Morbid Angel | |
|---|---|
 Morbid Angel performing in 2011 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
| Genres | Death metal |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Labels | |
| Members |
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| Past members |
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| Website | morbidangel |
Morbid Angel is an Americandeath metal band based inTampa, Florida, formed in 1983 by guitarist, primary composer and sole remaining original member Trey Azagthoth, vocalist and bassist Dallas Ward, and drummerMike Browning. It was one of the first bands to incorporate guttural vocals, up-tempoblast beats, multiple tempo changes and a dark atmosphere. Morbid Angel was also the first death metal band to experience mainstream success in connection with being signed toGiant Records in 1992, heavy rotation of its music videos on MTV, and having the music video for the song "God of Emptiness" shown on an episode ofBeavis and Butt-Head.[1][2] The band's first three albums –Altars of Madness (1989),Blessed Are the Sick (1991), andCovenant (1993) – are considered classics in the death metal genre.[3]
British music magazineTerrorizer rankedAltars of Madness first in its list "Top 40 greatest death metal albums".Decibel magazine also rated guitarist Trey Azagthoth as the number one "death metal guitarist ever".[4] The band's songs are complex in arrangement; this owes much to the considerable technical skills of both Azagthoth and drummerPete Sandoval, the latter of whom also played in thegrindcore bandTerrorizer. According toNielsen SoundScan, Morbid Angel's third albumCovenant is the best-selling death metal album of the Soundscan era with over 150,000 units sold,[5] and the band is the third-best-selling death metal act in the United States (afterCannibal Corpse andDeicide up until 2003 with sales of over 445,000).[6]
The band's original lyrical themes, when helmed by Vincent (and Azagthoth and Browning respectively) focused mostly onSatanism,occultism andblasphemous subject matter, but fromFormulas Fatal to the Flesh (1998) onward, via Azagthoth's influence, the lyrics moved toward the ancientSumerian gods. Much of this is a nod to theSimon Necronomicon, which was influenced by Sumerian mythology, the authorH. P. Lovecraft,[7] and fascination with theRoman Empire, and during Steve Tucker's tenure they take on moreanti-religious and barbaric themes, namely of the strong overcoming the weak.
Morbid Angel was formed in 1983 in Tampa, Florida, by guitarist Trey Azagthoth and drummer/vocalistMike Browning. In the early stages of its career it developed a reputation for "gruesome stage antics".[8] The band quickly became highly influential in the formation of theFlorida death metal scene, inspiring other highly influential acts such asObituary.[9] Morbid Angel recorded its debut album,Abominations of Desolation, in 1986, but the band was unsatisfied with the final product and it remained unreleased until 1991, printing 10,000 copies. Azagthoth said in the latter year: "It wasn't up to standards, and I learned a lot from that. A debut album is gonna mark you for life.. It was not good enough."[10] In 1986,David Vincent joined the band,[11] replacing Michael Manson and Sterling von Scarborough as vocalist and bassist respectively. FellowTerrorizer member, drummerPete Sandoval, soon followed.
