A special, limited edition booklet and t-shirt package memorializing late Metal Church vocalist Mike Howe is on the way.
“Many of you have asked if there would be an official Mike Howe memorial booklet & shirt,” wrote guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof in a social media statement announcing the package. “It took some time, but here it is. Hats off to the owner of Rat Pak Records for putting this amazing 60-page tribute book & shirt package together for Mike. It’s very classy to say the least! There are only going to be 500 in print so if you want one, don’t wait.”
‘In Memoriam: “Remembering Mike Howe”’ features 60 full-color pages filled with photos from throughout the singer’s music career, including his time with Hellion, Snair, Heretic and Metal Church.
Howe was found deceased in his Eureka, California home on July 26 from what was reported to be a suicide by hanging. Drugs and alcohol were not believed to be involved.
Following his death, the surviving members of Metal Church made a statement essentially blaming it on the “failing” healthcare system. That statement was walked back following criticism that the band was using Howe’s death to push a political agenda. They then released a new statement that explained, “We were saying our brother was hurting and while he was seeking medical care for it, the treatments he was utilizing did not protect him. Otherwise, he would still be with us today.”
‘In Memoriam: “Remembering Mike Howe,”’ the t-shirts and packages containing both are available for pre-order now and are set to ship out on or before December 17 only through the Rat Pack Records website.
Metal Church released their latest album, From The Vault, in April 2020. The album featured 14 never-before-released tracks from Howe’s original stint with the band, plus four newly-recorded tracks.
