Metal Church belongs to that category of bands that topped off during the mid 80’s and early 90’s, split after the grunge “storm” and reunited after many years in order to achieve a new career with only a small part from the original line up. Actually, only the guitarist and founding member Kurdt Vanderhoof remains from the original line up. The essential difference between Metal Church and other bands of the same category is that Metal Church doesn’t sound decadent and it is obvious that they still have a lot to offer to the metal genre.

It is worth mentioning that despite the fact that only Vanderhoof is an original member, the identity of the band is still the same and the tradition goes on for the third decade. With its ninth studio album, the band offers once again American power/speed based on excellent guitar work, inspired choruses and plenty classic elements.

“This Present Wasteland” sounds like the follow-up to the previous album “A Light in the Dark” with ”tight” tracks and good musicians that contribute to Vanderhoof’s compositions. The highlights of the album are the opening and aggressive track “The Company of Sorrow”, the second one “The Perfect Crime” – a typical Metal Church mid tempo hymn, the slow and dark “Deeds of a Dead Soul”, the full of turns epic “A War Never Won” and finally the speedy “Mass Hysteria”. My only objection is about the production of this album especially on the guitars, a fact that doesn’t allow all the elements of this inspired work to emerge. Despite that, the songs are so good that the final result could only come out great as well.

In all, this is an ultra decent effort from a band that honors its heavy background and follows its typical sound for years without becoming sterile or shallow. Fans of well played American heavy/power metal will attend once again the “mass” of the “metal church”. As far as the younger fans, I suggest they look into Metal Church beginning with “This Present Wasteland” and they will discover one of the most supreme bands of the genre.