The band's first studio album,Altars of Madness, was released in 1989, and is regarded by many as one of the most important death metal albums of all time.[12][13][14] Music journalist Jason Birchmeier writes that:
Few albums struck a chord within the ears and minds of the late-'80s underground metal scene like Morbid Angel'sAltars of Madness did at the end of the decade, setting a new precedent for metal bands to reach. With the arguable exception ofChuck Schuldiner'sDeath, never before had a heavy metal band carried their lightning-fast guitar riffs and equally spellbinding guitar solos into such horrific territory.Venom andSlayer redefined the extent to which a metal band could align itself with all things evil during the beginning of the decade, but Morbid Angel made these two groups sound like children's music compared to the Florida-based group's assaulting death metal sounds and their blasphemous lyrics.[15]
Morbid Angel toured for nearly two years in support ofAltars of Madness. The tour started in November 1989 when they opened forNapalm Death,Carcass andBolt Thrower in the UK and Europe on the Grindcrusher Tour.[16] Most of 1990 and 1991 were spent touring North America, playing with bands such asPantera,Obituary,Atheist,Death Angel,Forbidden,Sanctuary,Ripping Corpse,Deicide,Sacrifice andWrath. TheAltars of Madness tour ended in April 1991 with a Brazilian tour, supported bySarcófago, Sextrash and Cambio Negro.[17][18]
In 1991, Morbid Angel released their second album,Blessed Are the Sick, which was met with widespread critical acclaim, and is considered by many to be a landmark release in the death metal genre.[19] Morbid Angel toured worldwide in support ofBlessed Are the Sick throughout 1991 and 1992, headlining a European tour withSadus,Cathedral,Godflesh andUnleashed, a North American tour (also supported by Unleashed) and then a European tour withEntombed and Unleashed. They also were one of the opening acts (along withKreator,Sepultura, Headhunter andWolfsbane) forMotörhead on the "Christmas Metal Meetings '91" tour, and toured Australia for the first time.[17]
Following the success ofAltars of Madness andBlessed Are the Sick, Morbid Angel was signed byIrving Azoff toGiant Records for one album, with the option of five more.[2] In late 1992, second guitarist Richard Brunelle was kicked out of the band due to alleged substance abuse; instead of replacing him, Morbid Angel moved on as a three-piece.[1]
On June 22, 1993, the band released their third full-length albumCovenant, which went on to sell over 150,000 copies in the United States alone. Their record label dedicated promotional resources to the album, and commissioned music videos for the songs "Rapture" and "God of Emptiness". These music videos were put on heavy rotation by MTV, and the latter also appeared on the television showBeavis and Butt-Head. The success of the album enabled the band to tour withBlack Sabbath andMotörhead across the United States from February through March 1994, which David Vincent credits with helping the band significantly expand their audience.[1][20] Morbid Angel also toured North America with Kreator andParadise Lost, and Europe withGrave andDismember.[17]
The band released its fourth studio album,Domination, on May 9, 1995, which featured new guitaristErik Rutan ofRipping Corpse. It proved to be a somewhat controversial album among fans, featuring a slower, more atmospheric and experimental sound than on previous albums.[21] AllMusic describes the album's sound as "more groove-oriented".[22] The album has gone on to sell over 100,000 copies in the United States alone. Regardless, following the release of the album, their record label dropped them from their roster.[3][23]
In 1996, shortly after the release of their live album titledEntangled in Chaos, David Vincent departed from Morbid Angel.[24] He was replaced by Steve Tucker in 1997.[24] They released their fifth full-length albumFormulas Fatal to the Flesh in 1998, which was considered more aggressive and complex than their previous albumDomination.[8] With Tucker, the band went on to releaseGateways to Annihilation andHeretic in 2000 and 2003 respectively. Tucker briefly left Morbid Angel in 2001 and was replaced by formerHate Eternal bassist and vocalistJared Anderson. That year, the band joinedPantera,Skrape,Slayer andStatic-X on the Extreme Steel Tour of North America, which was Pantera's last major tour.[25][26]
In 2002, Anderson left the band and Tucker re-assumed his position as bassist and vocalist.[19]
In 2004, Morbid Angel parted ways with Earache[27] and Steve Tucker once again left the band, paving the way for former vocalist/bassist David Vincent to return. The band continued by touring and playing festivals such asWacken Open Air in 2006.
Morbid Angel's appearance on some of the mid-summer 2008 European festivals was announced as a "short break from writing and pre-production of their new 8th studio album".[28] In May 2008, it was announced thatDestructhor fromZyklon would be the band's new guitarist,[29] and Destructhor would appear on the new album.
