On The Human Factor, MC channel their inner hard rock groove with the thrash that defined their previous three masterpieces, mostly in the vein of its predecessor Blessing in Disguise, and Mike Howe makes bigger and more politically oriented songwriting contributions this time around. The result is a bit heavy-handed but still excellent. "Date With Poverty" and the title track succeed in their newfound knack for hard rockier tunes and are earworm material while "Flee From Reality" and "The Fight Song" are built from thrash riffs and big choruses. Perhaps the best of all is "In Mourning," the album's magnum opus and their greatest achievement with Mike Howe (maybe even their whole catalog). Blending their grooves with impressive riffs, vicious lyrics, and one of Mike Howe's best vocal performances, the song is a masterpiece and is enough to make this excellent album worth listening to. "Betrayed" and "Agent Green" are a bit trite, but there's something for everyone here and is another excellent offering by the reliable Metal Church.
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