Metal Church vocalist Mike Howe died today, the 26th, at the age of 55.
The cause of death has not yet been revealed by the family. The band issued an official statement via social media:
"It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our brother, our friend, and a true heavy metal legend. Mike Howe passed away this morning at his home in Eureka, California. We are devastated and speechless. Please respect our privacy and the privacy of the Howe family during this difficult time."
Mike Howe was the lead vocalist for Metal Church from 1988 to 1996, when he was replaced by vocalist David Wayne , who had recorded the band's first two albums before Howe joined. During this period, Howe participated in the albums Blessing in Disguise (1989), The Human Factor (1991), and Hanging in the Balance (1993).
In 2015, Howe returned to Metal Church and released the albums XI (2016), Classic Live (2017), Damned If You Do (2018), and From the Vault (2020) with the band.