Former Metal Church vocalist Marc Lopes has offered further insight into his sudden departure from the veteran heavy metal outfit. Speaking with Scott Davidson on Chicago’s “Rebel Radio,” the singer detailed the breakdown in communication that led to his exit after recording only one studio album, 2023’s Congregation Of Annihilation.
Marc Lopes originally joined Metal Church in the summer of 2022 to step in for the late Mike Howe, who tragically passed away in July 2021. The lineup for Congregation Of Annihilation featured Marc Lopes alongside founding guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof, longtime guitarist Rick Van Zandt, bassist Steve Unger, and drummer Stet Howland.
In November 2025, Metal Church announced a completely overhauled lineup. Returning members Kurdt Vanderhoof and Rick Van Zandt were joined by bassist David Ellefson (formerly of Megadeth), drummer Ken Mary (Flotsam and Jetsam, Fifth Angel, Alice Cooper, House of Lords, TKO, Chastain), and new lead vocalist Brian Allen (Vicious Rumors). This announcement arrived almost two years after the band canceled their scheduled 2024 tour dates due to an ongoing back issue suffered by Kurdt Vanderhoof.
Elaborating on how he was informed that his tenure in the band had ended, Marc Lopes confirmed that the news arrived indirectly.
“Yeah, we basically found out on the Internet, pretty much… When they announced that they had a new lineup and a new tune [was released], that was [when we first found out],” he said (as transcribed by Blabbermouth).
Discussing the internal state of the band prior to the public announcement, the singer shared a detailed account of the band’s deteriorating communication:
“It’s interesting. It depends on who you ask. My interpretation of it was there were definitely some issues going on business-wise that needed to be discussed. Certain people reacted in a certain way. At the time, it was just kind of, like, ‘All right, let this thing simmer down and then have a conversation.’ That was my take on it. And then when Kurdt canceled the tour, we went along with it, the reasonings that were said to the public, we went along with it in hopes of having conversations down the road — because [we] needed to. Anytime there’s some kind of misunderstanding of something, you should have a conversation — whether things are gonna work or not, there needs to be some kind of finality to it. At the time, [Kurdt] was, like, I’m gonna put Metal Church on [pause]… I’m just gonna stop doing this for right now,’ or whatever the case may be. And believe me, when I was in the band, I heard threatening to fold the band about six times. Anytime there was a disagreement, it was, like, ‘Let me take my ball and run.’ It got a little annoying, so no one ever took it serious, because it never was. So when that was said, it was, like, ‘All right, well, whatever. You guys can do whatever you need to do, and we’ll talk.’ But those talks never happened. And I constantly was always trying to reach out to find out — that was just from me. I mean, the other two guys, I don’t speak to them, but I was just, like, ‘What are we doing here? What’s going on?’ And no one would ever answer. And I was just, like, ‘Well, that’s kind of messed up. Why are we not having any kind of conversation?’ So one year goes by and still nothing. And I’m, like, ‘Wow, that’s really weird.’ I mean, I don’t understand. At least go, ‘Hey, you know what?! We’re not doing this no more. We’re gonna go in a different direction’ or whatever. But not even that. So, I kept going on, and that was it. We just never had any kind of conversation. And about the two-year mark, when the album was at the two-year anniversary. I finally got a message back and it was, like, ‘Yeah, you know…’ I’m not gonna say what was said, but it was kind of, like, ‘Good luck with everything,’ or whatever. And I was, like, ‘What?’ There was no explanation for what was said. I was kind of, like, ‘Well, what do you mean?’ And I got no answer. So I was, like, ‘Okay, this is kind of weird.’ So I’m trying to get what’s going on, and I was not getting any return calls, which — I’ll be 100% honest — was super disrespectful, and that don’t fly with me, man.”
He elaborated on his frustration regarding the lack of direct dialogue:
“You know what?! If you don’t wanna do it, that’s cool. Whatever, man. You wanna be that way and take your ball and run into your little corner, that’s cool, dude. But at least be man enough to say it. Let’s have a man-to-man conversation. That’s all I wanted. And I never got it. And I have every right to be annoyed by that. And that’s what annoys me. And to have that all come out on the Internet, and then them B.S.ing in these interviews, it’s just not cool, man. But it is what it is. It is what it is.”
Despite the bitter ending, Lopes maintained that he looks back on the work they accomplished positively.
“It was awesome. We did a lot of cool stuff. We did more in seven months on the road than that band had done in years. And we were doing things different. Business was good. A lot of people didn’t see the same way of things, and that’s kind of where it fell apart.”
However, he expressed deep disappointment in how his former bandmates were treated, particularly highlighting the dismissal of bassist Steve Unger.
“I think one of the things that really was most disrespectful was you have someone like Steve who was in the band for 22 years. And he never got a phone call [letting him know he was no longer in the band]. That is not cool… Definitely some serious lack of communication, for sure. So that kind of thing, I just don’t really think a lot about a person that does stuff like that. It’s just not an honorable thing to do. And that’s not how I function as a human. And I feel everyone deserves respect, whether you agree or not. So that’s where any kind of animosity comes from, is that.”
These statements follow previous comments Marc Lopes made earlier this year, where he described the situation within Metal Church as “a s**t show”. He previously criticized Kurdt Vanderhoof for possessing “no integrity” and demonstrating “cowardice” by “not confronting any of the issues, whether good or bad.”
Reflecting on having “to find out everything on the Internet,” he concluded: “That was the ultimate ‘f**k you’. And that does not bide well with me personally, which will be addressed in another time.”
