A twist in the tale of renowned and highly respected Thrash veterans METAL CHURCH. Following the comeback studio album 'Masterpeace' METAL CHURCH, not for the first time in their career, parted ways with singer David Wayne. The man had originally fronted the band from 1983 onwards lending his distinctive bellow to what many regard as METAL CHURCH's finest moments the debut 'Metal Church' and the mammoth second effort 'The Dark'.

Wayne would decamp at the pinnacle make or break juncture of METAL CHURCH's success in what many analysts at the time perceived was a rash move. Years later it would be revealed the singer had bailed out in order to clean up from drug abuse. Wayne resurfaced with REVEREND issuing a further string of commendable, if not commercially successful, albums. METAL CHURCH persevered turning in solid and even inspiring works with Wayne's replacement Mike Howe but would ultimately bite the dust.

The band, complete with Wayne and much of the classic line up, reunited for the 'Masterpeace' album but fractures began to show yet again. With the METAL CHURCH membership in disarray at the turn of the millennium it emerged that Wayne had set up a fresh act initially titled DAVID WAYNE'S METAL CHURCH! Joining him were METAL CHURCH colleague and guitarist Craig Wells, former JOINED FORCES, GEEZER and THUNDERHEAD guitarist JIMI BELL and drummer B.J. Zampa, a veteran of YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, MVP, TONY MACALPINE and THUNDERHEAD. Bell also operates the covers band TATTERED TRAMPS.

The resulting album, released by the German Nuclear Blast label and naturally called 'Metal Church', not only witnessed the re-introduction of METAL CHURCH's famous guitar-cross device on the cover art but sported a WAYNE icon in the exact logotype as METAL CHURCH. The record would also sport a cover version of MOUNTAIN's 'Mississippi Queen'.

Wayne would not neglect his REVEREND act though, inducting BYFIST guitarists Davey Lee and Notch Vara into the fold during March of 2002. In early 2003 JIMI BELL contributed a guest solo to the ROB ROCK album 'Eyes Of Eternity'. By early 2004 Bell would be collaborating with the OBSESSION and LOUDNESS credited singer Michael Vescara for a MVP project album and subsequently hooked up with BIRD OF PREY.

The METAL CHURCH family was dealt a huge blow on 10th of May 2005 with the passing of David Wayne. Just 47 years old, the singer died from complications from injuries he sustained in a head-on automobile accident months previously. In January 2006 the WAYNE duo of guitarist JIMI BELL and drummer B.J. Zampa joined celebrated melodic Rock band HOUSE OF LORDS.