Metal Church reveals new LP track listing, cover art

Veteran hard-rockers reunite with former singer
By Peter Lindblad

Metal Church will release its new
album 'XI' in March (Photo by
Mike Savoia)

Welcome back, Mike Howe. We missed you in church ... Metal Church that is.

Like the prodigal son, Howe has returned as lead vocalist for the Northwest metal and hard-rock heavyweights, and the track listing and cover art for Metal Church's latest album XI has been just been released.

Due out March 25 on Rat Pak Records, XI is the band's 11th studio album and is available for pre-order in various bundles via http://www.ratpakrecordsamerica.com/metal-church. A limited number of the Deluxe International Version, which features a bonus disc of eight extra songs, can be had through the website.

Choose a bundle, however, and guitar picks, stickers, a special edition behind-the-scenes photo book, t-shirts and even a limited number of personal phone calls from Howe himself are among the many treasures packaged with what has to be one of metal's most highly anticipated albums of 2016.

Metal Church - XI 2016

XI is also available for pre-order on Amazon, Google Play and via iTunes at http://smarturl.it/MCXliTunes. Those ordering the digital version will receive an instant download of "Killing Your Time" from the new record, produced by guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof and co-produced by Chris "The Wizard" Collier.

Howe-era Metal Church made its mark on metal through strong songwriting, and "Needle and Suture" and "Soul Eating Machine" from XI are said to be reminiscent of that period. "Signal Path" and "Sky Falls In" exceed the 7-minute mark in length, giving Metal Church a chance to stretch out and flex its musical muscles.

Already, the band has released its first video from the album, as Metal Church roars through the rampaging debut single "No Tomorrow" inside the Satsop Nuclear Facility, an abandoned nuclear power plant in Elma, Wash. It was directed by Jamie Chamberlin of Black Dahlia Films and features a unique visual that ties in to the location. You can see it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ary17dRnC3o&feature=youtu.be. There's also a behind-the-scenes video on the making of that little film and it can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr0bHRjfhmU&feature=youtu.be

Below is the track listing for XI:

1. Reset
2. Killing Your Time
3. No Tomorrow
4. Signal Path
5. Sky Falls In
6. Needle & Suture
7. Shadow
8. Blow Your Mind
9. Soul Eating Machine
10. It Waits
11. Suffer Fools

For more information on Metal Church, visit http://metalchurchofficial.com. Check out their Facebook page at https//:www.facebook.com/OfficialMetalChurch and go visit them on Twitter at https://twitter.com/metalchurchis1.