MORBID ANGEL

(UNITED STATES)

ALTARS OF MADNESS

(1989)
LABEL:

EARACHE

GENRE:

DEATH METAL

TAGS:
Growl, Old School, Opera-Rock
"If "Covenant" remains the biggest commercial success in the history of the genre, it is this "Altars Of Madness" that remains the best success of Morbid Angel and of extreme metal in general."
HIZIA (30.01.2012)  
5/5
(0) opinions (0) comment(s)
When "Altars Of Madness" was released in 1989, Morbid Angel's guitarist Trey Azaghtoth had big plans and ambitions for his band. But he had no idea that this same band would become a worldwide success and that their first album would become THE reference of a genre and an absolute classic of Death metal. The Morbid Angel concept is above all based on demonic folklore and satanism which is here at the service of the most violent music that one could listen to at the time, with great reinforcements of incessant blasts (Pete Sandoval discovered the double-pedal during the recording of "Altars Of Madness").

The hostilities start on "Immoral Rites", a cult track whose intro including the riff played backwards is a tribute to The Exorcist. We had never seen that before in metal: an avalanche of incessant breaks, radical changes of ambiences and especially ultra-glossy keyboards. David Vincent belches out his love of darkness for 45 minutes, with the help of a murderous bass and vocal parts flirting with black metal.

It is thus in a long deluge of violence, without the least dead time, that Morbid Angel leads us: 'Suffocation', 'Maze Of Torment' (a masterpiece), the crushing 'Damnation'... are all classics! On ten immortal tracks, the duo Brunelle/Azaghtoth passes the ball between rhythmic under steroids and exuberant soli. This inimitable technique based on speed and precision is still coveted by many death metal guitarists.

The only drawback of this perfect album comes from the limited means of the time which make the guitar sound very distant. And even if "Covenant" remains the biggest commercial success in the history of the genre, it is indeed this "Altars Of Madness" that remains the best success of Morbid Angel and of extreme metal in general. 
- Official website
SIMILAR BANDS:
DEATH, DEICIDE, OBITUARY, GOJIRA

TRACK LISTING:
01. Immortal Rites – 4:04
02. Suffocation – 3:15
03. Visions From The Dark Side – 4:10
04. Maze Of Torment – 4:25
05. Lord Of All Fevers And Plagues – 3:28
06. Chapel Of Ghouls – 4:58
07. Bleed For The Devil – 2:23
08. Damnation – 4:10
09. Blasphemy – 3:31
10. Evil Spells – 4:13

LINEUP:
David Vincent: Chant / Basse
Pete Sandoval: Batterie
Richard Brunelle: Guitares
Trey Azaghtoth: Guitares
   
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