Lead Singer of Metal Church, Mike Howe, Sadly Passed Away at 55 Years Old

Lead singer of the influential thrash metal band Metal Church, Mike Howe, has sadly passed away at just 55 years old, as confirmed by the band via their various social media channels. Through a remarkable career that influenced the genre of heavy metal overall, Mike and Metal Church became synonymous with the sound and are often regarded as a truly groundbreaking musical act, influencing thrash metal stars that would come after them.

So, what exactly was Mike's cause of death, what related details to his passing do we know currently, and how are people reacting to his loss? Here are all of the known details as they currently stand.

Mike's band, Metal Church, broke the news to the masses that he had passed away at 55 years old in his Eureka, CA home. Taking to social media to pen a tribute to him, the band left a touching message about his legacy and impact on the group, which he fronted from 1988 to 1995, as well as from 2015 to the present day. Although they acknowledged the tragedy of his passing, no specific cause of death was provided.

"It is with our deepest regrets that we must announce the passing of our brother, our friend and a 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," the memorial message reads. It has since been interacted with thousands of times by fans.

Mike’s last musical effort, thrash metal band Heretic, shared their own condolences when the news broke: "Saddened to hear of the passing of former Heretic vocalist Mike Howe. RIP."

Beyond the groups that he was a part of, countless fans also shared their sadness over his passing and reflected on his impact on the genre.

Taking to the memorial post's replies, droves of fans decided to chime in with their own stories on Mike's impact and how greatly he will be missed.

"Heartbreaking, condolences to his family and to you guys, truly heartbreaking," replied one user, clearly distraught by his death.

"That is awful. What a terrible loss, a tremendous voice has been silenced but his work will live on. May he RIP. Sincere condolences to his family," chimed in another user, referencing Mike's importance to the genre of thrash metal.

Our thoughts and condolences too are with Mike's family, friends, and fans as they attempt to process this difficult loss.