 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Metal Church
This Present Wasteland
(SPV/Steamhammer Records)
Okay, okay…I know I’ve said it before, but if I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard or read the analogy ‘….some legends, it would seem, never die…’ in a review of a highly-anticipated new release, I’d be able to quit my day job and take up stalking Alyssa Milano full time. Seriously folks, it’s almost as if the words ‘influential’ and ‘groundbreaking’ have been overused to the point where their true meanings have been forever lost. Although I’ll be the first to admit that I have been guilty of committing such grammatical atrocities on a semi-regular basis over the course of the past several years, I’ve also never been one to shy away from using such descriptives when I feel they are genuinely appropriate. Fortunately, this is most definitely the case with This Present Wasteland, the latest offering from Seattle, Washington-based veterans Metal Church.
On the stellar This Present Wasteland (2008), an expertly assembled ten song collection of inarguably classic Heavy Metal, each track, beginning with the scalding, phlegm-laden “In The Company Of Sorrow”, and the impossibly thunderous, Black Sabbath-infused “Deeds Of A Dead Soul”, immediately commands the rapt and undivided attention of even the most jaded and unimaginative of listeners, myself most definitely included. Undoubtedly attempting to re-capture the ‘…fist-pumping, mosh-inducing insanity…’ that personified much of the group’s not-so-recent past whilst distancing themselves from the shameless, payola and chart position-driven tactics so often employed by their few remaining contemporaries, the resulting, justifiably overconfident sonic barrage is, without a doubt, quite easily worthy of the highest of critical and commercial accolades.
Continuing with the delightfully Thrash-tinged “Meet Your Maker”, and the indescribably searing “Crawling To Extinction”, the newly rejuvenated combination of ‘…Halford meets Dio…’ vocalist Ronny Munroe, guitarists Kurdt Vanderhoof and Rick Van Zandt (replacing recently departed ex-Malice axeman Jay Reynolds), bassist Steve Unger and acclaimed former Chris Caffery/Savatage/Trans-Siberian Orchestra drummer Jeff Plate steamroll ahead at a frequently mid-tempo pace. Instantly engulfing all parties involved amid a virtual tidal wave of multi-octave vocals and a plethora of searing fretwork, razor sharp solos and imaginatively punishing rhythms, the group once again showcases their more than considerable collective talents without bogging down amid their own already well-documented, virtuosic compositional aspirations.
Wisely attempting to capitalize on the tidal wave of momentum initiated with the release of 2004’s The Weight Of The World, other standouts, including the refreshingly thought-provoking “War Never Won”, and the equally impressive closer “Congregation”, offer a wealth of compelling further sonic evidence in support of the group’s continued resilience, a much welcomed and increasingly rare characteristic that continues to separate the group from their few would-be contemporaries. Even if you somehow find yourself less than enthused with Vanderhoof’s apparently single-minded insistence on blindly forging ahead despite the most dire of odds (i.e. the inexplicable absence of Mike Howe, Kirk Arrington and Duke Erickson), one must, at the very least, sincerely admire the quintet’s ability to remain relevant nearly a quarter of a century after their initial inception.
Still not sure you can wholeheartedly embrace Munroe as your ‘…de facto…’ Metal Church frontman? Trust me, dude; I know what you’re thinking. But whatever you do, don’t let that stop you from enjoying what is, without a doubt, one of the group’s finest releases to date. While not necessarily on par with the quintet’s quasi-prototypical early works (most notably 1984’s stunning self-titled debut and 1986’s ingenious The Dark), the majority--if not all--of the impressively memorable wares contained herein are seemingly guaranteed to leave both clueless newcomers and die-hard completists alike thoroughly satisfied. As a result, if you’ve once again found yourself in search of a legitimate reason to throw the horns and bang your head like its 1989, then this, my friends, might just be the high octane cure the doctor ordered. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
Select Discography
This Present Wasteland (2008) ***
Dynamo Classic Concerts 1991 (DVD) (2007) **
A Light In The Dark (2006) ***
The Weight Of The World (2004) ***
Masterpeace (1999) *
Live (1998) *
Hanging In The Balance (1993) **
The Human Factor (1991) **
Blessing In Disguise (1989) **
The Dark (1986) *
Metal Church (1984) *
Four Hymns (Demo) (1982) *
* features vocalist David Wayne
** features vocalist Mike Howe
*** features vocalist Ronny Munroe