Line #27 Music/MetalChurch


1	[[quoteright:253:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/metal_church.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:253:In the blood since 1980.]]
3
4
5	->''Metal church, unholy, who'll be the sacrifice''\
6	''Metal church, the only, don't you know the time is right''\
7	''Metal church will find you, can't run very far''\
8	''Metal church inside you, knows just who you are''
9	-->-- "Metal Church"
10
11	Metal Church are a power metal band from UsefulNotes/{{Seattle}}, United States. While they started off as a band bordering on ThrashMetal in TheEighties, they eventually eased into American PowerMetal after a short while. Their lyrics also changed over that period, from scares and nightmares, to social issues.
12	----
13
14	Discography:
15
16	* ''Metal Church'' (1984)
17	* ''The Dark'' (1986)
18	* ''Blessing In Disguise'' (1989)
19	* ''Human Factor'' (1991)
20	* ''Hanging In The Balance'' (1993)
21	* ''Masterpeace'' (1999)
22	* ''The Weight Of The World'' (2004)
23	* ''A Light In The Dark'' (2006)
24	* ''This Present Wasteland'' (2008)
25	* ''Generation Nothing'' (2013)
26	* ''XI'' (2016)
27	* ''Damned If You Do'' (2018)
28	* ''Congregation of Annihilation'' (2023)
29
30	----
31
32	!!The band and their music includes examples of:
33
34	* AudienceParticipationSong: They have a few, notably "Metal Church", "Start the Fire", "Fake Healer", "Badlands" and "The Human Factor".
35	* BadassBoast : In "Metal Church", the quote at the top of this page.
36	* BadassesWearBandanas: Bassist Duke Erickson, in the band's early years.
37	* BurialAtSea: One of the song titles from ''The Dark'' (1986). They also did a song on the sinking of the Titanic ("Rest In Pieces (April 15, 1912") from ''Blessing In Disguise'').
38	* BloodKnight: The hitman from the song of the same name in their first album.
39	* ChronologicalAlbumTitle: ''XI'' is their eleventh album.
40	* [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Corrupt Corporate Executive]]/[[CorruptPolitician Politician]]: Songs are written about them in albums starting from ''Blessing In Disguise'' (1989).
41	* CoverVersion: "Highway Star" by Music/DeepPurple, on their debut album.
42	* DoctorJerk: "Fake Healer" from ''Blessing In Disguise'' (1989). This doctor will work only for big money, and has no qualms about letting poor patients die if they can't pay him.
43	-->You're dying on a stretcher\
44	We'll try to save your life\
45	If you can't afford my service\
46	I will let you die!
47	* DrivenToSuicide: The central character or narrator in "Gods of Second Chance" from ''Hanging In The Balance'' (1993). Except that he's having second thoughts about it and wants to be heard. Likely a case of InterruptedSuicide without someone else interrupting.
48	* EightiesHair: Some band members took this even into the nineties, especially vocalist Mike Howe. Averted with Kurdt Vanderhoof, even in TheEighties.
49	* EpicRocking: At over seven minutes a song-
50	** "Anthem to the Estranged" and "Badlands" from ''Blessing in Disguise'' (1989).
51	** "In Harms Way" from ''The Human Factor''(1991).
52	** "Little Boy" and "End of the Age" from ''Hanging in the Balance'' (1993).
53	** "Madman's Overture" from ''The Weight Of The World'' (2004)
54	** "Temples at Sea" from ''A Light in the Dark'' (2006).
55	** "Deeds of a Dead Soul" from ''This Present Wasteland'' (2008).
56	* EvilLaugh: "Metal Church" has this at the beginning.
57	* FadingIntoTheNextSong: "Beyond The Black" → "Metal Church", from ''Metal Church'' (1984).
58	* FanDisservice: The utterly ugly cover for ''Hanging In The Balance''. [[ShmuckBait Do NOT look it up]].
59	* GratuitousPanning: The opening to "Rest In Pieces (April 15, 1912)" from ''Blessing In Disguise'', which fades in for a long time.
60	* HeavyMeta: "Metal Church" in the first album, in a dark way. The band averts this trope otherwise.
61	* IdiosyncraticCoverArt: Their albums often feature a Gibson Explorer guitar with a cruciform neck.
62	** CoversAlwaysLie: They don't use that brand of guitar often. Their preferred brand is the Gibson Les Paul, in recordings, live performances and video shoots.
63	* IAmTheBand: Kurdt Vanderhoof is Metal Church. He's either featured in all the lineups as a player, or as a songwriter.
64	* MetalScream: All vocalists have made extensive use of a Type 4. David Wayne was the most famous, but Mike Howe and Ronny Munroe have been just as capable.
65	* NightmareFuelStationAttendant: The conductor from the song of the same name from ''Hanging In The Balance'' (1993).
66	* PowerBallad: "Gods of Wrath", "Watch the Children Pray", "Badlands", "Anthem to the Estranged", and at least one per album. Most of them cross over with EpicRocking, given their length.
67	* PowerMetal: Their chosen style, although their first two albums have traces of ThrashMetal in them.
68	* RatedMForManly: With a brain, as their socially-conscious lyrics often suggest.
69	* RevolvingDoorBand: None of the band members have stayed in all the lineups.
70	** TheMentor: Not even Kurdt Vanderhoof, a founding member. For a few years, he was in the band merely as a songwriter, not as a player.
71	** TheBigGuy: John Marshall, the guitarist from the ''Blessing In Disguise'' lineup, who played in four albums, stands 6'7" tall.
72	* SelfTitledAlbum: ''Metal Church'' (1984), with a title song "Metal Church".
73	* SinisterMinister: "This Spell Can't Be Broken" from ''Blessing In Disguise'' (1989) features one, who has a {{Cult}} following.
74	* VocalEvolution: Ronny Munroe started with a rougher, grittier tone before gradually expanding his higher range to the point where he sounded like a somewhat rawer David Wayne by ''Generation Nothing''. Averted with Mike Howe, whose style and voice has not changed in the slightest between ''Hanging in the Balance'' and ''XI''.

Context Music / MetalChurch