Metal Church - The Dark (1986)

From its foreboding sleeve to the slow-building menace of some of its tracks, Metal Church's 'The Dark' remains one of the most underrated but compelling thrash albums of all time. This, being the band's second album, is a cult classic, and whilst the band went on to perform greater dynamics under the vocal leadership of Mike Howe, 'The Dark' still stands strong as a very good thrash record. Most of the cuts on offer are mid-tempo, bolstered by David Wayne's sneer. The riffs are solid, the drums weighty and although there's nothing startlingly original about it, there are enough well written cuts to set it aside from the horde of thrash acts that would follow. The dark atmosphere of the title cut, the cold, eerie halls of 'Watch The Children Pray' - proof that Metal Church have always been a very adequate band. Of course, after Wayne's departure the combo would delve into more complex realms of cold steel, but as far as thrash goes, 'The Dark' is a must have for any budding thrashead. The cover alone makes it worth a dabble.

7.5/10