METAL CHURCH: Record Label's Collapse Is 'Not The Reason That We Have Decided To Stop'

July 8, 2009

Seattle, Washington-based metallers METAL CHURCH have denied that the recent collapse of the band's record label, SPV (Schallplatten Produktion und Vertrieb GmbH) in Hanover, Germany, was the primary reason behind the group's decision to call it quits.

SPV submitted an application to commence insolvency proceedings on May 25 — roughly equivalent to Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. In response to this, on May 27, the District Court of Hanover appointed the attorney Manuel Sack as the provisional insolvency administrator.

According to SPV managing partner Manfred Schütz, together with attorney Manuel Sack, the management of SPV GmbH is not only carrying on business operations, but is also continuing working in the areas of production and distribution in the usual way.

Commented METAL CHURCH: "The situation with SPV is NOT the reason that we have decided to stop; it is just one small part of the trouble this band has had in trying to keep going. SPV has always been great to us, and it's very sad that they are not going to be around in the same capacity anymore. Our original statement didn't make that point clearly, and we apologize to SPV for any confusion."

METAL CHURCH's performance at this coming weekend's Rocklahoma festival will be the band's last show. The group states, "We do have unfinished business in the studio, and with any luck we will have something that will be of interest to METAL CHURCH fans in the near future."

"This Present Wasteland", the latest album from METAL CHURCH, sold 920 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

SPV was founded by Manfred Schütz in 1984. The company is considered to be one of the leading international heavy metal labels and includes groups such as TYPE O NEGATIVE, SEPULTURA, SAXON, HELLOWEEN, GAMMA RAY, MOONSPELL, KREATOR, ICED EARTH and MOTÖRHEAD as well as non-metal acts such as JOHN LEE HOOKER.

METAL CHURCH last year announced the addition of guitarist Rick Van Zandt (THE END, ROTTWEILLER) to the group's ranks. He replaced Jay Reynolds (also of MALICE),who left the band for "personal reasons."

Fan-filmed video footage of METAL CHURCH's August 14, 2008 performance at Bourbon Street in New Port Richey, Florida can be viewed below.

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