METAL CHURCH live 1986 HRR071

Capturing the Raw Power: Metal Church’s ‘Live 1986’ (HRR 071)

Today’s entry transports us back to the glory days of American speed metal with a blistering live document from Metal Church. We are looking at the 2009 archival release Live 1986, issued by the German label High Roller Records with the catalog number HRR 071.

Recorded during the tour for their second album, The Dark, this release captures the band’s classic lineup at the peak of their powers. Fronted by the late, legendary vocalist David Wayne, and fueled by the riff-heavy songwriting of Kurdt Vanderhoof, the performance is a testament to why Metal Church was considered a peer to the “Big 4” of thrash metal.

The setlist reads like a greatest hits of their early era. It opens with the crushing “Ton Of Bricks” and tears through speed metal anthems like “Hitman” and the band’s self-titled classic “Metal Church.” The performance also showcases their dynamic range with the power ballad “Watch The Children Pray” and the doom-laden “Gods Of Wrath,” before closing with a high-octane cover of Deep Purple’s “Highway Star.”

For vinyl collectors, HRR 071 is a premium package. This specific entry is the Black Vinyl edition, which was limited to just 250 copies (out of a total run of 500). It comes housed in a heavy-duty gatefold cover that features rare photos from the era. This album is an essential piece of history, preserving the raw, unpolished energy of one of the 80s’ most potent live acts.