http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=123255

Seattle, Washington-based metallers METAL CHURCH have released the following statements:

"To all of our fans and friends...

"We regretfully announce that METAL CHURCH is calling it quits.

"The performance at Rocklahoma
will be our last show. We have had to cancel the shows scheduled for
August and that, among other things, has led us to have to make this
decision.

"There has been far too much frustration and
disappointment in trying to keep moving forward. The collapse of our
record company, SPV,
has made it next to impossible for us to continue in any kind of
professional manner due to lack of tour support. This decision was not
made lightly.

"We do have unfinished business in the studio, and with any luck we will have something that will be of interest to METAL CHURCH fans in the near future.

"We would like to thank all the fans that have stuck with METAL CHURCH through all these years, the lineup changes and the ups and downs.

"We can't tell you how much your support has meant to us, we appreciate each and every one of you.

"It's been a great ride."

"This Present Wasteland", the latest album from METAL CHURCH, sold 920 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Worse news ever this year besides hometown Billy Mays dieing ( I know they are apples and oranges). However Metal Church was one of those bands that I just owned everything they did and loved all of it, including Ronny Monroe's solo album. I think it is a shame that this past album only sold 920 albums its first week of release. Anyhow, I hope they have some chance of coming back down the road, or at least that Ronny Monroe keeps doing solo albums. Very bad news indeed.

I wonder how many more SPV acts will quit too. ANNIHILATOR?

I was going to get my tickets for metal church today. This is very sad. They are one of my favorite bands, I never got the chance to see them. I hope they come back

Wow that sucks. I just started getting into them too.

Yeah it is bad news, but I dont get the SPV reference. Do they mean that SPV didnt support them or did SPV go under recently?

Can't expect a band to last forever. Glad that they lasted this long, though.

SPV declared bankruptcy.

I kinda already knew about this but kept it secret. These guys RULE and always will be a class act! Everyone in the band is very cool and awesome musicians.

I'm more surprised at SPV going under. Wow that seems like a shocker to me.

Smurf. Another quality band down the tubes. IMO, This band is definitely a victim of people who download. It's a ripple effect. Required Fields downloads the new MC album a month before it comes out and then doesn't buy it. Ever. SPV makes no money, which means MC makes no money, which means Kurdt Vanderfhoof goes back to work at the steel mill full time because he's blown through his entire life's savings to keep this band afloat for the past 10 years. This blows.

This Present Wasteland deserved to sell much more than 920 copies it's first week. Really all of their releases should have been bigger sellers. Sad news indeed about them having to call it quits. Hopefully somehow down the road they can come back.

Horrible about SPV too.

Quite a shame. I never even got to see them perform live.

This sucks! I was going to see them soon...

I guess I am not to surprised about it, I remember when blabbermouth posted the sales for This Present Wasteland last year and I commented on how shame it is that it was not much higher.

Then Kurt hurt his back and needed to rehab it, so there was no tour since it had to be canceled. Then Ronny said that he couldnt sit around waiting for a tour so he went right back to the studio and made a solo album. I am hoping he is finding more success on that great album then the last MC album did. I personally think he is a fantastic singer and still plenty young enough to give us much more.

I really want them to come back someday, and very soon. They are or were one of the best bands out there, and one of the most influential bands of heavy metal

DAMMIT !!



That is TERRIBLE news. One of my all-time favorites. Sad to see them go. Here's hoping that they can somehow get it back together someday.

Not to suprised or upset really. They haven't put out anything real good since the third album, though Masterpeace was o.k. Those first three sure were great though. R.I.P. Wayne

Sucks, but somehow not surprising...between the constant lineup shifts during the "new era" and now their record company imploding, something had to give.

^^ Yeah, sucks but not a surprise. I never really thought Ronnie's voice gelled w/ the sound of the band, and I'm guessing the metal masses didn't either. Too bad, with a different vocalist they may have held more interest of late.

Not the least of which is:



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What a shame. Metal church ruled.

What a shame but I am not surprised.