Metal Church has had a revolving door of vocalists, guitarists, bassists and drummers throughout its 42-year career, and Vanderhoof remains the group's sole consistent creative, despite reducing his role strictly to composition in 1986 after tiring of performing. The "classic" lineup of Vanderhoof, vocalist David Wayne, guitarist Craig Wells, bassist Duke Erickson, and drummer Kirk Arrington recorded the band's first two studio albums, Metal Church (1984) and their major breakthrough The Dark (1986). By the end of the 1980s, Vandehoof and Wayne had parted ways with the band and were replaced by vocalist Mike Howe and guitarist John Marshall respectively. Metal Church's popularity continued with their third album Blessing in Disguise (1989), which spawned one of their best-known songs "Badlands". After releasing two more studio albums with Howe, the band called it quits in 1996.
Metal Church reformed in 1998 with most of their "classic" lineup, including Vanderhoof's return to performance, resulting in the Masterpeace album. They endured numerous lineup changes thereafter, releasing three further studio albums while fronted by Ronny Munroe before disbanding once again in July 2009. The group reunited for the second time in October 2012, and released their tenth studio album Generation Nothing a year later. Following Munroe's departure in the fall of 2014, Metal Church considered disbanding for the third time before Howe was rehired in April 2015 as the band's lead singer. He recorded two more albums with the group, which enjoyed a renewed popularity in the mid-to-late 2010s, before his death.
On July 26, 2021, Metal Church announced that Howe had died that morning at his home in Eureka, California, at the age of 55. In October 2021, after announcing the return of his short-lived early 1990s band Hall Aflame, Vanderhoof hinted that Metal Church would continue on with a replacement for Howe. By mid-2022, rumors suggested that Ronny Munroe would rejoin the band, but resulted in him joining Vicious Rumors.
On February 2, 2023, Metal Church announced Marc Lopes as their new lead vocalist. A month later, the band announced their upcoming album, Congregation of Annihilation, would be released on May 26.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Church
Discography
Metal Church (1984)
The Dark (1986)
Blessing in Disguise (1989)
The Human Factor (1991)
Hanging in the Balance (1993)
Masterpeace (1999)
The Weight of the World (2004)
A Light in the Dark (2006)
This Present Wasteland (2008)
Generation Nothing (2013)
XI (2016)
Damned If You Do (2018)
Congregation of Annihilation (2023)
In Mourning
Metal Church Lyrics
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If you think the words I'm singing are why your kids are dead
Maybe could it be that no one was there to hear
Did you pay attention to their angers and their fears?
You're trying to find someone to blame who can't be put on trial
The enemy you're looking for is laughing all the while
I mourn for those who have been so deceived
People in glass house should not be throwing stones
A sticker on a record won't give your kids a home
So sad it takes someone to die for you to start to care
Your neglect and misguidance have become your nightmare
I hope and pray this tragedy was not all just in vain
Now you can help somebody else avoid the endless pain
I mourn for those who have been so deceived
You know the last words that they spoke were "Who loves me?"
I hope that someday you will stop and realize why so many kids have died
Think twice before you point a finger that you may regret
To clear your conscience is your goal, but that is all you'll get
What's done is done, you can't bring them back, just let go of despair
You keep saying to yourself "If only I'd been there"
I mourn for those who have been so deceived
You know the last words that they spoke were "Who loves me?"
I hope that someday you will stop and realize
Just why do many kids have died
The lyrics to Metal Church's song "In Mourning" reflect on the tragedy of youth suicide and the pain that comes with it. The song addresses the idea that if more people paid attention to the struggles of youth and showed them compassion, then perhaps some of these tragedies could have been avoided. The opening line, "Maybe if you'd listen than you'd know what I just said," suggests that there are people who simply are not paying attention to the struggles of young people. The song argues that neglect and misguidance by adults can be the cause of the endless pain and despair experienced by young people.
The song also confronts the idea that it is too easy to blame others in order to avoid taking responsibility for one's actions. The lyric "You're trying to find someone to blame who can't be put on trial/The enemy you're looking for is laughing all the while," speaks to the importance of accountability and the idea that sometimes we have to confront our own failures and shortcomings in order to make a change. The repeated lines "I mourn for those who have been so deceived/You know the last words that they spoke were 'Who loves me?'" drive home the heartache and tragedy of youth suicide and remind us that even in the darkest moments, young people are searching for love and connection.
Ultimately, the song encourages listeners to take action and help others avoid this type of pain. It is a call to awareness, compassion, and empathy for those around us who may be struggling with their own inner demons.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe if you'd listen than you'd know what I just said
If you paid attention to what I'm saying, maybe you would understand.
If you think the words I'm singing are why your kids are dead
The words in my song are not the reason your kids died.
Maybe could it be that no one was there to hear
Did anyone listen to their cries for help?
Did you pay attention to their angers and their fears?
Did you notice when your children were struggling?
You're trying to find someone to blame who can't be put on trial
You're looking for a scapegoat instead of addressing the true problem.
The enemy you're looking for is laughing all the while
The real problem is still out there and causing harm.
I mourn for those who have been so deceived
I feel sadness for those who have been misled.
You know the last words that they spoke were 'Who loves me?'
Many people who have died felt unloved in their last moments.
People in glass house should not be throwing stones
Don't criticize others when you have the same flaws.
A sticker on a record won't give your kids a home
A small action won't make up for larger failures as a parent.
So sad it takes someone to die for you to start to care
It's heartbreaking that it often takes tragedy for people to realize the seriousness of the situation.
Your neglect and misguidance have become your nightmare
Your failure as a parent has turned into a terrible outcome.
I hope and pray this tragedy was not all just in vain
I hope there is a lesson to be learned from this tragedy.
Now you can help somebody else avoid the endless pain
Use this experience to help others avoid the same tragedy.
Think twice before you point a finger that you may regret
Be careful when placing blame, as it may come back to haunt you.
To clear your conscience is your goal, but that is all you'll get
Seeking to alleviate guilt won't necessarily fix the problem at hand.
What's done is done, you can't bring them back, just let go of despair
The past can't be changed, so it's important to move forward and look for solutions instead of dwelling on the despair.
You keep saying to yourself 'If only I'd been there'
It's natural to regret not being able to change the past, but it's important to focus on what can be done now.
I hope that someday you will stop and realize why so many kids have died
It's important to find the root cause of the problem in order to prevent future tragedies.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL P. HOWE, JOHN SPENCER MARSHALL, CRAIG STEPHEN WELLS, KURDT YORK VANDERHOOF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind