Album · 35 years old this year
The Human Factor
The Human Factor is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Metal Church, released on 26 March 1991. It arrived after Blessing in Disguise (1989) and before Hanging in the Balance (1993), and it sits in the band's catalogue as their only record for Epic.
The music draws on heavy metal, power metal and thrash metal, the blend that runs through the band's work from their 1984 self-titled debut onwards. For anyone tracing the group's story, this is the one that captures their brief time on a major label, which makes it a useful marker between their 1980s beginnings and the 1990s records that followed.
The Human Factor: tracklist and credits
10 tracks · 51:20Tracklist
- 1The Human FactorMike Howe and Kurdt Vanderhoof4:59
- 2Date With PovertyMike Howe and Kurdt Vanderhoof5:18
- 3The Final WordMike Howe and Kurdt Vanderhoof6:00
- 4In MourningHowe, Marshall, Vanderhoof, Wells5:59
- 5In Harm’s WayMike Howe and Kurdt Vanderhoof7:00
- 6In Due TimeArrington, Howe, Marshall, Vanderhoof, Wells4:03
- 7Agent GreenMike Howe and Kurdt Vanderhoof5:56
- 8Flee From RealityHowe, Marshall, Vanderhoof4:10
- 9BetrayedMike Howe and Kurdt Vanderhoof4:30
- 10The Fight SongArrington, Erickson, Howe, Marshall, Wells3:25
- Produced by
- Mark Dodson
- Recorded at
- Devonshire Studios (Burbank, California)
- Recorded
- 1990
- Mixed by
- Tom Fletcher
- Engineered by
- Mark Dodson
- Label
- Epic
- Length
- 51:20
Line-up
- Kirk Arrington · membranophone
- Duke Erickson · bass guitar
- John Marshall · guitar
- Craig Wells · guitar
- Mike Howe · lead vocals
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
39.2
Popularity (0–100, vs the whole vault)
375
ListenBrainz listeners
16k
Wikipedia views, last 12 months
1.6k
Deezer fans (all editions)
Released the same week
Also released on 26 March
Every year →
Jailbreak
Thin Lizzy · 1976
Tiny Music… Songs From the Vatican Gift Shop
Stone Temple Pilots · 1996
Women and Children First
Van Halen · 1980
Sad Wings of Destiny (Original 1976 Masters)
Judas Priest · 1976
Lean Into It
Mr. Big · 1991
Ghosts V: Together
Nine Inch Nails · 2020
Ghosts VI: Locusts
Nine Inch Nails · 2020
En Vivo!
Iron Maiden · 2012
Ribbed
NOFX · 1991
Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow…
Down · 2002
Restless Heart
Whitesnake · 1997
13
Suicidal Tendencies · 2013
More from Metal Church
Full discography →
The best of 1991
All of 1991 →
Nevermind
Nirvana · 1991
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers · 1991
Metallica
Metallica · 1991
Ten
Pearl Jam · 1991
Use Your Illusion I
Guns N’ Roses · 1991
Achtung Baby
U2 · 1991
Use Your Illusion II
Guns N’ Roses · 1991
Out of Time
R.E.M. · 1991
No More Tears
Ozzy Osbourne · 1991
On Tour Now!
Guns N’ Roses · 1991
Badmotorfinger
Soundgarden · 1991
On Every Street
Dire Straits · 1991
More on Epic
The label →
(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?
Oasis · 1995
Ten
Pearl Jam · 1991
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine · 1992
Definitely Maybe
Oasis · 1994
Vs.
Pearl Jam · 1993
No More Tears
Ozzy Osbourne · 1991
The Battle of Los Angeles
Rage Against the Machine · 1999
Audioslave
Audioslave · 2002
Be Here Now
Oasis · 1997
Renegades
Rage Against the Machine · 2000
Korn
Korn · 1994
Patient Number 9
Ozzy Osbourne · 2022
Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia + musicbrainz + wikidata
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 26 March 1991 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 26 March 1991 | |
| Wikidata | 26 March 1991 | |
| US release | 26 March 1991 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 26 March 1991 | earliest UK or European date |
13 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | GB | Epic | 5099746781644 | other |
| 1991 | US | Epic | 074644700015 | other |
| 1991 | XE | Epic | 5099746781613 | other |
| 1991 | US | Epic | 074644700046 | other |
| 26 March 1991 | XE | Epic | 5099746781620 | original |
| 26 March 1991 | US | Epic | 074644700022 | original |
| 22 May 1991 | JP | Epic | 4988010530723 | other |
| 2003 | FR | Bad Reputation | 3448969234529 | other |
| 25 July 2008 | DE | Steamhammer | 693723921723 | other |
| 2009 | RU | Soyuz Music | 4601250358864 | other |
| 2012 | GB | Southworld Recordings | 803341367715 | other |
| 22 July 2013 | XE | Music on Vinyl | 8718469533145 | other |
| 2024 | NL | Music on CD | 8718627236383 | other |
Cover art sources
deezer · upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| deezer ✓ | 1200×1200 | upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25) |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |
| coverartarchive | 953×953 | upscaled |