Maybe it's one of those "we thought it'd be funny" type of things? Or they just like stuff like that...

I'd prefer the first option.

It was probably for shock value.

Badlands is good stuff. A dusty godforsaken path....

I've only listened to the first three Metal Church albums but I've really liked what I've heard. However, I've always been kind of puzzled about their genre. I see them as a Thrashy Iron Maiden (obviously without Bruce Dickenson). However, I hesitate to call Metal Church "US Power Metal" because I just don't get that genre. I admit I haven't listened to much material that falls into that category but every time I sample some I think one of two things. I think "Oh, this sounds like Queenscryche and Dream Theater; they're Progressive Metal" or I think "Oh this is like Manowar or a suped up Judas Priest/Iron Maiden; they're Heavy or Traditional Metal." What am I missing?

Anyways, I love "Gods of Wrath" and "Watch the Children Pray." "Gods of Wrath" is the kind of song that makes you love metal all over again!

Written by bj_waters on 09.07.2011 at 00:34

I've only listened to the first three Metal Church albums but I've really liked what I've heard. However, I've always been kind of puzzled about their genre. I see them as a Thrashy Iron Maiden (obviously without Bruce Dickenson). However, I hesitate to call Metal Church "US Power Metal" because I just don't get that genre. I admit I haven't listened to much material that falls into that category but every time I sample some I think one of two things. I think "Oh, this sounds like Queenscryche and Dream Theater; they're Progressive Metal" or I think "Oh this is like Manowar or a suped up Judas Priest/Iron Maiden; they're Heavy or Traditional Metal." What am I missing?

Anyways, I love "Gods of Wrath" and "Watch the Children Pray." "Gods of Wrath" is the kind of song that makes you love metal all over again!

can i clear up your US power confusion? what do you think of when listening to iced earth?

Written by JÄY on 09.07.2011 at 11:49

Written by bj_waters on 09.07.2011 at 00:34

I've only listened to the first three Metal Church albums but I've really liked what I've heard. However, I've always been kind of puzzled about their genre. I see them as a Thrashy Iron Maiden (obviously without Bruce Dickenson). However, I hesitate to call Metal Church "US Power Metal" because I just don't get that genre. I admit I haven't listened to much material that falls into that category but every time I sample some I think one of two things. I think "Oh, this sounds like Queenscryche and Dream Theater; they're Progressive Metal" or I think "Oh this is like Manowar or a suped up Judas Priest/Iron Maiden; they're Heavy or Traditional Metal." What am I missing?

Anyways, I love "Gods of Wrath" and "Watch the Children Pray." "Gods of Wrath" is the kind of song that makes you love metal all over again!

can i clear up your US power confusion? what do you think of when listening to iced earth?

As I said before, I really haven't listened to much of what constitutes as US Power Metal. A few months ago I went to a website called MapOfMetal.com (pretty slick if you haven't been yet) and listened to his list of US Power Metal which contains Manilla Road, Manowar, Jag Panzer, Fates Warning, Crimson Glory, Helstar, Brocas Helm, Iced Earth, and early Kamelot (pre-Fourth Legacy). That's how I came up with the two definitions I posted above.

Due to your comment, I thought I'd re-listen to the Iced Earth tracks, but only Pure Evil (Days of Purgatory version I believe) was working so I decided to go to AllMusic.com to listen to some clips. I picked samples from Night of the Stormrider, The Dark Saga, Something Wicked, and The Glorious Burden. Their early stuff is clearly Thrash, but with the stuff in the 90s, it moves to a blend of Iron Maiden and "Ride the Lightning" Metallica, a combination of NWOBHM and Melodic Thrash, which is exactly how I would describe Metal Church as well. In fact, for the stuff on Dark Saga and Something Wicked, I thought "Wow, I wish Metallica had done stuff like this instead of Load and Reload!" I liked what I heard but I've got a massive backlog of "Metal I Need To Listen To."

