New Metal Church album (XI) album cover and track listing revealed

Mike's voice hasn't aged a bit. He can still hit those high notes perfectly well.

Hell yeah! Turns out Mike wasn't lying to 80's Metal Girl!



Already made plans with S.D. for the Whisky show (why do promotional people always misspell that place on tour fliers?). No way I can miss this.

journeyman wrote:

Just got mine and I'm loving it. I ordered the deluxe international version when it was announced and forgot about it....

My CD says "deluxe international version" when popped in my car cd player, however, the packaging is very basic to be deluxe - regular jewel case with one-fold front insert, inside of which has nothing but a band photo... are all "deluxe international versions" like this, or I got a fluke?

stormspell wrote:

journeyman wrote:

Just got mine and I'm loving it. I ordered the deluxe international version when it was announced and forgot about it....

My CD says "deluxe international version" when popped in my car cd player, however, the packaging is very basic to be deluxe - regular jewel case with one-fold front insert, inside of which has nothing but a band photo... are all "deluxe international versions" like this, or I got a fluke?

Rat Pak is terrible with their packaging. I'm not surprised that's all that's there.

I got the jewelcase edition with a black carton cover. The cd has a bonus track. It is at least better than the poor digipack package of generation nothing.

corplhicks wrote:

Hell yeah! Turns out Mike wasn't lying to 80's Metal Girl!



Already made plans with S.D. for the Whisky show (why do promotional people always misspell that place on tour fliers?). No way I can miss this.

Hmmm. Gonna try to make the San Diego Brick By Brick show. If not that one, maybe Vegas. Depends on what days I can get off work.

corplhicks wrote:

stormspell wrote:

journeyman wrote:

Just got mine and I'm loving it. I ordered the deluxe international version when it was announced and forgot about it....

My CD says "deluxe international version" when popped in my car cd player, however, the packaging is very basic to be deluxe - regular jewel case with one-fold front insert, inside of which has nothing but a band photo... are all "deluxe international versions" like this, or I got a fluke?

Rat Pak is terrible with their packaging. I'm not surprised that's all that's there.

It looks like you got screwed. I'm not blown away by the packaging, but I at least have lyrics inside of mine and I have the same 2 disc edition from Rat Pak Records.

Hicks, I'll just let you know that I picked this up because you've been singing its praises. I have a couple of Metal Church albums, but this is my first with Mike Howe. I'm more than familiar with their music with Mike, but there's just so much music out there to still get. "Blessing In Disguise" and the "Human Factor" are very much on the want list. I found my copy yesterday at F.Y.E. They had only one and it was 14.99 for a two disc, which Best Buy was not offering, so why not. I'm sure I will enjoy this quite a bit.

metalinmyveins wrote:

"Blessing In Disguise" and the "Human Factor" are very much on the want list.

You won't be disappointed in those. Both are fantastic albums.

80s Metal Lady wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

Hell yeah! Turns out Mike wasn't lying to 80's Metal Girl!



Already made plans with S.D. for the Whisky show (why do promotional people always misspell that place on tour fliers?). No way I can miss this.

Hmmm. Gonna try to make the San Diego Brick By Brick show. If not that one, maybe Vegas. Depends on what days I can get off work.

Going to make that Portland show for sure any other NW'esters want to met up?

martinsane wrote:

80s Metal Lady wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

Hell yeah! Turns out Mike wasn't lying to 80's Metal Girl!



Already made plans with S.D. for the Whisky show (why do promotional people always misspell that place on tour fliers?). No way I can miss this.

Hmmm. Gonna try to make the San Diego Brick By Brick show. If not that one, maybe Vegas. Depends on what days I can get off work.

Going to make that Portland show for sure any other NW'esters want to met up?

