The Dark
The Dark is the second album by the American heavy metal band Metal Church, released on 6 October 1986 through Elektra. It follows their 1984 self-titled debut and blends heavy metal, speed metal and thrash metal, a mix that has led to it being regarded as an essential release in the thrash genre.
It also marks the end of an era for the band. This was the last record to feature what is thought of as the classic line-up: David Wayne, Kurdt Vanderhoof, Kirk Arrington, Duke Erickson and Craig Wells. That group did not play together on an album again until Masterpeace in 1999, when four of the five returned, with John Marshall taking over from Wells. For anyone tracing the band's early story, this is the record to hear.
The Dark: tracklist, credits and charts
10 tracks · 41:46Tracklist
- 1Ton of BricksArrington, Erickson, Vanderhoof, Wayne, Wells3:00
- 2Start the FireVanderhoof, Wayne, Wells3:50
- 3Method to Your MadnessDodson, Vanderhoof, Wayne, Wells4:52
- 4Watch the Children PrayVanderhoof, Wayne, Wells5:57
- 5Over My Dead BodyVanderhoof, Wayne, Wells3:26
- 6The DarkVanderhoof, Wayne, Wells4:11
- 7PsychoArrington, Vanderhoof, Wayne, Wells3:32
- 8Line of DeathArrington, Vanderhoof, Wayne, Wells4:42
- 9Burial at SeaErickson, Vanderhoof, Wayne, Wells4:58
- 10Western AllianceVanderhoof, Wayne, Wells3:18
- Produced by
- Mark Dodson
- Recorded at
- Steve Lawson Productions (Seattle, Washington)
- Recorded
- 1985–1986
- Mixed by
- Mark Dodson
- Engineered by
- Terry Date, Mark Dodson
- Labels
- Elektra, Elektra/Asylum
- Length
- 41:46
Line-up
- Kirk Arrington · membranophone
- Duke Erickson · bass guitar
- Kurdt Vanderhoof · guitar
- Craig Wells · guitar
- David Wayne · lead vocals
Singles
- “Start the Fire” · 8 October 1986
- “Watch the Children Pray” · 1986
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 · 1986 | 92 |
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
Released the same week
Also released on 6 October
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Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia + musicbrainz + wikidata
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 6 October 1986 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 6 October 1986 | |
| Wikidata | 6 October 1986 | |
| US release | 6 October 1986 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 6 October 1986 | earliest UK or European date |
9 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | US | Elektra | 075596049320 | other |
| 1986 | XE | Elektra | 075596049320 | other |
| 1986 | US | Elektra | 075596049313 | other |
| 6 October 1986 | XE | Elektra | 075596049313 | original |
| 6 October 1986 | US | Asylum Records | 075596049320 | original |
| 21 December 1986 | JP | Elektra | 4988014433013 | other |
| 24 February 1999 | JP | Elektra | 4988029298546 | other |
| 18 December 2013 | JP | Elektra | 4943674163069 | other |
| 12 March 2021 | XE | Music on CD | 8718627232958 | other |
Cover art sources
coverartarchive · cropped: cropped from 2795x2818 to 2795x2795
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| coverartarchive ✓ | 2795×2818 | cropped: cropped from 2795x2818 to 2795x2795 |
| deezer | 1200×1200 | upscaled |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |