Wayne

Following the 1999 reunion of Metal Church’s original lineup and the release of their comeback album Masterpeace, creative tensions among the members continued. Lead vocalist David Wayne, who favored a heavier and more direct approach, departed the group in 2000. He promptly revived Reverend, the band he had launched after his previous exit from Metal Church, and at the same time assembled an entirely new project called Wayne alongside ex-Metal Church guitarist Craig Wells. Completing the lineup were guitarist Jimi Bell, bassist Mark Franco, and drummer B.J. Zampa. The ensemble signed with Nuclear Blast, the label behind Metal Church’s reunion efforts, and issued an album titled Metal Church in 2001. Wayne stated that the title reflected his idea of how a new Metal Church record should sound, specifically as a continuation of the band’s first two albums, the Wayne-fronted Metal Church and The Dark. His former bandmates were not pleased. Even so, the album received solid praise and was frequently compared favorably to Masterpeace.