Metal Church Explain Split

Seattle, Washington-based metallers Metal Church have denied that the recent collapse of the band's record label, SPV (Schallplatten Produktion und Vertrieb GmbH) in Hanover, Germany, was the primary reason behind the group's decision to call it quits.

SPV submitted an application to commence insolvency proceedings on May 25 — roughly equivalent to Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. In response to this, on May 27, the District Court of Hanover appointed the attorney Manuel Sack as the provisional insolvency administrator.

According to SPV managing partner Manfred Schütz, together with attorney Manuel Sack, the management of SPV GmbH is not only carrying on business operations, but is also continuing working in the areas of production and distribution in the usual way.

Commented Metal Church: "The situation with SPV is Not the reason that we have decided to stop; it is just one small part of the trouble this band has had in trying to keep going. SPV has always been great to us, and it's very sad that they are not going to be around in the same capacity anymore. Our original statement didn't make that point clearly, and we apologize to SPV for any confusion."

Metal Church's performance at this coming weekend's Rocklahoma festival will be the band's last show. The group states, "We do have unfinished business in the studio, and with any luck we will have something that will be of interest to Metal Church fans in the near future."

"This Present Wasteland", the latest album from Metal Church, sold 920 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

SPV was founded by Manfred Schütz in 1984. The company is considered to be one of the leading international heavy metal labels and includes groups such as Type O Negative, Sepultura, Saxon, Helloween, Gamma Ray, Moonspell, Kreator, Iced Earth and Motörhead as well as non-metal acts such as John Lee Hooker.

Metal Church last year announced the addition of guitarist Rick Van Zandt (The End, Rottweiller) to the group's ranks. He replaced Jay Reynolds (also of Malice), who left the band for "personal reasons."

Thanks for the report to Blabbermouth.net.

Comments

[Ricebag Darrel]

920 copies?

that's gotta hurt

[AEnima18]

Ricebag Darrel wrote:

920 copies?

that's gotta hurt

yeah....ouch!

[new_age_reject]

I didn't know they were still going!

[Sanitarium91]

Ricebag Darrel wrote:

920 copies?

that's gotta hurt

Indeed. It's cases like these where people would actually need to buy the CD rather than just downloading it. The fact that the album was pretty damn killer makes this even sadder. I'll admit that I'm not a huge fan of MC but they're still a huge part of thrash metal and this is a big loss.

[Perfection 101]

Sanitarium91 wrote:

Ricebag Darrel wrote:

920 copies?

that's gotta hurtIndeed. It's cases like these where people would actually need to buy the CD rather than just downloading it. The fact that the album was pretty damn killer makes this even sadder. I'll admit that I'm not a huge fan of MC but they're still a huge part of thrash metal and this is a big loss.

Not true, I had no problem downloading it =P
Seriously, though, it sucks that they've split (again), only a few months after I started getting into them

[FlyingPirahna]

I think selling 920 copies of an album would be a good reason to break up.

[JephStiph]

The group states:

"We do have unfinished business in the studio, and with any luck we will have something that will be of interest to Metal Church fans in the near future."

yep... all 920 of 'em !!

[LukeElliff]

Even though 920 is a low number for a good band to sell, if my band sold this many demo albums, i'd actually be happy

[12-string]

I can't say I enjoy the music of Metal Church, but what I can say is that when a band split up, I feel so so sorry for their fans. I remember when Kerry Katona left Atomic Kitten and I was just so upset and angry. But I will always know that when a band such as Metal Church split, they will be supported by family and doctors. I hope they don't go off the rails and I prey that they can open and manage successful businesses in a faltering economic environment.

X

[Xhale1]

damn i thought the band broke up i was about to say..damn

[HEXAGRAM66]

12-string wrote:

I can't say I enjoy the music of Metal Church, but what I can say is that when a band split up, I feel so so sorry for their fans. I remember when Kerry Katona left Atomic Kitten and I was just so upset and angry. But I will always know that when a band such as Metal Church split, they will be supported by family and doctors. I hope they don't go off the rails and I prey that they can open and manage successful businesses in a faltering economic environment.

X

I want your letter of resignation from this website on my desk pronto!!!

[pantallica95]

Sanitarium91 wrote:

Ricebag Darrel wrote:

920 copies?

that's gotta hurt
Indeed. It's cases like these where people would actually need to buy the CD rather than just downloading it. The fact that the album was pretty damn killer makes this even sadder. I'll admit that I'm not a huge fan of MC but they're still a huge part of thrash metal and this is a big loss.

im pretty sure they count downloads as CDs sold. I doubt X million people bought Death Magnetic physically.

[MegadethFan18]

im pretty sure they count downloads as CDs sold. I doubt X million people bought Death Magnetic physically.

I think what they meant was illegal downloads, Limewire, Torrent, etc... They don't count toward sales.

[astrotrain77]

They didn't sell 920 copies TOTAL - but 920 int the first week.

[dipstar]

That's still not a lot of fans buying the record. Or not a lot of real fans at all. I gave them a shot when they first came around and still have a couple of records but they never did much for me. Pretty generic. Maybe its a blessing in disguise.

[AA00P]

Am I the only one who thought that Swedish 'metal' church thing had a reformation-esque schism?

[kfd666]

Man that sucks, Metal Mhurch is one of my favorite bands

[sheppo]

wow 920 copies thats gotta hurt

[Night_Lights]

920 in a week isn't that bad for a non-mainstream metal release.

[Vedicardi]

920 in the first week is good, yes, not total

[jthm_guitarist]

I wonder if the new album is good; I liked the first two albums and I loved the stuff with Mike Howe on vocals, but I must have forgot about them somehow when they got the new lineup

[SOADriff]

Dang that sucks.

[Vermintide]

Night_Lights wrote:

920 in a week isn't that bad for a non-mainstream metal release.

Just what I was thinking. For a band to sell nearly a thousand copies in a week, when most people didn't even know they were still active, isn't bad. They weren't exactly huge and popular, after all, and there was next to no publicity regarding the release.

[boston1992]

thats just a smack in the face

[k90728]

Fuck that. Metal up yo ass!! 920 is awesome. i wish my album can sell 920!!!

[enginehead]

HEXAGRAM66 wrote:

12-string wrote:

I can't say I enjoy the music of Metal Church, but what I can say is that when a band split up, I feel so so sorry for their fans. I remember when Kerry Katona left Atomic Kitten and I was just so upset and angry. But I will always know that when a band such as Metal Church split, they will be supported by family and doctors. I hope they don't go off the rails and I prey that they can open and manage successful businesses in a faltering economic environment.

I want your letter of resignation from this website on my desk pronto!!!

Ahahahaha