Ex-METAL CHURCH drummer STET HOWLAND confirms assessment MARC LOPES about the band
Says it was a "KURDT VANDERHOOF's shit show”
12-01-2026
Former METAL CHURCH drummer Stet Howland says that he is “100%” in agreement with the band’s former singer Marc Lopes after the vocalist described METAL CHURCH as “a shit show” and blasted the group’s founding guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof over the way METAL CHURCH‘s recent lineup changes were handled.
Stet, an in-demand metal drummer who has also pounded the skins for W.A.S.P., BLACKFOOT and Lita Ford, briefly addressed his eight-year stint with METAL CHURCH in a social media post, Howland wrote in part : “I have to release a statement regarding the METAL CHURCH situation. I know it’s overdue, I’ve just been too busy with positivity and making money to deal with negativity & drama. But after seeing recent (METAL CHURCH) interviews, Marc‘s statement, and Kurdt‘s response. There’s clearly MANY things that need to be said. But in short, Marc was 100% accurate. Though he barely shared the tip of the iceberg of the bullshit, and he was much more kind than I’m going to be. There’s truths that need to be told and facts that need to be shared. I’ll be as kind as I can, but I’ll be dissecting and explaining a shitshow. Hang tight, you’ll see it right here very soon.”
Lopes joined METAL CHURCH in the summer of 2022 as the replacement for Mike Howe, who tragically passed away in July of 2021. In addition to Lopes, the band’s lineup on METAL CHURCH‘s 2023 album “Congregation Of Annihilation” — Marc‘s sole release with the group — was rounded out by Vanderhoof, Howland, longtime guitarist Rick Van Zandt and bassist Steve Unger.
“Congregation Of Annihilation” features nine tracks from METAL CHURCH.
“Congregation Of Annihilation” track listing:
01. Another Judgement Day
02. Congregation Of Annihilation
03. Pick A God And Prey
04. Children Of The Lie
05. Me The Nothing
06. Making Monsters
07. Say A Prayer With 7 Bullets
08. These Violent Thrills
09. All That We Destroy
10. My Favorite Sin(bonus track)
11. Salvation (bonus track)
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