- Country: USA
- Style: Heavy metal
- Label: Rat Pak Records
- Release date: 26 May 2023
Metal Church’s thirteenth album arrived under difficult circumstances. Mike Howe died in 2021, and Kurdt Vanderhoof chose to carry on with Marc Lopes, formerly of Ross the Boss, behind the mic. Vanderhoof produced the record himself and promised a return to the band’s roots, and on that front he mostly delivers.
The opening pair, “Another Judgement Day” and the title track, are fast and mean, with Lopes screaming high and hard in a way that suits the older material better than you might expect. “Pick a God and Prey” has the strongest hook on the album, and “Children of the Lie” slows things down for a heavier, darker mood. “Say a Prayer with 7 Bullets” is short, sharp US power metal at its most direct.
The weak spot is the second half, where a few songs blur together and the production feels a little flat in the low end. Lopes also overdoes the shrieks at times. Still, for a band that could easily have called it a day, this is a solid and sincere record with real bite.
Best tracks:
Congregation of Annihilation
Pick a God and Prey
Children of the Lie
Say a Prayer with 7 Bullets
Author’s rating: 7.5/10
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