One thing that is predictable about the music I get for this column is how unpredictable it can be. Every week the range of heavy music I am to review is quite interesting. This lot is no different… everything from instrumental metal to booze-sodden blues rock.

CD Reviews

Believer: Extraction from Morality, Sanity Obscure & Dimensions

A mixture of progressive meanderings, death metal, and thrash, this lot do headbanging for Christ instead of against it. Believer was one of those anomalies in metal, quite literally Christian death metal. Most people would think that it's not possible, but don’t tell this load of thrashers. Formed in the mid-80s, they released these three at their peak.

Which one of the three you will like entirely depends on how you like your metal. They progressively get more progressive as they age with the final album of the three being the one filled with the most clever chops. Think Testament and you will probably be quite close. The Christian element to the band never gets preachy or in your face. My pick of the whole lot is the epic three parter called “Movement” at the tail end of Dimensions. It sums up all the elements of the band quite well. The use of string instruments adds to its strength and menace of the cacophony.

No doubt fans of the band's death metal past hated it with every inch of their being, but I think it shows the imagination and talent of the band. Oh yes, and to make it more interesting there is a nice interplay between male death metal vocals and more melodic female ones. Considering it was done in '93 it's an interesting foreshadowing to where metal was heading in the '00s.

Metal Church: This Present Wasteland

A band that has quite a few ex-members, including briefly, in pre-deal rehearsing form, one Lars Ulrich of Metallica fame. Centered around guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof, this lot have been treading the metal boards for quite a long time. With ex-Paladin man Ronny Monrue on vocals the band have taken on quite a Iron Maiden-like sound. Now, that is not a bad thing at all. The album is full of well constructed power metal done well. “Congregation,” the final track of the album, accurately sums up the whole vibe. The joke in the title is quite amusing as well.

Of course there will be those that scoff at this release, because the band no longer features the talents of vocalist David Wayne, who sadly died a few years ago. I think Venderhoof keeps the flag flying in a most adroit manner.

It's one of the best Metal Church releases I have heard since their prime. Lots of clever rifting and powerful lyrics, this is the sound of a mature metal band doing what they do best. Metal fans should check this lot out as  it's a quality release start to finish. The Church of Metal is still going strong.