''The Human Factor'' is the fourth album by American heavy metal band

Metal Church Metal Church is an American heavy metal band. They originally formed in San Francisco, California in 1980 and then relocated to Aberdeen, Washington the following year and briefly using the name Shrapnel. Led by guitarist and songwriter Kurd ...

, released in 1991. It was the band's only release on

Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...

Reception

Reviews for ''The Human Factor'' have been generally positive. In a contemporary review, ''

Rock Hard "Rock Hard" is a single by the Beastie Boys, released by Def Jam Records on 12" in 1984. The track contains samples from the AC/DC song "Back in Black", which was used without obtaining legal permission, causing the record to be withdraw ...

'' elected ''The Human Factor'' "power metal highlight of the month" and valued its sound "rounder and more energetic than '' Blessing in Disguise''", praising all musicians and singer

Mike Howe Mike Howe (August 21, 1965 – July 26, 2021) was an American heavy metal singer who performed with Metal Church, Heretic, and Snair. Career Howe began his career as the singer for a Detroit band called Hellion (later renamed Snair after movin ...

in particular.

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

's Alex Henderson wrote that "much of the writing is quite substantial, and Metal Church tackles social and political subjects with inspired results on songs ranging from 'Date with Poverty' and 'Flee from Reality' to 'The Final Word' (which addresses the flag-burning controversy of 1991 and asserts that the U.S., whatever its faults, is still the best place to live)." Canadian journalist

Martin Popoff Martin Popoff (born April 28, 1963) is a Canadian music journalist, critic and author. He is mainly known for writing about the genre of heavy metal music. The senior editor and co-founder of ''Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles'', he has additionally ...

considered the album the band's masterwork and put Metal Church on a par with

Megadeth Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along wit ...

as "metal perfection personified". He praised the "maturity and sensitivity" of the lyrics,

Mark Dodson Mark may refer to: Currency * Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina * East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic * Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927 * Fin ...

's production and Mike Howe's performance, defining the songs "without exception infectious and unstoppable." Although ''The Human Factor'' sold well at the time of its release, it turned out to be one of Metal Church's least successful albums, not appearing on any album charts. In order to promote ''The Human Factor'', Metal Church supported

Motörhead Motörhead () were an English rock band formed in London in 1975 by Lemmy (lead vocals, bass), Larry Wallis (guitar) and Lucas Fox (drums). Lemmy was also the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band are often considered a precu ...

Judas Priest Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham in 1969. They have sold over 50 million albums and are frequently ranked as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Despite an innovative and pioneering body of work in th ...

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and

Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...

on the Operation Rock 'N' Roll tour, and later supported

Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...

on the

Wherever We May Roam Tour Wherever We May Roam (mentioned by band members in interviews as Wherever I May Roam) was a concert tour by the American heavy metal band Metallica in support of their eponymous fifth studio album (commonly known as ''The Black Album''). It beg ...

. In 2005, the album was ranked number 447 in ''Rock Hard'' magazine's book of ''The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time''.

Track listing

Personnel

;Metal Church *

– vocals *Craig Wells – lead guitar *

John Marshall John Marshall (September 24, 1755July 6, 1835) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the fourth Chief Justice of the United States from 1801 until his death in 1835. He remains the longest-serving chief justice and fourth-longes ...

– rhythm guitar *Duke Erickson – bass *Kirk Arrington – drums ;Production *

– producer, engineer, arrangements with

Kurdt Vanderhoof Kurdt Vanderhoof (born June 28, 1961) is an American guitarist, best known as the rhythm guitarist and founding member of the American heavy metal band Metal Church. Biography As early as 1976, Vanderhoof was ardently networking with loca ...

and Metal Church *Tom Fletcher – mixing *

Greg Calbi Gregory Calbi (born April 3, 1949) is an American mastering engineer at Sterling Sound, New Jersey. Biography Greg Calbi was born on April 3, 1949, in Yonkers, New York, and raised in Bayside, Queens, New York. He graduated in 1966 from Bisho ...

– mastering at

Sterling Sound George Marino (April 15, 1947 – June 4, 2012) was an American mastering engineer known for working on albums by rock bands starting in the late 1960s. Biography Marino was born on April 15, 1947, in the New York City borough The Bronx. He at ...

, New York *Kenny Laguna – management *Christopher Austopchuk, Francesca Restrepo – art direction *Max Aguilera-Hellweg – photography

References

1991 albums Metal Church albums Albums produced by Mark Dodson Epic Records albums {{1990s-thrash-metal-album-stub