Blessing in Disguise
Blessing in Disguise is the third studio album by the American heavy metal band Metal Church, released on 7 February 1989 through Elektra. It followed their self-titled debut of 1984 and The Dark of 1986, and it stands in the middle of a long run of studio albums that carries on right up to the present day.
The record draws on heavy metal, speed metal and thrash metal, so it suits anyone who likes their riffs with a bit of pace and bite. If you know the band through their first two albums, this is the next step in their story, and a good place to hear where they stood as the 1980s drew to a close.
Blessing in Disguise: tracklist, credits and charts
9 tracks · 54:21Tracklist
- 1Fake HealerKurdt Vanderhoof and Craig Wells5:55
- 2Rest in Pieces (April 15, 1912)Kurdt Vanderhoof and Craig Wells6:38
- 3Of Unsound MindCraig Wells and John Marshall4:44
- 4Anthem to the EstrangedKurdt Vanderhoof and Craig Wells9:31
- 5BadlandsVanderhoof, Wells, Howe7:21
- 6The Spell Can’t Be BrokenMarshall, Vanderhoof, Wells6:46
- 7It’s a SecretCraig Wells3:47
- 8Cannot Tell a LieMarshall, Vanderhoof, Wells4:17
- 9The Powers That BeKurdt Vanderhoof and Craig Wells5:22
- Produced by
- Terry Date
- Recorded at
- Kajem/Victory Studios (Gladwyne, Pennsylvania)
- Recorded
- 29 August – 4 October 1988
- Mixed by
- Joe Alexander, Terry Date
- Engineered by
- Terry Date
- Labels
- Elektra, Elektra/Asylum
- Length
- 54:21
Line-up
- Kirk Arrington · membranophone, drums (drum set)
- Duke Erickson · bass guitar
- John Marshall · guitar
- Craig Wells · guitar
- Mike Howe · lead vocals
Singles
- “Fake Healer” · 1989
- “Badlands” · 1989
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 · 1989 | 75 |
| German Albums · 1989 | 39 |
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
Released the same week
Also released on 7 February
Every year →More from Metal Church
Full discography →The best of 1989
All of 1989 →More on Elektra
The label →Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia + musicbrainz
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 7 February 1989 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 7 February 1989 | |
| Wikidata | 1989 | |
| US release | 7 February 1989 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 1989 | earliest UK or European date |
12 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | XE | Elektra | 075596081719 | other |
| 1989 | US | Elektra | 075596081740 | other |
| 1989 | US | Elektra | other | |
| 1989 | XE | Elektra | 075596081726 | other |
| 7 February 1989 | US | Elektra | 075596081726 | original |
| 7 February 1989 | US | Elektra | 075596081726 | original |
| 25 February 1989 | JP | Elektra | 4988014724920 | other |
| 1998 | DE | Elektra | 075596081726 | other |
| 16 February 2010 | XW | Elektra | 075596081764 | other |
| 18 December 2013 | JP | Elektra | 4943674163076 | other |
| 2 June 2014 | XE | Music on Vinyl | 8718469535996 | other |
| 2018 | XE | Music on CD | 8718627225943 | other |
Cover art sources
coverartarchive · upscaled: minor: best source 1425x1425, upscaled to 1500 (x1.05)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| coverartarchive ✓ | 1425×1425 | upscaled: minor: best source 1425x1425, upscaled to 1500 (x1.05) |
| deezer | 1200×1200 | upscaled |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |