Metal Church (album)

Metal Church
Studio album by
Metal Church
ReleasedJuly 1984
Recorded1984
StudioSteve Lawson Productions, Seattle, Washington
Genre
Length41:51
LabelGround Zero
ProducerMetal Church, Terry Date
Metal Church chronology
Four Hymns (Demo)
(1983) 		Metal Church
(1984) 		The Dark
(1986)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal7/10[2]
Rock Hard10/10[3]

Metal Church is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Metal Church. The album was originally released by the independent record label Ground Zero in 1984. Based on the success of the album, the band was signed to a recording contract by Elektra Records, who reissued it in 1985. The cover art depicts a cruciform Gibson Explorer hidden in shadows and smoke.

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Kurdt Vanderhoof, except where noted; all music is composed by Vanderhoof, David Wayne and Craig Wells, except where noted

Side one
No.TitleMusicLength
1."Beyond the Black" 6:23
2."Metal Church" 5:03
3."Merciless Onslaught" (instrumental)Vanderhoof2:54
4."Gods of Wrath" 6:41
Side two
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
5."Hitman" Wayne, Vanderhoof4:39
6."In the Blood"  3:31
7."(My Favorite) Nightmare"  3:12
8."Battalions"Wayne, Vanderhoof, Kirk ArringtonVanderhoof, Wells4:53
9."Highway Star" (Deep Purple cover)Ian GillanRitchie Blackmore, Roger Glover, Jon Lord, Ian Paice4:39
European edition bonus track
No.TitleLength
10."Big Guns" (demo)3:23

Notes

  • The first vinyl pressing includes a t-shirt
  • The vinyl release by Steamhammer contains a bonus track titled "Big Guns"

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[4]

Metal Church
Production
  • Terry Date – producer, engineer
  • Jack Skinner – mastering
  • Saulius Pempe – photography
  • Willie Mackay – executive producer
  • Kurdt Vanderhoof – logo design
  • Ground Zero Entertainment - management

References

  1. ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Metal Church - Metal Church review". AllMusic. Retrieved September 20, 2011.
  2. ^ Popoff, Martin (November 1, 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 221. ISBN 978-1894959315.
  3. ^ Trojan, Frank (1984). "Review Album: Metal Church - Metal Church". Rock Hard (in German). No. 9. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  4. ^ Metal Church (LP sleeve). Metal Church. Elektra Records. 1985. 60471-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)