Much like the
English punk movement before it, the
New Wave of British Heavy Metal invaded hundreds of American garages in the early '80s and launched countless bands across the nation. It is interesting to note, however, that while in major cities with thriving
punk rock this phenomenon manifested itself in the form of
thrash metal (for example, L.A.'s
Metallica, New York's
Anthrax), in secondary capitals, up-and-coming bands generally boasted a more mainstream
metal approach. Such was the case with Phoenix's
Armored Saint, Connecticut's
Fates Warning, and Seattle's
Queensryche, but
Metal Church (also from Seattle) seemed determined to cover both angles on their powerful 1985 debut. But while the complex songwriting and aggressive riffing seen on
trad metal epics like
"Beyond the Black," "Gods of Wrath," and
"Metal Church" are about as good as it gets,
thrashier moments like
"My Favorite Nightmare," "Battalions," and the appropriately named instrumental
"Merciless Onslaught" still needed a little work. In fact, the band's incredibly tight musicianship is a highlight all on its own, and vocalist
David Wayne's piercing screech (similar to
Accept's
Udo Dirkschneider) was considered very hip at the time, believe it or not. Concluding with a full-throttle cover of the
Deep Purple standard
"Highway Star," this album remains an overlooked classic of straight-ahead American-bred
heavy metal. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia
