Metal Church - Dead to Rights

Metal Church's Dead to Rights is a veteran heavy metal institution kicking down the door again, loud, lean and with a new voice out front.

Guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof has steered the band since the early eighties, through classic albums, lineup changes and tragedy, and he clearly has no interest in slowing down. Released in 2026 as the follow-up to Congregation of Annihilation, this record introduces former Vicious Rumors frontman Brian Allen on vocals, a fresh jolt of energy for a band that has always thrived on power and precision.

The riffs come thick and fast. "Brainwash Game" opens with a sharp, galloping attack that sets the tone, while "F.A.F.O." delivers exactly the attitude its title promises, all snarl and swagger. The title track "Dead to Rights" lands with real menace, and "Feet to the Fire" brings the heat with twin-guitar muscle and a chorus built for shouting back. Allen's voice slots right in, commanding and full of grit, a natural fit for the band's classic sound.

This is traditional, no-nonsense heavy metal made by people who still mean every single note they play.

More than four decades in, Metal Church sound hungry rather than nostalgic, and that is the best compliment a veteran band can get.