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)
Nightmare
Metal Church Lyrics
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In a path, splattered gore all through the night
Wakin' up at midnight, my bodies soaked in sweat
All my friends are down the stairs, watching the TV set
Hearing now a scratching noise outside my window pane
Wondering if it's real or am I going insane
Running fast to lock the doors, a banshee now awaits
A friend of mine is the first one out to check
[inaudible]
Ripping flesh, [something] fly, we hear them slowly die
Then the cry of the banshee..., we run for our life
Scream! Scream for your life!
Scream! Scream for your life!
Ahh! No!
The lyrics of Metal Church's "Nightmare" paint a vivid picture of terror, with the singer experiencing violent and visceral imagery while wracked with fear. The song appears to be about a group of friends who are spending the night together, only to find themselves besieged by supernatural entities. The opening lines suggest a state of unease and excitement, with the singer's soul feeling restless and full of both ecstasy and fright. The following lines describe a scene of carnage, with a path of splattered gore leading through the night. The singer wakes up in a cold sweat, only to find their friends watching TV downstairs.
As the song continues, the atmosphere grows more tense and terrifying. The scratching noise outside the window pane brings a sense of unease and a question of the singer's sanity. Running to lock the doors, they realize that a banshee now awaits them. The group frantically tries to warn each other, but it may be too late. The banshee attacks, and the friends are forced to flee for their lives.
The chorus of the song is a plea for survival, with the singer urging themselves and their friends to scream for their lives. The song ends with a final shriek of terror, ending the nightmare.
Line by Line Meaning
Better flood that restless soul of ecstacy and fright
To overcome the mental torment and fear, one must face and confront it with a strong and united front.
In a path, splattered gore all through the night
The gruesome and awful scenes of horror that have become a part of reality, cannot be erased or ignored, and continue to haunt and follow the characters.
Wakin' up at midnight, my bodies soaked in sweat
The intense and vivid dreams of terror have caused the singer to physically react and manifest their fears in reality.
All my friends are down the stairs, watching the TV set
The characters are trying to escape the horrors and distract themselves with the mundane and everyday activities of life, but the terror is not far behind.
Hearing now a scratching noise outside my window pane
The characters are starting to experience strange and inexplicable occurrences that defy rational explanation, and only fuel their fears and uncertainty.
Wondering if it's real or am I going insane
The characters question their own sanity and perceptions of reality, as the line between normalcy and terror becomes blurred and indistinguishable.
Running fast to lock the doors, a banshee now awaits
The characters realize the gravity of the situation and the imminent danger that they are in, and try to protect themselves from the supernatural being that is lurking outside.
Seconds count, I warn my friends, or is it now too late?
The characters are desperate to save themselves and each other, as they weigh the odds of survival against the relentless and relentless terror that is closing in on them.
A friend of mine is the first one out to check
The characters struggle to maintain their courage and composure, as they try to find a way out of the dire situation.
[inaudible]
The events unfolding are too terrible and gruesome for the characters to comprehend or fully articulate, as they are overwhelmed with fear and despair.
Ripping flesh, [something] fly, we hear them slowly die
The imagery of violence and death is vividly portrayed, as the characters witness and experience the brutal and horrific consequences of the supernatural attack.
Then the cry of the banshee..., we run for our life
The characters are faced with the ultimate realization that they are no match for the unstoppable force of the supernatural, and must flee for their lives if they want to survive.
Scream! Scream for your life!
The primal and instinctual response to imminent danger, as the characters try to ward off the demonic entity with their own fearsome screams.
Ahh! No!
The characters' final moments of dread and horror, as they realize the futility and inevitability of their own demise at the hands of the vengeful and malevolent supernatural being.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Written by: CRAIG STEPHEN WELLS, DAVID WAYNE CARNELL, KURDT YORK VANDERHOOF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind