found Mike dead.

The Sheriff's Dept. also told us alcohol and drugs were not believed to be factors in the 55-year-old singer's death, and no controlled substances or paraphernalia were found in the home where he died.

Mike joined Metal Church in the 1980s and helped record the band's third album, "Blessing in Disguise," which included one of their most famous songs, "Badlands."

Metal Church released 2 more studio albums before breaking up in the '90s, but the group ultimately reunited, and in 2015 Mike rejoined his bandmates.

Yes, the rumors are true, it's official! Please welcome vocalist Marc Lopes to the congregation! We auditioned a handful of vocalists and while they were all great, Marc quickly became the clear choice. Both David Wayne and Mike Howe had a very unique, irreplaceable quality to their voices, so we were not looking for a clone of either. We wanted someone new, who could embrace the past, and also bring something fresh and exciting to the mix. Marc brings a very classic yet modern feel to the songs and we are looking forward to getting this new album out to you later this year! Thank you for your continued support of Metal Church! Love & respect, Kurdt Vanderhoof

West coast metal veterans Metal Church will release their 13th studio album, Congregation of Annihilation, on May 26th via Rat Pak Records (America) and Reaper Entertainment (Europe). The new album marks the first release since the tragic death of legendary front man Mike Howe who passed in July of 2021. It also marks the first album with new vocalist Marc Lopes (Ross the Boss / Let Us Prey) who came on board in the summer of 2022 and features the current lineup of founding guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof, guitarist Rick Van Zandt, bassist Steve Unger and drummer Stet Howland. The new songs are a return to the band’s musical roots harkening back to the vibes of the self-titled first album and The Dark.

Of the album Kurdt Vanderhoof comments “This new album is starting a new chapter in the Metal Church legacy. I really love this album. It's a fresh approach for us in one way, but also a return to the very beginnings of Metal Church as part of the New American Thrash Metal movement. This record contains some of the most aggressive songs we have recorded. I hope the fans will like it as much as we do.”

Marc Lopes comments, “I am beyond honored to be part of carrying on this legacy into a new era of Metal Church. Working with Kurdt and a band that was a huge influence of mine growing up was a surreal experience to say the least. For me there was no point in trying to imitate what was already done to perfection. So, with respect to the past, we moved forward to a new chapter and here we are!”

Congregation of Annihilation features nine all new tracks from Metal Church and continues to build upon their iconic sound the band established over three decades ago. From the first guitar riff of album opener “Another Judgement Day” through the driving outro of album closer “Salvation,” it is clear Metal Church is back and better than ever. “Pick A God and Prey”, “Children of the Lie”, “Congregation of Annihilation and “These Violent Thrills” showcase the sonically charged songwriting that made the early Metal Church albums such fan favorites. Haunting musical opuses “Me the Nothing” and “Making Monsters” each puts the musicianship that Metal Church was known for on full display in 2023. Infused with intelligent lyrical content, thundering guitar riffs, and Marc’s aggressive soaring vocals, Congregation of Annihilation furthers the bands sonic evolution up to the next level and is guaranteed to enthrall metal music fans around the world.

West coast metal veterans Metal Church will release “The Final Sermon” (Live in Japan 2019) via Rat Pak Records (America) and Reaper Entertainment (Europe) on July 26, 2024. Produced by Kurdt Vanderhoof, this Special Edition live release features one of the final recorded performances of Mike Howe with Metal Church, which took place over two nights at Club Citta in Kawasaki, Japan during their 2019 "Damned If You Do" Tour. Kurdt Vanderhoof comments, “We recorded these two shows in Japan with the intention of Mike entering the studio to polish-up any inconsistencies and/or to re-track anything that didn’t come out correctly, but he never got the chance. First the pandemic hit, and then of course his tragic passing, so what you are hearing is exactly what the audience heard that night, Mike giving it his all, live and uncensored! This album not only commemorates our 2019 Damned If You Do tour, but also pays homage to our friend and brother's legacy. The album will arrive on the 3rd Anniversary of his passing, and it is our hope that Mike will continue to be remembered for the music and love he brought to the world."