Woa...and I was looking for a really good weapon against the unfaithful grumbling 00's metal music is as 'Heavy Metal' as it was in the pre-Grunge 'typhoon'. Mighty METAL CHURCH's music - the living proof of what loud 'n' proud should mean, did not ever get the recognition it deserved. And - while still angry (again) - cannot conclude if I have to be happy or sad due to what I saw in this DVD disc. Happy 'cause this excellent performance is released even after sixteen(!) years, or sad cause it reminded me of the decadence of a music  once making hell bent for leather each and every fuckin' time?...
Seattle, USA did - once upon a time - host many great Metal bands (some of 'em, you can not even imagine...). METAL CHURCH - a wild on-the-edge Thrash-y JUDAS PRIEST band - may not gained the recognition they deserved, in relation to other 'speed-meets-thrash-meets-metal' bands like METALLICA (with whose they are strongly related - use the Web to find info), but this misjustice cannot, in an case, stand an obstacle to their countless musical quality even from their first 1984 same-titled debut. The brainchild of mystique axeman Kurt Vanderhoof, boasting of none less than sweating, excellent and 'metal-to-the-bone' musicians. With two different singers in ther so far career - Darrel Wane (R.I.P.) and Mike Howe - fronting the band in total Metal frenzy, those who have missed any of the band's albums - highly proposed: The Dark (1986) and Blessing In Disguise (1989) - do actually miss an engraved plate of American Metal history. Leather, jeans, sneakers, long hair, headbanging and all-things-Metal.
Rising form the grave, Dynamo 1991 comes as a part of a classic concerts series (to be released from now on? My goodness...) and Escapi Music did offer the ideal gift in perfect timing. Filmed in Dynamo Open Air festival (Holland), this tour for METAL CHURCH did occure due to the release of their excellent The Human Factor (1991) album. Europe was always willing to hear some notorious US Metal music (in the vein of VICIOUS RUMORS, MELIAH RAGE and OVERKILL...and ANNIHILATOR, why not?) and this 'old' video gig proves the above. METAL CHURCH is breaking loose, the crowd goes crazy (even if I'd go crazier to this setlist) and there's this total 'metal' feeling in the air... Bombastic tracks include Metal anthems like Beyond The Black, Fake Healer, Ton Of Bricks, Start The Fire, Date With Poverty and the same-titled monstrously neckbreaking cut. O tempora, o mores... Mike Howe (ex-HERETIC) kicks ass (a thrash-y incarnation of SKIDROW's Sebastian Bach), the Wells/Marshall guitar duo explodes raging fire and the Erickson/Arrington rhythm section puts your balls in the mixer. Sweat, sweat sweat...
Yeah, some 'retro' writing was needed here. More 'in-your-face' than (1984-1986 era) METALLICA plus less melodic than TESTAMENT (circa 1988-1990), METAL CHURCH's music is the guiding light for whether you can stand Metal music or not. OK, the video footage is not of 'A' level (the same goes for the sound 'smoothness') and no bonus 'goodies' will you find in this 'rusty' issue. Still, this same 'rust' reveals the treasure, the gold itself. If the DVD is sold at a reasonable price (why not?), there's no other way round: buy or DIE!