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 (1986) |
Blessing in Disguise (1989) |
The 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. Much to the dismay of some Metal Church fans, this was the first album not to feature the vocals of David Wayne, due to his departure to form the band Reverend. This 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 strange type of relationship between the 2 bands. The musicians of this new project were made up of the remaining members of Heretic.
Skepticism from the fans of David Wayne's vocals was put to rest upon the albums release, though, as many Metal Church fans find Blessing in Disguise to be nothing short of a brilliant album. It begins with the blistering opener (and live favorite) "Fake Healer", an extremely harsh insight to the mind of a medical practitioner 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). 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 songwriting 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 Can't Be Broken" is a typical metal offering expected by this quintet. "It's a Secret" is an instrumental, displaying the tightness of the unit, and not just instrumental masturbation, as is prone to happen on non-vocal excursions. With Track 8's "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 Pieces" (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
