METAL CHURCH – From the Vault

METAL CHURCH was one of the bands that came out in the early 80s that was a force to be reckoned with, and on their latest release From the Vault we get a glimpse of why. The band has had many players and faces in their long history, but one constant in their music has been Kurdt Vanderhoof, and with long time vocalist Mike Howe’s return they have gone a long way to bringing the band back to the forefront of the Heavy Metal scene. From the Vault offers us a collection of songs from different recording sessions, covers and live performances which includes 3 brand new recordings, a remake of a classic song from 1993’s Hanging in the Balance, some unused material from the last album and some remixes from the album XI.

The New Material

The album opens with the new material, and it’s the best of the record. “Dead on the Vine” kicks it all off with excellent driving metal, great vocals and a really strong mix that get’s you banging your head right away. Next up comes “For No reason” which is another strong tune that should satisfy the METAL CHURCH fans, and more. From the ’93 album Hanging in the Balance the band has re-recorded the song “Conductor” and I for one feel that this new version feels like an aged and refined version, possibly improving on the original with the well seasoned voice of Mike Howe sounding as good or better than ever. “Above the Madness” also delivers, and shows you that the band can still write great songs.

B-Sides

The next 5 songs are B tracks left on the cutting room floor from the last album Damned If You Do, and are not nearly as strong as the new material. Fans will enjoy hearing these as it’s always fun when you get a chance to see what was not used when a record is made. 2 of the 5 songs are instrumentals that can feel a little bit incomplete when compared to the other tracks, but are still a worthy addition to the album.

Cover Tunes

It’s always interesting to hear covers from Metal bands that are not Metal songs. The one thing to ask when you hear a cover song is what does this version do that the original didn’t? That said, it’s very tough to take 3 classic rock songs and transform them into 80s Metal, while preserving the magic of the original. Though the band must have had a blast recording these great songs, I’m not sure that they are a fit with the rest of the album.

In the Bonus Round

The album rounds out with 2 great live tracks, and 2 remixes from the XI album. If you get the digital download, you will also get 2 more bonus tracks from the same session. More treasures for the METAL CHURCH fans to add to their collection.

Final Notes

To new listeners the album may seem an odd and somewhat uneven collection of songs, but long-time fans will find something on every track to keep them coming back for more. Either way, “From the Vault” is a worthy addition to your Metal collection.