I'll probably be there for that one also. Depends on what I can work out with my job. I live in the Seattle area, but work at night and won't get off in time for the Seattle show, so thought I would just drive south on my day off and catch them in Portland. Venom is coming back the following week, and I don't want to call in sick two weeks in a row, so I'll use a sick day for Venom, and drive a few hours for Metal Church to keep out of trouble.

metalinmyveins wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

stormspell wrote:

journeyman wrote:

Just got mine and I'm loving it. I ordered the deluxe international version when it was announced and forgot about it....

My CD says "deluxe international version" when popped in my car cd player, however, the packaging is very basic to be deluxe - regular jewel case with one-fold front insert, inside of which has nothing but a band photo... are all "deluxe international versions" like this, or I got a fluke?

Rat Pak is terrible with their packaging. I'm not surprised that's all that's there.

It looks like you got screwed. I'm not blown away by the packaging, but I at least have lyrics inside of mine and I have the same 2 disc edition from Rat Pak Records.

Hicks, I'll just let you know that I picked this up because you've been singing its praises. I have a couple of Metal Church albums, but this is my first with Mike Howe. I'm more than familiar with their music with Mike, but there's just so much music out there to still get. "Blessing In Disguise" and the "Human Factor" are very much on the want list. I found my copy yesterday at F.Y.E. They had only one and it was 14.99 for a two disc, which Best Buy was not offering, so why not. I'm sure I will enjoy this quite a bit.

Glad you're on board with the Howe material! If you can score a copy of Hanging in the Balance you'll be complete. The entire Howe Trilogy is flawless, really. Not a bad song in there.

Storm, turns out other buyers are having the same issue with the int version. Apparently Rat Pak has been taking care of the issue so I'd contact them if I were you.

I agree the packaging is miles ahead of Generation Nothing. Artwork, too. That was a terrible digi that looks freaking awkward on the shelf in my collection.

Shay, I don't remember if you had joined when "Generation" was coming out, but people had some not too kind things to say about the cover.

the sentinel wrote:

Shay, I don't remember if you had joined when "Generation" was coming out, but people had some not too kind things to say about the cover.

Oh dude I'll never forget MG's comment. Every time I pull that CD out I feel rather uncomfortable thanks to him.

corplhicks wrote:

Already made plans with S.D. for the Whisky show (why do promotional people always misspell that place on tour fliers?)

Too many Irish people in the U.S

Great band, down to earth dudes as well. By far the best concert I have seen in 2016.

BubbaTwoSix wrote:

Great band, down to earth dudes as well. By far the best concert I have seen in 2016.

Lucky you. Will probably never get to see them alive.
Glad you enjoyed it

So here's my track-by-track takedown:

1. Reset - No other song on this album could be a better opener. It's fast, it's driving, it's got a melody that sticks, and, most importantly, a classic riff that is gold. Seriously, so good that I had to immediately pick it up on guitar (along with several other songs on this album that I now play daily). The chorus is also of interest--each phrase is four measures of the same chord! One really does not hear that these days, and it's quite inventive. Great lyrics, too, that are autobiographical of Howe's return.

2. Killing Your Time - For me one of the weaker songs here but still a ballbuster. Staccato drones in metal are kind of tired to me by now, and the lyrics are a bit weak. But the dynamics save the song, especially in Plate's work (dude has some killer fills). The interlude is the best part, a wave of classic fifth-chord i-III headbanging going to probably the best solo on the album (a dual one!) and climaxing in this huge wall of sustain open-chord zero-G. It ends well, too--just when you think it's about to fade out, Mike growls out a final word that sends shivers up one's spine.

3. No Tomorrow - A blistering piece that makes me want to speed at some incredible number down an empty highway (and I'm a slow driver!). It's important to note that the music video version of this song uses a different version of this song. Here we have the acoustic motif from the interlude being employed as an intro as well, and no staccato intro. It works SO MUCH BETTER. Like I said, that kind of droning doesn't click with me like it used to. Here, however, we have an unconventional curtain call, and when the curtain falls, going right into the song full throttle, it's like a smack on the head. Beyond that, this song is one of my favorites and sort of a daily motivation with the positive lyricism. I find myself humming it quite a bit (with my seven-year-old, who quotes this as his favorite number). Another cool riff that I just had to teach myself right away.

4. Signal Path - Slowing things down a tad, going for a chorus in a major key, another acoustic intro, and Mike singing a little lower. This is one of those times where Kurdt gets a bit complex. The riff is wide open with quite a few chords, and the chorus modulation is an impressive move. This is a darker, more introspective tune. Decent solo that works better than most. The acoustic guitar works really well here. The whole song reminds me of Agent Green from Human Factor.

5. Sky Falls In - A MONSTER, raw and heavy. A little more bluesy affair that lumbers along at a slow pace. The composition behind Mike's verses is chunky as hell with some great chords I can't quite pin down. The chorus, another major key move, is the catchiest on the album. But the cash flow here really gets delivered in the interlude and solo. Not the solo itself--it's the worst on the album, as I stated in an earlier post--but the rhythm behind it. Kurdt has this insane revolving-door single-note arpeggiation over a building double-bass from Plate. I also love the end--there's a bit of a spoiler there so I'll let you find out what I mean.

6. Needle and Suture - Hey, hey, a drug song. You never hear that in metal these days. Sarcasm aside, we get back up to full speed here with a riff that actually hints (deliberately, I'm sure) at Start the Fire. This sucker is a smoking gun and by far the angriest, most aggressive song on the album. Mike is just nasty on the chorus, a stop-go of thrashy angst. The verses are rather cool with some harmony and a neat, slow melody (each phrase would normally leave one gasping for breath). No solo here, just a nice interlude.

7. Shadow - Hell yeah, a song about a stalker! The tension in this number is just amazing and scary at the same time. The riffing is just the least bit understated, never fully coming up for air the entire song. Unger's steady single note bass line works so well in the verse. While the first pre-verse solo is okay, the main solo just isn't very good as a bunch of lingering pentatonic noodling. Best part of this song is Mike's three-note overlay at the close. It just sounds scary and threatening.

8. Blow Your Mind - My favorite on the album, even after thirty or so listens. At first glance before hearing it the first time, I noticed the length and figured it would be the proggy cut (Kurdt has to do at least one per album), but I was mistaken. The length is only due to doomy, slow pace, along with an extended intro that is just mysterious in nature before exploding into one of Kurdt's greatest riffs ever. This is also the heaviest, thickest cut on the record, full of darkness. Most profound here is Mike's delivery: this is his showcase, hands down. The way he belts out the chorus (which consists of five words per phrase held at length) without holding back is menacing. The only solo here is a small, bluesy pre-verse touch that holds up, while the interlude is several single sustained notes of varying pitch with some great double-bass going on. Believe me when I say this is a fist-pumper of a tune and their finest moment on XI.

9. Soul-Eating Machine - This is actually my least favorite song. It's not bad by any stretch, but it reminds me way too much of the Munroe era. In fact, I had to go back to Light in the Dark because I swore this riff was somewhere in there (I was wrong). It's mid-to-fast, a good riff, more of a hard rocker, okay solo, and tired lyrics about backstabbers and such. Nice to hear a song in C#m, the same key that was used for the Metal Church song itself.

10. It Waits - We return to a mix of the tension of Shadow and the menace of Blow Your Mind with a surprise mid-section. There's a great whisper-to-scream moment with the verse and chorus acting as dichotomy--low-key, feverish psychedelic clean chords drenched in chorus, diving into a huge riff with Mike screaming "and it waits for you" at the top of his lungs. After two movements, watch out! We get a change of key AND gears into overdrive for the rest of the song. It's almost like a new song in fact, driving and relentless, and a cool throwback to what made 1980's heavy metal so great. The solo here is actually really good and ends in a flurry of notes in the fade out. Really cool number that showcases more of Kurdt's ingenuity.

