Metal Church frontman Mike Howe's bandmate, Kurdt Vanderhoof, spoke about the late member more than a year after his death.
The band has been busy in the past few months after it announced that Ross The Boss and Let Us Prey vocalist Marc Lopes would sing for the band. It is also gearing up ahead of the arrival of its first studio album with the singer, "Congregation of Annihilation," in May.
Mike Howe's Death Affected By These, Says Kurdt Vanderhoof
The Metal Church guitarist recently appeared in a new interview with Australia's Metal Mal during which he spoke about Mike Howe's death. When the interviewer asked him whether he saw signs that the singer was struggling with severe depression, Vanderhoof said they knew he was having a rough time due to his divorce and family breaking up.
He reportedly stayed in contact with him while the members always checked how he was doing.
When Metal Church started working on new material, Howe reportedly looked and felt good again. However, they soon revealed bad news about the frontman.
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"Mike was coming back. He was ready to make a new record. So I started writing. And then, all of a sudden... I got him the record. We had a conversation," he said. "He listened to it and called me back [and said], 'Oh, I like this. And I like this. Let's do something with this.' Blah blah. The usual process."
A week after talking about the new music project, Howe died.
Per Vanderhoof, he is yet to process Howe's death although it has already been a year since it happened. He reflected on losing the "most kind-hearted, nicest, most loving, caring guy" he ever met, adding that it still breaks him to know that his bandmate went through that pain.
The guitarist went on to declare how he believes that antidepressants, chemicals, and pills that were prescribed to Howe contributed to his death.
Mike Howe's Cause of Death
Metal Church first confirmed Mike Howe's death on its official Facebook page. It disclosed that the lead singer passed away at his Eureka, California, home but did not share details about his cause of death.
Days later, a news outlet received a confirmation from Humboldt County Sheriff's Department's spokesperson that the singer died by suicide.
The news outlet cited police sources, divulging that Mike Howe died from asphyxia due to hanging. They added that no drugs and alcohol became factors in his death - which contradicted Vanderhoof's belief.
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