Metal Church "Blessing in Disguise"

Blessing in Disguise is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Metal Church, released on February 7, 1989.

It was the band's final release on Elektra Records. This was the first album not to feature the vocals of David Wayne, due to his departure to form the band Reverend. This release featured new vocalist Mike Howe (ex-Heretic) and guitarist John Marshall, who took over Kurdt Vanderhoof's position. Kurdt Vanderhoof had produced Heretic's final album Breaking Point previously. It seems that this is how Mike Howe came to the attention of Metal Church. Ironically, David Wayne's new project was made up of the remaining members of Heretic.

Reviews for Blessing in Disguise have been mostly positive. Allmusic's Jason Anderson awards the album four stars out of five, and states: "Perhaps the finest Metal Church release, Blessing in Disguise offers some of the best material in the group's long career."

Blessing in Disguise entered the Billboard 200 chart on April 8, 1989, two months after its release. The album itself peaked at number 75 (the band's highest chart position, until 2016's XI, which peaked at number 57), and remained on the chart for 15 weeks.

Metal Church spent most of 1989 and 1990 touring behind Blessing in Disguise. They embarked a U.S. tour in the spring of 1989 with Meliah Rage, and supported W.A.S.P. on their Headless Children tour. Metal Church played one show in Germany in October 1989 with Fates Warning and Toranaga, and opened for Saxon in Europe in April 1990. They were also a "surprise guest" for Metallica's May 11, 1990 show at The Marquee in London.

Track listing

1. "Fake Healer" Kurdt Vanderhoof Craig Wells, Vanderhoof 5:55
2. "Rest in Pieces (April 15, 1912)" Vanderhoof Wells, Vanderhoof 6:38
3. "Of Unsound Mind" (based on Edgar Allan Poe's "Tell-Tale Heart") Marshall/Wells 4:44
4. "Anthem to the Estranged" Vanderhoof Wells, Vanderhoof 9:31
5. "Badlands" Vanderhoof, Mike Howe Wells, Vanderhoof 7:21
6. "The Spell Can't Be Broken" Vanderhoof Wells, Vanderhoof, Marshall 6:46
7. "It's a Secret" Instrumental Wells 3:47
8. "Cannot Tell a Lie" Vanderhoof Wells, Vanderhoof, Marshall 4:17
9. "The Powers That Be" Vanderhoof Wells, Vanderhoof 5:22

Trivia:

- The album peaked at #75 on the Billboard 200.

- According to former bassist Michael Spencer, Metal Church's former label mates Flotsam and Jetsam were going to use Blessing in Disguise as the title of their second album before settling with its current name "No Place for Disgrace". When Spencer left "Flotsam and Jetsam", Elektra Records A&R Michael Alago decided to let Metal Church use Blessing in Disguise as the name for this album even though the "Flotsam and Jetsam" album was released a year earlier. However, Flotsam and Jetsam drummer Kelly David-Smith stated in an April 2013 interview that those claims are not true, even though they had a song called "Blessing in Disguise", which was in fact recorded but left off for "No Place for Disgrace".

All songs arranged, performed and recorded by Metal Church.

Recorded at Kajem Victory Recording, Gladwyne, PA, August 29-October 4, 1988.

Mastered at Masterdisk.