METAL CHURCH — Hanging in the Balance (review)

METAL CHURCH — Hanging in the Balance album cover Album · 1993 · Heavy Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Hanging in the Balance" is the 5th full-length studio album by US power/heavy metal act Metal Church. The album was released through Rising Sun Records in October 1993. It´s the successor to "The Human Factor" from 1991 and marks a change for the band after two major label releases, going back to releasing albums on smaller labels again.

Featuring the same five-piece lineup as the predecessor, very little has changed on "Hanging in the Balance" though, and Metal Church are still a guarantee for high quality US power/heavy metal. "Hanging in the Balance" features a raw, organic, and very well sounding production, which suits the material perfectly, and although the album was released in 1993 this sounds in every possible way like a 1980s release. Metal Church did not bow to the alternative heavy rock/metal sound which swept the world in those years, but held the US power/heavy metal flag high. It was probably a commercially unwise move, but the choice kept their integrity and authenticity intact.

12 tracks and a full playing time of 61:12 minutes is maybe a bit too long and the album could have been a little sharper and consistent if Metal Church had cut a few tracks. Some of the songwriting experiments that the band venture into, aren´t always successful either, and they are best when they just rock hard and deliver effectful US power/heavy metal tunes...which fortunately they do most of the time.

The musicianship is one of the features of the album which deserves a mention, because Metal Church are an incredibly well playing band. The rhythm section is hard pounding and organic, the guitar riffs are sharp and hard rocking, the solos are delivered with great passion and attention to detail, and Mike Howe is a skilled vocalist with a strong voice, who is perfect for the role as frontman for Metal Church. He has the right amount of roughness to his voice, but at the same time he is always conscious about the importance of melody. Upon conclusion "Hanging in the Balance" is another high quality US power/heavy metal release by Metal Church and a 3.5 - 4 star (75%) rating is deserved.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

A Sonication Technical Death Metal
OBSCURA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Hin helga kvöl Atmospheric Sludge Metal
SÓLSTAFIR
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Cycles of Suffering Black Metal
BURIAL OATH
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Suns of Perdition - Chapter IV: To Shadow Zion Black Metal
PANZERFAUST
Buy this album from MMA partners
Facilis Descensus Averno Death Metal
SAEVUS FINIS
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

DAWN OF REVENGE - Sanctuary [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 6 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Farewell [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 6 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Curtain of Death - [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 6 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Vengeance [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 6 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - I Need You [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 6 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed