It was close to 3 years ago now that, following the untimely passing of Mike Howe, that Metal Church returned with a new lineup and album which did little to nothing for me. To be fair, then frontman Marc Lopes had huge shoes to fill, and brought his A-game to an album that fell severely short from a songwriting perspective, showcasing a band who seemed lost in the midst of tragedy. Clearly, that lineup and album didn’t do much for founding guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof either, because just as quickly as it came together, it fell apart.
Come last year, Metal Church unveiled a brand new lineup, essentially going the supergroup route. Joining Vanderhoof and longtime guitarist Rick van Zandt are singer Brian Allen (Vicious Rumors), bassist David Ellefson (Megadeth), and drummer Ken Mary (Fifth Angel, Alice Cooper, Flotsam and Jetsam), which brings us to the band’s 14th studio album, Dead to Rights. There were many factors leading up to this album that one couldn’t help but ponder. How would the events of recent years (such a quick lineup turnover, Vanderhoof’s health issues, etc.) impact the direction of the songwriting and sound of a hypothetical new album? In what ways would Allen compare or contrast to classic voices David Wayne and Mike Howe? Would such an album even truly BE Metal Church, or merely a Metal Church album in name only? Well, perhaps this review will clear up such inquiries.
For starters, I can safely say that Brian Allen is the best singer this band has ever had who isn’t named David Wayne or Mike Howe, and it’s not even close. I rightfully praised Lopes’ performance on Congregation of Annihilation for capturing the best qualities of both singers, but man, Allen may as well be the vocal reincarnation of Wayne. His range, tone, and delivery is a dead ringer for the fallen legend, packing a powerful punch on the album’s thrashier cuts, which by the way, absolutely smoke. Funny enough, I derided the thrashers on Congregation for being too cookie-cutter, while the more standard traditional metal oriented songs caught my ear. This time around, it’s practically vice versa. Power-thrashing neck-snappers like “Brainwash Game”, “F.a.F.O.”, “The Show”, and “My Wrath” boast an aggression and vitriol that haven’t been heard on a Metal Church album in quite some time, leaving us longing for more.
Instead, when Metal Church isn’t thrashing and bashing like it’s 1986, Dead to Rights is weighed down by your standard, run of the mill, modern Judas Priest lite worship. By no mean are these songs bad in the traditional sense, but they’re quite inoffensive for a band of MC’s stature. The title track is one of the better instances of this formula at work, but come back half cuts like “Heaven Knows (Slip Away)” and “Wasted Time”, things become rather predictable. The brooding “Feet to the Fire” is certainly an attempt at a Howe era throwback, but falls short and feels awkward. The most compelling of these non-thrashers is the melodic “No Memory”, which recalls the anthemic spirit of classics like “Start the Fire” and “In the Blood”.
Although Dead to Rights is most certainly a step in the right direction for these veterans, it also falls short of their ’80s and early ’90s heyday. A production that’s largely flat and dull only makes matters worse, which is a shame, because it doesn’t do justice to the immense musical talent on display here. Vanderhoof has assembled one hell of a lineup. Assuming they can keep it together for another album cycle, and hone in on the qualities that made this a step up from Congregation, there’s no reason a follow up to Dead to Rights can’t eclipse as well.
6 out of 10
Label: Rat Pak Records
Genre: Power/Thrash Metal
For fans of: Flotsam and Jetsam, Vicious Rumors, Judas Priest