In consideration of your avatar, I also listened to the Helstar track they had on MapOfMetal.com (The King is Dead) and came to a similar conclusion (NWOBHM + Melodic Thrash). If that equation is all that defines US Power Metal, then maybe I understand more than I thought I did and Metal Church belongs to it. However, for my personal organization, I would still split such bands between Thrash and Traditional/Heavy. For the record, I'd put Iced Earth in Thrash next to what little Metal Church I've listened to (s/t, The Dark, and Blessing in Disguise).

Written by bj_waters on 12.07.2011 at 07:16

Written by JÄY on 09.07.2011 at 11:49

Written by bj_waters on 09.07.2011 at 00:34

I've only listened to the first three Metal Church albums but I've really liked what I've heard. However, I've always been kind of puzzled about their genre. I see them as a Thrashy Iron Maiden (obviously without Bruce Dickenson). However, I hesitate to call Metal Church "US Power Metal" because I just don't get that genre. I admit I haven't listened to much material that falls into that category but every time I sample some I think one of two things. I think "Oh, this sounds like Queenscryche and Dream Theater; they're Progressive Metal" or I think "Oh this is like Manowar or a suped up Judas Priest/Iron Maiden; they're Heavy or Traditional Metal." What am I missing?

Anyways, I love "Gods of Wrath" and "Watch the Children Pray." "Gods of Wrath" is the kind of song that makes you love metal all over again!

can i clear up your US power confusion? what do you think of when listening to iced earth?

As I said before, I really haven't listened to much of what constitutes as US Power Metal. A few months ago I went to a website called MapOfMetal.com (pretty slick if you haven't been yet) and listened to his list of US Power Metal which contains Manilla Road, Manowar, Jag Panzer, Fates Warning, Crimson Glory, Helstar, Brocas Helm, Iced Earth, and early Kamelot (pre-Fourth Legacy). That's how I came up with the two definitions I posted above.

yes, placing iced earth under the thrash genre would not be a foolish move, but they are aspects of the music that are clearly power....the way i see it US power is best described by a mixture of euro power and thrash - still aggressive, but highly melodic and lacking the sinister drums, for the most part
Due to your comment, I thought I'd re-listen to the Iced Earth tracks, but only Pure Evil (Days of Purgatory version I believe) was working so I decided to go to AllMusic.com to listen to some clips. I picked samples from Night of the Stormrider, The Dark Saga, Something Wicked, and The Glorious Burden. Their early stuff is clearly Thrash, but with the stuff in the 90s, it moves to a blend of Iron Maiden and "Ride the Lightning" Metallica, a combination of NWOBHM and Melodic Thrash, which is exactly how I would describe Metal Church as well. In fact, for the stuff on Dark Saga and Something Wicked, I thought "Wow, I wish Metallica had done stuff like this instead of Load and Reload!" I liked what I heard but I've got a massive backlog of "Metal I Need To Listen To."

In consideration of your avatar, I also listened to the Helstar track they had on MapOfMetal.com (The King is Dead) and came to a similar conclusion (NWOBHM + Melodic Thrash). If that equation is all that defines US Power Metal, then maybe I understand more than I thought I did and Metal Church belongs to it. However, for my personal organization, I would still split such bands between Thrash and Traditional/Heavy. For the record, I'd put Iced Earth in Thrash next to what little Metal Church I've listened to (s/t, The Dark, and Blessing in Disguise).

US Power Metal is as a matter of act a mixture between:
-Traditional Metal (think Judas Priest) and NWOBHM (think Satan, Cloven Hoof, old Iron Maiden...)
-Old progressive Metal (thinks old Queensryche, old Fates Warning, Heir Apparent)
-Melodic (often Bay Area) Thrash Metal (think old Metallica, Forbidden, Agent Steel...)

