Right up to date with studio releases anyway, as this was Metal Church’s last studio recording, released in 2018. It was also vocalist Mike Howe’s last recording before he sadly committed suicide.
The album opens with the title track, and man what a killer riff and groove to blast your ears open. Even though the riff and groove smoke, the hook and chorus are superb with just the right amount of melody. The Black Things is next up and boom, another killer opening which reminds me of early Annihilator. That picked guitar riff is killer and gives the song that touch of the epic. By The Number starts as though it’s life depended on it with some old school Bay Area thrash vibes. It’s great to see a metal band still thinking that a great hook and chorus is not just for pop bands.
That’s Side 1 done and Revolution Underway kicks off Side 2. The underlying groove is a gallop and it’s the most commercial song so far, I love the middle section. Guillotine follows and the intro brings the drama big time. It’s back to 86′ with a riff and groove worthy of that period. Next up is Rot Away. Killer old school riffage with chuggas a plenty. Old school metal rules! Great guitar sound to the intro of Into The Fold, double kicks pounding with monster riffage. Monkey Finger has that Judas Priest groove thing going down. Out Of Balance rips in at a fair old pace with a super cool descending riff, I love the hook and chorus, and it’s my favourite track. The album closes out with The War Electric, another chunk of old school thrash. Epic stuff!
It’s great to see a band over forty years into their career come out with an album like this. Great album!
9/10 from The Grooveman.
