Blessing in Disguise (Metal Church album)
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| Blessing in Disguise | ||
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| Studio album by Metal Church | ||
| Released | 1989 (LP) 1990 (CD) |
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| Recorded | Aug 29 - Oct 4, 1988 | |
| Genre | Heavy metal | |
| Length | 54:34 | |
| Label | Elektra | |
| Producer(s) | Terry Date | |
| Professional reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
| Metal Church chronology | ||
| The Dark (1987) |
Blessing in Disguise (1989) |
Human Factor (1991) |
Blessing in Disguise is an album by American heavy metal band Metal Church, released as a vinyl LP in the summer of 1989; the CD followed in 1990.
It was the band's final release on the Elektra label. The release featured new vocalist Mike Howe (ex-Heretic). Kurdt Vanderhoof had produced Heretics final album "Breaking Point" previously. It seems that is how Mike Howe came to the attention of Metal Church. Thus also began a type of incestuous relationship between the 2 bands. After David Wayne left Metal Church, he formed a new band called Reverend. The musicians of this new project were made up of the remaining members of Heretic. Blessing in Disguise is nothing short of a brilliant album. It begins with the bilstering opener (and live favorite) "Fake Healer", an extremely harsh insight to the mind of a medical practioner only out for money. The album continues on with "Rest in Pieces (April 15, 1912)", an account of the sinking of the Titanic (before all the James Cameron fervour). Both songs are introducing a vocal annunciation that was hinted at on "The Dark" release, but is fully realised on this, and the 2 releases that follow (1991s Human Factor & 1993s Hanging in The Balance). On track 3 we hear "Of Unsound Mind", a straight-forward Metal Church song. What follows is a jewel in the Metal Church crown. "Anthem To The Estranged" is a nearly 10 minute epic that showcases the incredible songwrtitng of Kurt Vanderhoof and the amazing vocal talent of Mike Howe. Track 5 (1st song, side 2 of the album for the older generation) "Badlands" was the video release for this album, a wonderful contrast from clean guitars and soft vocals, to thunderous metal and grated screams. Track 6 "The Spell Cant Be Broken" is a typical metal offering expected by this quintet. "Its a Secret" is a fun instrumental, displaying the tightness of the unit, and not just instrumental mastrabation, as is prone to happen on non-vocal excursions. With track 8s "Cannot Tell A Lie", we get another "Politicians Are Evil" song that were so popular in this genre, back in the day. The album closes out with "The Powers That Be", a definite fanfare finale to an album that was to become a classic.
[edit] Track listing
- "Fake Healer" – 5:55
- "Rest In Piece" (April 15, 1912)" – 6:38
- "Of Unsound Mind" – 4:44
- "Anthem To The Estranged" – 9:31
- "Badlands" – 7:21
- "The Spell Can't Be Broken" – 6:46
- "It's A Secret" – 3:47
- "Cannot Tell A Lie" – 4:17
- "The Powers That Be" – 5:22
