Metal Church’s Dead To Rights lands as a reset with teeth. Four decades in, the band isn’t coasting on catalog or reputation. This is a lineup that sounds like it has something to prove, and more importantly, something left to say.

Built around founding guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof and longtime six-string partner Rick Van Zandt, the current version of Metal Church adds serious weight with bassist David Ellefson and drummer Ken Mary, while Brian Allen steps in on vocals with a delivery that leans into the band’s classic attack without getting stuck in it. Dead To Rights sticks to what Metal Church has always done well and delivers it with more bite and focus than they’ve shown in years.

The album opens with “Brainwash Game,” a fast, no-frills entry point that reestablishes the band’s intent right away. From there, tracks like “Deep Cover Shakedown,” “The Show,” and “Wasted Time” keep the focus on sharp riffing and direct songwriting. There’s no filler approach, no detours. Just a band dialing into its strengths and pushing forward.

“F.A.F.O.” gave an early preview of that direction, and the response made it clear there’s still an audience craving Metal Church. The video’s traction wasn’t just curiosity. It showed there’s still an audience for this band when the songs land like this.

Behind the boards, Vanderhoof keeps production duties in-house, with Zeuss handling the mix and master at Planet Z. The result is clean without losing weight, modern without sanding down the edges. It hits hard, which is exactly the point.

“This new album is very special to me for one reason: the band was over, and I honestly didn’t see it being resurrected. But somehow, it brought itself back to life—again!," exclaimed Vanderhoof. "I’m incredibly proud of these new songs; they hit hard. Brian Allen brings the classic Metal Church sound to the vocals, and adding a rhythm section with musicians of the caliber of Dave Ellefson and Ken Mary makes this a force to be reckoned with. If you enjoy classic Metal Church, you’re going to love this record.”

Metal Church has always been about conviction more than reinvention. Dead To Rights leans into that, and it works because the performances back it up. No excess, no distractions. Just a band that knows what it does and delivers it with force.