Band:	Metal Church
Album:	This Present Wasteland
Style:	Heavy metal, Thrash metal
Release date:	September 23, 2008
A review by:	Jeff

01. In The Company Of Sorrow
02. Perfect Crime
03. Deeds Of A Dead Soul
04. Meet Your Maker
05. Monster
06. Crawling To Extinction
07. War Never Won
08. Mass Hysteria
09. Breath Again
10. Congregation

Every two years, Metal Church comes back with a new album. This time, this is "This Present Wasteland" which will be the new release of the American combo. If you're a fan of Metal Church "This Present Wasteland" shouldn't be disappointing nor surprising too because one more time the guys just do what they know to do. This new release is extremely pleasant but not sensational; let's just say that we're in front of a classic but solid album of Metal Church.

If you like classy Heavy Metal you'll be happy to listen to this album. "This Present Wasteland" is a good CD full of cool Heavy Metal songs a la US sauce which means that the riffs are thrashy and a lot more direct and powerful that the ones of the Heavy that you can listen to in Europe in general. I like the fact that we have some cool Rock tunes (like on "Monster") that we have catchy choruses and melodies like on "Breath Again" and that all in all "This Present Wasteland" is a good catchy album which will be all but displeasing. On the other hand, this is really simple and not original. Metal Church does the thing well here but even if the songs are good, they're not memorable. I'm sure that it will be perfect during the live performances but will it become real anthems? I don't think so. As you can understand "This Present Wasteland" is the perfect example of the good album which lacks of the little things which could transform it in masterpiece?

Metal Church line-up has never been really steady and one more time we have a new musician in the band. This time this is the guitarist Rick Van Zandt but despite those numerous changes the band still works and I have nothing to say about the performance of our guys. Ronny Munroe is one more time convincing and I really think that he can be considered as a good Heavy Metal singer. Add to the great musicianship a perfect production and a simple but classy artwork and you can be sure that you're in front of a solid album. Its only problem comes from the fact that it gives nothing new or special but at least this is not disappointing if you like the band.

"This Present Wasteland" is a good album really. Metal Church doesn't take any risk with this new release but at least they're not doing anything wrong. If you like cool US Heavy Metal and like Metal Church you'll be happy with this new album. Sure you'll not take a big slap in your head but you'll like the songs and pass a good moment when you'll listen to the release. You know what to do now don't wait anymore time to buy "This Present Wasteland" and be ready to listen to good Heavy Metal.