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)
The Powers That Be
Metal Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Interpretations, different meanings, can be drawn out of anything
It all makes sense now, I see it clear
The picture comes together, and I have lost the fear
Your heart is the key
The powers that be
Are handed to me
There is no suit of armor to protect you from the dark
Just let your guard down, and the sword will hit the mark
The words get twisted, you hear the lies
Just takes a look around you, and pray they realize
Your heart is the key
The powers that be
My sanctuary
It's not what you wear, it's what's in your mind
It's not worth the emptiness inside
I have left all blackness behind
No more questions about black and white
A gift of free will, the choice is all up to you
Just let your faith rule, and you will know what to do
The cults grow stronger, I'll stay away
I'm looking at tomorrow, now I know the way
Your heart is the key
The powers that be
Are handed to me
The lyrics of Metal Church's "The Powers That Be" center on the idea of understanding the power that lies within oneself. The first stanza hints at the multiple interpretations that can be derived from anything, indicating that the lyrics could mean different things to different people. However, the singer finally realizes the true meaning and has overcome their fear. The second stanza reveals that the heart is the key to unlocking this power, which is handed to them. There is no protective gear to shield them from the darkness of the world, but letting down one's guard helps the person grow stronger.
The third stanza emphasizes the importance of the mind rather than the exterior. The notion of emptiness inside, a reference to a quality that remains after someone acquires material possessions, points to the idea that there is more to life than what we see on the surface. The singer has left behind their dark state of mind and no longer questions the relevance of black and white. The fourth and final stanza advises that everyone has the power of free will, and it is up to them to make the right choice. Staying away from cults is recommended as it gives you a chance to look forward to tomorrow, knowing the way.
Line by Line Meaning
It's more than understanding, to realize just what it means
The true meaning behind something is more than just surface-level understanding
Interpretations, different meanings, can be drawn out of anything
Different people can interpret things differently and see different meanings in them
It all makes sense now, I see it clear
Everything is coming together and making sense now
The picture comes together, and I have lost the fear
The big picture is becoming clearer and as a result, fear is dissipating
Your heart is the key
Your emotions and what you truly believe in are crucial to understanding this
The powers that be
The greater forces at work shaping our world and actions
Are handed to me
I hold the power to choose and act based on what I believe and feel
There is no suit of armor to protect you from the dark
You cannot be completely protected from the negative aspects of the world
Just let your guard down, and the sword will hit the mark
Being vulnerable and open may have negative consequences
The words get twisted, you hear the lies
People can manipulate language to distort the truth
Just takes a look around you, and pray they realize
Observe the world and hope others come to understand the true nature of things
My sanctuary
A place of safety and comfort due to my beliefs and understanding
It's not what you wear, it's what's in your mind
Your thoughts and beliefs are more important than your physical appearance
It's not worth the emptiness inside
Being fake or lacking true beliefs leads to a feeling of emptiness inside
I have left all blackness behind
I have moved past negative and dark aspects in my life
No more questions about black and white
I'm no longer concerned about simple, binary answers or explanations
A gift of free will, the choice is all up to you
We are given the gift of free will and ultimately responsible for our own actions and beliefs
Just let your faith rule, and you will know what to do
Allow your beliefs and emotions to guide your decision-making
The cults grow stronger, I'll stay away
I will avoid groups or beliefs that seek to manipulate, control, or harm others
I'm looking at tomorrow, now I know the way
I have a clear understanding of where I'm going and who I am
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CRAIG STEPHEN WELLS, KURDT YORK VANDERHOOF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
James Henderson
It's more than understanding, to realize just what it means
Interpretations, different meanings, can be drawn out of anything
It all makes sense now, I see it clear
The picture comes together, and I have lost the fear
Your heart is the key
The powers that be
Are handed to me
There is no suit of armor to pretect you from the dark
Just let your guard down, and the sword will hit the mark
The words get twisted, you hear the lies
Just takes a look around you, and pray they realize
Your heart is the key
The powers that be
My sanctuary
It's not what you wear, it's what's in your mind
It's not worth the emptiness inside
I have left all blackness behind
No more questions about black and white
A gift of free will, the choice is all up to you
Just let your faith rule, and you will know what to do
The cults grow stronger, I'll stay away
I'm looking at tomorrow, now I know the way
Your heart is the key
The powers that be
Are handed to me
Dom Russo
It's more than understanding, to realize just what it means
Interpretations, different meanings, can be drawn out of anything
It all makes sense now, I see it clear
The picture comes together, and I have lost the fear
Your heart is the key
The powers that be
Are handed to me
There is no suit of armor to protect you from the dark
Just let your guard down, and the sword will hit the mark
The words get twisted, you hear the lies
Just take a look around you, and pray they realize
Your heart is the key
The powers that be
My sanctuary
It's not what you wear, it's what's in your mind
It's not worth the emptiness inside
I have left all blackness behind
No more questions about black and white
A gift of free will, the choice is all up to you
Just let your faith rule, and you will know what to do
The cults grow stronger, I'll stay away
I'm looking at tomorrow, now I know the way
Your heart is the key
The powers that be
Are handed to me
The powers that be
My sanctuary
The powers that be
Brian Reddish
The entire "Blessing In Disguise" album is such an underrated album! I really love that album so much. Every song on it kicks MAJOR ass!
Rodd Cayton
Agreed, sir!
TailgunnerATC
Best song on the album and whole thing was great.
Hugo Caballero
Even when Fake Healer and Badlands are more liked, this is my favorite, the guitars, the drums, bass, and Mike Howe's voice are great.
Ultimate Predator
Great Band , Great Song , Great Album , Great , Great, Great....
Metal Schlicht
A Classic Glorious Anthem of Heavy Metal
Sebastian Boss
I can't believe that only 2944 people have seen this. This is one great song.
Rodd Cayton
That it is, sir.
A Chaps
this is right up there with Metallica's "Blackened" and "One", or Iron Maiden's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and "Aces High".. powerful imagery and concepts... The Powers That Be-EEEEE!
juan99997
Grandes!!