Metal Church | Artist

Metal Church is an American heavy metal band formed 1980 by initial members Kurdt Vanderhoof (guitar), Aaron Zimpel (drums), Steve Hott (bass) and Rick "Chief" Condrin (guitar). Before forming Metal Church, Vanderhoof aka 'Blobbo' was bassist for the Seattle based punk outfit The Lewd, who released the highly regarded album American Wino in 1982. They originally formed in San Francisco, California before relocating to Aberdeen, Washington the following year and briefly using the name Shrapnel. The band went through many different members, particularly drummers, with Vanderhoof being the only constant band member. The present day lineup comprises, Vanderhoof with Steve Unger (bass), Rick Van Zandt (guitar) and Stet Howland (drums). The band has released twelve consistently strong studio albums, and is often credited as a formative influence on the thrash metal subgenre, melding the aesthetics of the new wave of British heavy metal and American hard rock with incredibly tight musicianship and piercingly screeched vocals. They are also considered to be an integral part of the Seattle heavy metal music scene of the 1980s. Standout albums include their first four releases: Metal Church (1984), The Dark (1986), Blessing in Disguise (1989) and The Human Factor (1991). Hanging in the Balance from 1993 is also a strong album but after that they were never able to recapture their early form. An interesting fact about Metal Church is that in their formative days they auditioned a young drummer by the name of Lars Ulrich, who later went on to be a founding member of metal giants Metallica.

Artist Website: metalchurchofficial.com

Featured Albums: Metal Church

Related Artists: Griffin

Video Clips: Badlands, In Harms Way, Gods of Wrath