Former METAL CHURCH drummer Kirk Arrington has died after an unspecified illness. He was 61 years old
Yesterday (May 22), METAL CHURCH shared the following statement via their Facebook page: “We just received the sad news, Kirk Arrington passed away this morning due to health issues. RIP in brother! See you on the other side….#RIP #legend #gonetoosoon #MetalChurch #drummer”.
Arrington split with the San Francisco metal act back in 2006 due to diabetes related health issues. He was initially replaced by Jeff Plate (SAVATAGE, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA), and later on by Stet Howland (W.A.S.P.)
The announcement of Kirk‘s passing comes almost two years after singer Mike Howe was found dead in his home in Eureka, California. The official cause of death was determined to be asphyxia due to hanging. A spokesperson for the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department had revealed at the time it was being treated as a suicide. He was 55 years old.
Howe, who sang for METAL CHURCH from 1988 until 1994, and officially rejoined the band in April 2015.
Howe is also not the first singer of the group to have passed away. Vocalist David Wayne died in May 2005 from complications following a car crash. He was 47 years old.
The band will be hitting the road in June in support of their upcoming 13th studio album, “Congregation Of Annihilation”, which will arrive on May 26 via Rat Pak Records (America) and Reaper Entertainment (Europe).