On March 18, 2010, the band announced thatTim Yeung would play drums on the upcoming album, allowing Pete Sandoval to recover from back surgery.[30] On June 22, the band entered the studio to begin the recording of their new full-length album.[31] On March 5, 2011, the band headlined theScion Rock Fest inPomona, California. This performance was their first in the US in six years, aside from a one-off show in Los Angeles in May 2009.[32] On March 9, Morbid Angel confirmed that their new album would be calledIllud Divinum Insanus.[33] The album was released on June 7 viaSeason of Mist.[31][33] The album incorporated electronic sounds and deviated from the usual sound of the band.[34] In an interview in December 2013, David Vincent confirmed that Pete Sandoval is no longer a member of the band, claiming that Sandoval had "found Jesus", and stating, "Pete Sandoval and Morbid Angel are not compatible", laying to rest speculation that Sandoval would eventually be returning to the band.[35]
Asked in a December 2014 interview about Morbid Angel's plans for 2015, Vincent replied, "We're done [touring] for awhile. It's time to write."[36] Yeung said that the band was in talks of recording an EP.[37]
On June 15, 2015, it was reported thatDavid Vincent andTim Yeung were no longer in Morbid Angel. Former vocalist/bassist Steve Tucker shortly rejoined the band once again.[38][39] Later that day, however, Vincent denied that he had left the band.[40] On his official Facebook page, Tucker hinted in a post on June 17 that Destructhor was no longer part of Morbid Angel either: "Who will play second guitar? Time will answer that one ..."[41] On June 18, this was confirmed, as Destructhor announced his departure from the band to focus on the Norwegian death metal bandMyrkskog.[42] The next day, Vincent confirmed his departure due to creative differences.[43] Both he and Yeung teamed up together in late 2016 to form the bandI Am Morbid.[44] On August 3, Morbid Angel was signed to UDR Music and was at work on a new studio album, which would be released in 2017, with a tour to follow.[45] Yeung state in an interview with Metal Addicts that "I’ve been waiting to break the news for a while about this. Now seems like the proper time to do so. As some of you know, there have been some lineup changes with Morbid Angel. Unfortunately, due to financial differences, I will not be continuing with them. It has been a great five years being involved with Morbid Angel. I’ve met a ton of great people all over the world, played some amazing shows, and have a ton of great memories as well as stories. I wish Trey (Azagthoth) and Morbid Angel all the best. As for myself, I’m always up for the next opportunity life throws my way."[46]
On January 9, 2017, Trey Azagthoth announced on his Facebook page that drummer Scott Fuller joined Morbid Angel for the recording of their new album. Additional details indicated that the album title would presumably start with the letter "K", given the band's history on naming their albums alphabetically.[47] On January 10th, the band announced that Dan Vadim Von has joined as second guitarist. They also announced a U.S. tour withSuffocation,Revocation andWithered, which would begin in late May and continue into late June.[48] In a March interview onThe Metal Magdalene with Jet show on Metal Messiah Radio, Steve Tucker explained that the album would be a "death metal album".[49] When speaking toOrlando Weekly in May 2017, Tucker said that the tour setlist would not feature any David Vincent era material and would then perform songs featuring him instead. He also said that they would play "probably one or two new songs" from the new album, in which he said that it was "almost done, but we don't want to put out too much withYouTube putting it up the next day."[50] On the opening night on May 23, they performed a new song entitled "Warped".[51] Morbid Angel canceled their European appearance twice due to passport issues from one of the members. The band's management explained that a new passport would not be issued in time for the shows. The band expressed disappointment with the news and issued an apology.[52][53] On October 5, the cover artwork for the forthcoming album titledKingdoms Disdained was revealed, which was released on December 1 by Silver Lining Music.[54] Later that day, the brand new song "Piles of Little Arms" was made available for streaming,[55] followed by "For No Master" on November 29.[56]
Morbid Angel toured the U.S. in the spring of 2018 withMisery Index andOrigin, performing on separate legs.[57] In early 2019, Morbid Angel and Cannibal Corpse toured together for the first time ever, promoted by heavy metal magazineDecibel, with Necrot andBlood Incantation as additional support.Immolation replaced Cannibal Corpse for the final week of the tour.[58]
