He had been with the band off-and-on since 1988.
Metal Church frontman Mike Howe has died. The news was confirmed by the band on their official Facebook page. He was 55.
“It is with our deepest regrets that we must announce the passing of our brother, our friend and true legend of heavy metal music. Mike Howe passed away this morning at his home in Eureka, California. We are devastated and at a loss for words. Please respect our privacy and the Howe family’s privacy during this most difficult time.“
– Metal Church
Mike Howe joined Metal Church in 1988, replacing vocalist David Wayne. He recorded three studio albums with the band before retiring in 1995. In 2015, Howe rejoined Metal Church. The band put out two more studio albums – XI (2016) and Damned If You Do (2018) – as well as 2017’s live outing Classic Live.