11. Suffer Fools - Another barnburner that works as a closer as well as Fight Song did for Human Factor. Pretty straightforward and enjoyable, which is usually how Kurdt likes to end his records. Dual lead section is rather smokin', feels less generic and more interwoven. The ending is a brilliant display of madness and intensity with Plate going Animal on his set.

Thanks to Sentinel who sent me a copy of the bonus disc, I'll get around to some shorter reviews of the bonus cuts. All in all, this is the best MC album since Hanging in the Balance. I cannot wait for that show at the Whisky.

I still need to pick this one up.

I need to get around to listening to this one, lol. What with all this praise.

"Reset," "Killing Your Time" and "Suffer Fools" are my faves

The whole album smokes butI'm partial to Killing Your Time and It Waits

If I had to rank them great to good...

Blow Your Mind
No Tomorrow
Reset
Shadow
Sky Falls In
It Waits
Suffer Fools
Needle & Suture
Killing Your Time
Signal Path
Soul-Eating Machine

Wrecked Neck wrote:

martinsane wrote:

80s Metal Lady wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

Hell yeah! Turns out Mike wasn't lying to 80's Metal Girl!



Already made plans with S.D. for the Whisky show (why do promotional people always misspell that place on tour fliers?). No way I can miss this.

Hmmm. Gonna try to make the San Diego Brick By Brick show. If not that one, maybe Vegas. Depends on what days I can get off work.

Going to make that Portland show for sure any other NW'esters want to met up?

I'll probably be there for that one also. Depends on what I can work out with my job. I live in the Seattle area, but work at night and won't get off in time for the Seattle show, so thought I would just drive south on my day off and catch them in Portland. Venom is coming back the following week, and I don't want to call in sick two weeks in a row, so I'll use a sick day for Venom, and drive a few hours for Metal Church to keep out of trouble.

I am in Battle Ground an exit North of Vancouver, PM me if you want to ride share/meet up as you will drive right past me on the way to PDX and the same on the way back up...

corplhicks wrote:

So here's my track-by-track takedown:

1. Reset - No other song on this album could be a better opener. It's fast, it's driving, it's got a melody that sticks, and, most importantly, a classic riff that is gold. Seriously, so good that I had to immediately pick it up on guitar (along with several other songs on this album that I now play daily). The chorus is also of interest--each phrase is four measures of the same chord! One really does not hear that these days, and it's quite inventive. Great lyrics, too, that are autobiographical of Howe's return.

2. Killing Your Time - For me one of the weaker songs here but still a ballbuster. Staccato drones in metal are kind of tired to me by now, and the lyrics are a bit weak. But the dynamics save the song, especially in Plate's work (dude has some killer fills). The interlude is the best part, a wave of classic fifth-chord i-III headbanging going to probably the best solo on the album (a dual one!) and climaxing in this huge wall of sustain open-chord zero-G. It ends well, too--just when you think it's about to fade out, Mike growls out a final word that sends shivers up one's spine.

3. No Tomorrow - A blistering piece that makes me want to speed at some incredible number down an empty highway (and I'm a slow driver!). It's important to note that the music video version of this song uses a different version of this song. Here we have the acoustic motif from the interlude being employed as an intro as well, and no staccato intro. It works SO MUCH BETTER. Like I said, that kind of droning doesn't click with me like it used to. Here, however, we have an unconventional curtain call, and when the curtain falls, going right into the song full throttle, it's like a smack on the head. Beyond that, this song is one of my favorites and sort of a daily motivation with the positive lyricism. I find myself humming it quite a bit (with my seven-year-old, who quotes this as his favorite number). Another cool riff that I just had to teach myself right away.

4. Signal Path - Slowing things down a tad, going for a chorus in a major key, another acoustic intro, and Mike singing a little lower. This is one of those times where Kurdt gets a bit complex. The riff is wide open with quite a few chords, and the chorus modulation is an impressive move. This is a darker, more introspective tune. Decent solo that works better than most. The acoustic guitar works really well here. The whole song reminds me of Agent Green from Human Factor.

