Blessing in Disguise by Metal Church

Blessing in Disguise, Metal Church's third album, hit on February 7, 1989, their last for Elektra and the first without David Wayne, who had gone off to form Reverend. His replacement, Mike Howe, came from Heretic, a band whose final album Kurdt Vanderhoof had produced, and guitarist John Marshall stepped in for Vanderhoof himself. The founder hadn't gone far, though: he wrote the music and words for seven of the nine songs and plays on it as a guest. Craig Wells on guitar, Duke Erickson on bass and Kirk Arrington on drums held the line, and Terry Date, producer of their 1984 debut, came back one last time.

Howe hands the Washington band's thrash a sharper, more melodic edge, the riffs grind like heavy machinery, and the tempos know when to hold back. "Badlands" turned into one of their best-known songs. Howe stayed on for The Human Factor and Hanging in the Balance.

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