Album Review: Metal Church - Dead To Rights (Rat Pak Records, 2026)
- Mar 29
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 31
Written: 29th March 2026
Speaking recently on The David Ellefson Show podcast, Metal Church guitarist and founding member Kurdt Vanderhoof told how the band seemed to have come to an end following the departure of drummer Stet Howland who was not happy with the way business was going. With some other members feeling the same, Vanderhoof decided that Metal Church was to be no more.
Fast-forward eighteen months and the unexpected arrival of an audition tape from vocalist Brian Allen, things began to suggest that perhaps, Metal Church was not ready to die just yet. Those tapes – which Allen had been encouraged to submit by Queensrÿche frontman Todd La Torre – contained songs from both the David Wayne and Mike Howe eras of the band. It was more than enough to convince Vanderhoof that Metal Church could rise once again. The subsequent additions of David Ellefson on bass and Ken Mary on drums, alongside long-time guitarist Rick Van Zandt, completed the line-up.
“This new album is very special to me for one reason: the band was over, and I honestly didn’t see it being resurrected. But somehow, it brought itself back to life—again!” exclaims Kurdt Vanderhoof. “I’m incredibly proud of these new songs; they hit hard. Brian Allen brings the classic Metal Church sound to the vocals, and adding a rhythm section with musicians of the calibre of Dave Ellefson and Ken Mary makes this a force to be reckoned with. If you enjoy classic Metal Church, you’re going to love this record.”
Dead To Rights opens with Brainwash Game – recently released as a single – a thunderous, no-nonsense thrash-tinged heavy metal anthem - in short, everything a fan might want from Metal Church. Vanderhoof and Van Zandt trade energetic, serrated riffs and appealing melodic runs respectively. Dave Ellfeson’s bass work is exemplary; subtle enough to not overpower but present enough to add real heft. Lyrically, it is a blunt take on manipulation, misinformation and willingly giving up independent thought. Winning or losing, it’s all so confusing / When you don’t know wrong from right / The path you are choosing / The truth you’re refusing / Society’s new parasite. Unyielding and sinewy in his vocal delivery, Brian Allen is perfectly suited to Metal Church and we already feel as if the album is in safe hands.
F.A.F.O – released as a single in November – increases the tempo and intensity. A snarling, gallop-driven thrash assault that would sit happily in the eighties, it is packed with attitude, savage vocals and coruscating drums from Ken Mary. Coming across like a rediscovered classic, each element is aligned with absolute precision, right down to the fiery guitar solo. There is a confidence and swagger to Metal Church that runs throughout the album and this is evident on title track Dead To Rights. It may not be revolutionary or break new ground in terms of its approach but with each member of the band an experienced and well-seasoned member of the heavy metal fraternity, it is assured judgement and compositional intelligence. The songwriting is strong, the pacing measured and effective, and the performances carry a natural elegance that underlines the band’s deep understanding of their craft.
Deep Cover Shakedown tackles the subject of those who manipulate others from the shadows – opportunists and authority figures who feed off confusion while pretending to be in control. Snake bites, troglodytes / All of you are parasites / Scavengers on everything we do / Dark days, strange ways / Living in a purple haze / What the hell you think we’re gonna do? With a grittier, grimier aura aided by consistent rumble of Ellefson’s bass, Deep Cover Shakedown adds a little more groove to proceedings. Allen continues to spit his vocals with a battle-hardened determination and his truculent vocals are a true highlight of this incarnation of Metal Church.
Feet To The Fire – which makes its mark initially with a relentless barrage of riffs - adds another dimension to Dead To Rights. Even during a quieter, central section, Vanderhoof’s insistent rhythm guitar remains in the background. This brooding segment – something similar also appearing in subsequent track The Show - gives Feet To the Fire a mysterious personality as guitar, bass and drums play in almost gentle contemplation before the main riff returns and the band attack, leading then to a brooding guitar solo which sits apart from others on the album.
Across Dead To Rights, Metal Church are prepared to explore a range of difficult subjects and on Heaven Knows (Slip Away) they capture the feeling of being worn down by life, guilt and repetition. Making it from day to night / Waking up each day to find / Walking in the ruins of a war / What the hell is in my head? / I’ve become the walking dead / Devil’s breathing down my back again. Introspective and pensive the lyrics may be - which Vanderhoof states are partly about putting the band back together - but the music is far from it. Belligerent and pulverising, it stakes its claim as one of the album’s heaviest tracks and a serious contender for the best song here. Allen sounds unhinged in the best possible way, while Ellefson and Mary play as if they have developed a chemistry over many years. Following Heaven Knows (Slip Away), both No Memory and Wasted Time play their part, even though they feel more straightforward and do not demand the same attention or carry quite the same impact as the material that surrounds them.
With blistering pace and frenetic vigour, My Wrath brings Dead To Rights to a close with a final surge of intent that sharpens the album’s focus again. Lyrically, it centres on drawing a line in the sand, rejecting intimidation and ego and making it clear that there are consequences when respect has been exhausted. Wide awake with anger in my heart / Don’t you mess with me / You will cease to be / You can’t fake it; you have played your part / Look into my eyes / To doubt would be unwise. Paired with Brainwash Game, it gives Dead To Rights a sense of symmetry, opening and closing on the kind of hard‑driving material that defines Metal Church.
Dead To Rights more than justifies the case for Metal Church continuing rather than closing the book. Vanderhoof and Van Zandt provide shape and continuity and the introduction of Elleson and Mary is inspired. Musically, this is an extremely strong line-up; however, it is Brian Allen who leaves the strongest imprint when listening to the album. His vocals bind the record together, confidently moving between the sound of different eras without sounding referential and giving every song a sense of commitment that never wavers. Vanderhoof is rightly proud that the band have continued and Dead To Rights goes far beyond merely proving a point; it illustrates the skills and the determination of a line-up intent on revitalising the Metal Church legacy. Potent, purposeful and uncompromising.
Dead To Rights is released on 10th April 2026
Metal Church online
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