METAL CHURCH: European Support Acts Announced - Apr. 6, 2006

METAL CHURCH will be teaming up with VICTORY and GORILLA MONSOON for the "A Light In The Dark European Tour 2006 - Part I" beginning in late May. Confirmed dates are as follows:

May 31 - Ludwigsburg, GER @ Rockfabrik
Jun. 01 - München, GER @ Metropolis
Jun. 02 - Pratteln, SWI @ Z7
Jun. 04 - Vosselaar, BEL @ Biebob
Jun. 05 - Amsterdam, NETH @ Melkweg
Jun. 06 - Essen, GER @ Zeche Carl
Jun. 07 - Hannover, GER @ Musikzentrum
Jun. 08 - Flensburg, GER @ Roxy Music Hall
Jun. 09 - Sölvesborg, SWE @ Sweden Rock Festival *
Jun. 10 - Copenhagen, DEN @ The Rock *

* without GORILLA MONSOON

Other METAL CHURCH festival appearances:

Jul. 14 - Derbyshire, UK @ Bloodstock Open Air 2006
Jul. 20-22 - Geiselwind, GER @ Open Air
Aug. 03-06 - Kavarna, BUL @ Monsters Of Rock Festival

As previously reported, SPV are scheduled to release METAL CHURCH's new studio album, "A Light In The Dark", in Germany on May 26, in the rest of Europe on May 29, and in the USA early June. The album will include a new version of the classic "Watch the Children Pray" as a tribute to vocalist David Wayne, who passed away in May 2005.

Guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof, who doubles as sound engineer and producer during the recordings, promises an offering featuring all the important trademarks of typical METAL CHURCH tracks. "Before our new drummer Jeff Plate joined the band, I would have claimed that the new album will be a traditional heavy metal album through and through. Now I'm not so sure; we may end up experimenting with the odd unusual idea, but we'll stay within the framework defined by the band's history. 'A Light in the Dark' will represent what the name METAL CHURCH has been standing for for the last twenty years."

The current band line-up consists of Vanderhoof (guitar), Ronny Munroe (vocals), Jay Reynolds (guitar), Steve Unger (bass) and new addition Jeff Plate (drums).