In a February 2019 interview with Metal Wani, Tucker stated that Morbid Angel was planning to begin working on a new album that year: "I'm gonna actually start writing some new music, and I think Trey will probably start writing some new music. We'll probably do a couple of more tours throughout the year. We have some stuff that's being talked about now, but nothing concrete. It's that time. It's been a little bit over a year since the last album came out. I've kind of got the urge and desire myself to write some more music. So we'll start getting into that and continue doing shows."[59] In March 2019, Morbid Angel appeared on theAdult Swim television seriesFishCenter Live.[60]
On September 27, 2019, it was made public that former Morbid Angel guitarist Richard Brunelle died on September 23 at age 55. The cause of death remains unknown.[61]
In celebration of their 40th anniversary, Morbid Angel embarked on a five-week North American tour called the United States Tour of Terror 2023 in March–April 2023, featuring session drummer Charlie Koryn.[62][63]
During the March 31, 2023, show inBelvidere, Illinois, the roof of theconcert venue collapsed after it was struck by anEF1 tornado, resulting in the death of one concertgoer, and injuries to at least 40 others.[64][65][66]
Morbid Angel was originally scheduled to take part in the Devastation on the Nation tour, commencing on November 15, 2024, but was dropped off from the lineup due to unforeseen circumstances and was replaced by I Am Morbid.[67]
Morbid Angel is a death metal band, though its style of music has undergone a number of changes throughout its musical career. Generally, the band's sound is characterised by harsh,growled vocals, technically complexguitarwork that frequently makes use of fasttremolo-picking andpalm-muted riffs.[68] Trey Azagthoth's guitarwork is a core part of the band's sound, and hisatonal "shredding" style has been likened to the guitar work inSlayer.[69] Pete Sandoval's work behind the drums has also been crucial to the band's sound; he "is known for his greatdouble bass drum speed and technical proficiency" and as one of the fastestdrummers in metal.[70] In addition, "Sandoval is also among the first extreme metal drummers to champion the use of acoustic drum triggers."[70] According to David Vincent, "In the early days of [the band] we pretty much just isolated ourselves and we did what we did. And we weren't really necessarily [...] trying to copy anyone because, well, there wasn't anythingto copy; there was nothing that sounded like what we were doing. And we just sort of blazed our own trail, and thankfully and fortunately, it translated and it became a thing. But again, there were a lot fewer bands back then. So the fact that of the bands that were out there, everybody was unique sort of in their own style."[71]
On their early albums, they pushedmetal to its most extreme level, musically and lyrically.[19] The band has evolved theiranti-Christian lyrical themes from these early works. OnAltars of Madness, the lyrics largely consist of simpleblasphemous and overtlySatanic proclamations.[8] However, the sophistication and depth of the lyrics has grown over time. On their 1993 albumCovenant, the band articulate more broadly anti-theistic lyrics, and profess "anger at a higher power". Today, "the band's lyrics are even morephilosophical and thought-provoking. Current lyricist Trey Azagthoth has diagramed his personal ideology in the albumFormulas Fatal to the Flesh. His stance is blasphemous and non-traditional, but hardlyevil."[8] Azagthoth stated in an interview, "I'm not evil as far as, 'I want to hurt people'".[72]
Morbid Angel has been one of the most highly influential bands in the growth and development of death metal along with death metal bandCannibal Corpse.[8][5][73] Former guitarist Erik Rutan went on to form the successful death metal bandHate Eternal, while the South Carolina bandNile have gone on to enjoy significant levels of success in a similar style of death metal.[8] Their sound has also heavily influenced the growth and development of death metal and black metal in South America, as well as of the early black metal scene in Norway.[8] Many bands have cited Morbid Angel as an influence on their own music, includingObituary,[9]Immortal,[74]Krisiun,[75]Gorguts,[76]Behemoth,[77]Dead Congregation,[78]Gojira,[79]Opeth,[80]Pyrrhon,[81]Revocation,[82] and many others. The influence of Morbid Angel has also been observed in the work ofHate Eternal andNile.[83] Bands outside the United States influenced by Morbid Angel include the Brazilian projects Abhorrence, Nephasth, Rebaelliun, and Mental Horror, and European black metal bands such asEmperor,Zyklon, andDimmu Borgir.[8]