5. Sky Falls In - A MONSTER, raw and heavy. A little more bluesy affair that lumbers along at a slow pace. The composition behind Mike's verses is chunky as hell with some great chords I can't quite pin down. The chorus, another major key move, is the catchiest on the album. But the cash flow here really gets delivered in the interlude and solo. Not the solo itself--it's the worst on the album, as I stated in an earlier post--but the rhythm behind it. Kurdt has this insane revolving-door single-note arpeggiation over a building double-bass from Plate. I also love the end--there's a bit of a spoiler there so I'll let you find out what I mean.

6. Needle and Suture - Hey, hey, a drug song. You never hear that in metal these days. Sarcasm aside, we get back up to full speed here with a riff that actually hints (deliberately, I'm sure) at Start the Fire. This sucker is a smoking gun and by far the angriest, most aggressive song on the album. Mike is just nasty on the chorus, a stop-go of thrashy angst. The verses are rather cool with some harmony and a neat, slow melody (each phrase would normally leave one gasping for breath). No solo here, just a nice interlude.

7. Shadow - Hell yeah, a song about a stalker! The tension in this number is just amazing and scary at the same time. The riffing is just the least bit understated, never fully coming up for air the entire song. Unger's steady single note bass line works so well in the verse. While the first pre-verse solo is okay, the main solo just isn't very good as a bunch of lingering pentatonic noodling. Best part of this song is Mike's three-note overlay at the close. It just sounds scary and threatening.

8. Blow Your Mind - My favorite on the album, even after thirty or so listens. At first glance before hearing it the first time, I noticed the length and figured it would be the proggy cut (Kurdt has to do at least one per album), but I was mistaken. The length is only due to doomy, slow pace, along with an extended intro that is just mysterious in nature before exploding into one of Kurdt's greatest riffs ever. This is also the heaviest, thickest cut on the record, full of darkness. Most profound here is Mike's delivery: this is his showcase, hands down. The way he belts out the chorus (which consists of five words per phrase held at length) without holding back is menacing. The only solo here is a small, bluesy pre-verse touch that holds up, while the interlude is several single sustained notes of varying pitch with some great double-bass going on. Believe me when I say this is a fist-pumper of a tune and their finest moment on XI.

9. Soul-Eating Machine - This is actually my least favorite song. It's not bad by any stretch, but it reminds me way too much of the Munroe era. In fact, I had to go back to Light in the Dark because I swore this riff was somewhere in there (I was wrong). It's mid-to-fast, a good riff, more of a hard rocker, okay solo, and tired lyrics about backstabbers and such. Nice to hear a song in C#m, the same key that was used for the Metal Church song itself.

10. It Waits - We return to a mix of the tension of Shadow and the menace of Blow Your Mind with a surprise mid-section. There's a great whisper-to-scream moment with the verse and chorus acting as dichotomy--low-key, feverish psychedelic clean chords drenched in chorus, diving into a huge riff with Mike screaming "and it waits for you" at the top of his lungs. After two movements, watch out! We get a change of key AND gears into overdrive for the rest of the song. It's almost like a new song in fact, driving and relentless, and a cool throwback to what made 1980's heavy metal so great. The solo here is actually really good and ends in a flurry of notes in the fade out. Really cool number that showcases more of Kurdt's ingenuity.

11. Suffer Fools - Another barnburner that works as a closer as well as Fight Song did for Human Factor. Pretty straightforward and enjoyable, which is usually how Kurdt likes to end his records. Dual lead section is rather smokin', feels less generic and more interwoven. The ending is a brilliant display of madness and intensity with Plate going Animal on his set.

Thanks to Sentinel who sent me a copy of the bonus disc, I'll get around to some shorter reviews of the bonus cuts. All in all, this is the best MC album since Hanging in the Balance. I cannot wait for that show at the Whisky.

My pleasure. Excellent review, Corp.

Well, got the days off from work and the hotel booked. Going to the San Diego show at Brick By Brick. Any forum members going to that one?