Typical US Power Metal bands: HELSTAR (the ultimate US Power Metal gods), SANCTUARY, LIEGE LORD, ATTACKER, (old) ICED EARTH, ORACLE, WINTERS BANE,....

The one band is more into the progressive part, the other in the traditional part or the Thrash part. That makes it a wide ranged genre and all over the lyrics are dark, about all kind of subjects...

Talking about Metal Church,imo the first album is more Thrashy, second more traditional, third more Progressive but to me they're still US (Power) Metal.

Check http://users.telenet.be/metaltoinfinity/METALFROMTHEPAST.htm i you want to know more about some gems in this genre (amongst other classic ones)

METALCHURCH is quite famous in this part of the world, right from the begining. My dad introduced me to METALCHURCH. I have all their records both in Audio Cassette and in CDs.

I am a new member here and I found it very interesting topic. We here in North East India are very bad with Metal Subgenre. WE always thot METALCHURCH's Genre as In BETWEEN Heavy Metal and Thrash Metal. Some of the album sounds Thrash and some sounds like Heavy Metal. I would love to know more about Power/Thrash. I listened to Nevermore and Iced Earth. Are they considered Powered Thrash Band ? In our Part, its like Power MEtal, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Black Metal, Heavy Metal and Nu/Metal. WE really do not know anything about subgenre.

Yeah Metal Church could be considered Heavy/Thrash. Nevermore and Iced Earth fit in that category as well.

Written by Haiwaan Das on 06.12.2011 at 04:37

METALCHURCH is quite famous in this part of the world, right from the begining. My dad introduced me to METALCHURCH. I have all their records both in Audio Cassette and in CDs.

I am a new member here and I found it very interesting topic. We here in North East India are very bad with Metal Subgenre. WE always thot METALCHURCH's Genre as In BETWEEN Heavy Metal and Thrash Metal. Some of the album sounds Thrash and some sounds like Heavy Metal. I would love to know more about Power/Thrash. I listened to Nevermore and Iced Earth. Are they considered Powered Thrash Band ? In our Part, its like Power MEtal, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Black Metal, Heavy Metal and Nu/Metal. WE really do not know anything about subgenre.

Here on the Metal Storm, the database says thrash bands like Megadeth, Overkill, and Exciter. Metal Archives adds more US Power like Meliah Rage, Jag Panzer, Vicious Rumors, Savatage, and Agent Steel.

If you're interested in understanding more subgenres, I'd recommend mapofmetal.com . It's by no means absolute, but it's a good place to look around and see how it all connects.

Written by bj_waters on 06.12.2011 at 20:02

Written by Haiwaan Das on 06.12.2011 at 04:37

METALCHURCH is quite famous in this part of the world, right from the begining. My dad introduced me to METALCHURCH. I have all their records both in Audio Cassette and in CDs.

I am a new member here and I found it very interesting topic. We here in North East India are very bad with Metal Subgenre. WE always thot METALCHURCH's Genre as In BETWEEN Heavy Metal and Thrash Metal. Some of the album sounds Thrash and some sounds like Heavy Metal. I would love to know more about Power/Thrash. I listened to Nevermore and Iced Earth. Are they considered Powered Thrash Band ? In our Part, its like Power MEtal, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Black Metal, Heavy Metal and Nu/Metal. WE really do not know anything about subgenre.

Here on the Metal Storm, the database says thrash bands like Megadeth, Overkill, and Exciter. Metal Archives adds more US Power like Meliah Rage, Jag Panzer, Vicious Rumors, Savatage, and Agent Steel.

If you're interested in understanding more subgenres, I'd recommend mapofmetal.com . It's by no means absolute, but it's a good place to look around and see how it all connects.

Hi, Thankx a lot for the information. I will definitely check mapofmetal. Its stupid but Why they have to make so much subgenre....hehehehe. ANyways, watever, The main thing is Metal. If its Metal, then its alrighte. \m/

I should like these guys but I don't and that makes me sad.

S/T and The Dark are great albums