Their early releaseAbominations of Desolation as well asAltars of Madness are considered two of the earliest true examples of death metal, as well as two of the most boundary-pushing albums of their time in terms of extremity.[84]Metalsucks named them one of the most important bands of the 1990s, writing that "The band released three seminal albums —Blessed Are the Sick,Covenant, andDomination — between 1991 and 1995 alone (and there are definitely fans who'd say we're being unfair to 1998'sFormulas Fatal to the Flesh). And thanks to a little show calledBeavis and Butt-Head, Morbid Angel became death metal's ambassadors to the outside world, acting as the gateway drug for who even knows how many scores of kids."[85]
Guitarist Trey Azagthoth is one of the most influential and widely revered guitarists in heavy metal.[86][69][87] Loudwire named him one of the top 10 rock and metal "riff lords", writing that "Trey Azagthoth left his fingerprints all over the early death metal scene with a unique riffing style still unmatched within the genre today. [...] His unconventional style sounds haphazard in its approach, awkwardly stepping over piles of rubbles left from previous riffing attacks, but with crushing effect."[88]VH1 has described him as "a unique and thrilling lead player more following in the adventurous footsteps ofEddie Van Halen than a stiff tactician."SPIN wrote that "he has blazed a tension-filled style all his own" and that "when he solos, he enters a mystical mind state he calls the "Temple of Ostx".[89]
During the nineties, the band were one of a number of bands involved in the scare created around death metal, and were featured in a news report about the issue due to the band's overtly Satanic and occult lyrics and imagery.[90][91]
Current members
The band's studio and live albums are notable for being released in alphabetical order (Altars of Madness,Blessed Are the Sick,Covenant, and so on), with guitarist Trey Azagthoth commenting that it was a coincidence regarding the first two albums, but that it has been done consciously since then.[92]
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [93] | US Heat. [93] | US Ind. [93] | CHE [94] | FIN [95] | FRA [96] | GRC [97] | NLD [98] | SWE [99] | UK [100] | ||||
| 1989 | Altars of Madness
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| |
| 1991 | Blessed Are the Sick
| — | — | — | — | — | — | 26 | 81 | — | — |
| |
| 1993 | Covenant
| — | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995 | Domination
| — | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | 93 | — | 124 |
| |
| 1998 | Formulas Fatal to the Flesh
| — | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | 93 | — | — |
| |
| 2000 | Gateways to Annihilation
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| |
| 2003 | Heretic
| — | 27 | 28 | — | — | 146 | — | — | — | — |
| |
| 2011 | Illud Divinum Insanus
| 141 | 3 | 24 | 97 | 18 | — | — | — | 41 | — | ||
| 2017 | Kingdoms Disdained
| — | — | — | 73 | 31 | — | — | 169 | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes a release that did not chart. | |||||||||||||
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 1996 | Entangled in Chaos
|
| 2015 | Juvenilia
|
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Illud Divinum Insanus – The Remixes
|
| 2016 | The Best of Morbid Angel
|
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| NLD [98] | ||
| 1991 | Abominations of Desolation
| 77 |
| Year | EP details |
|---|---|
| 1994 | Laibach Re-mixes
|
| 2017 | Complete Acid Terror
|
| Year | Song | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | "Thy Kingdom Come" | Non-album single |
| 1991 | "Fall from Grace" | Blessed Are the Sick |
| "Abominations" | ||
| "Day of Suffering" | ||
| "The Ancient Ones" | ||
| 1993 | "Rapture" | Covenant |
| 1994 | "God of Emptiness" | |
| 1995 | "Where the Slime Live" | Domination |
| 2001 | "Opening of the Gates" | Gateways to Annihilation |
| 2011 | "Nevermore" | Illud Divinum Insanus |
| 2017 | "Piles of Little Arms" | Kingdoms Disdained |
| Year | Song | Director | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | "Immortal Rites" | Altars of Madness | |
| 1991 | "Blessed Are the Sick/Leading the Rats" | Wayne Gillian | Blessed Are the Sick |
| 1993 | "God of Emptiness" | Tony Kunewalder | Covenant |
| "Rapture" | |||
| 1995 | "Where the Slime Live" | Domination | |
| 2003 | "Enshrined by Grace" | Pete Bridgewater[104] | Heretic |
| 2012 | "Existo Vulgoré" | Thomas Mignone | Illud Divinum Insanus |
| 2018 | "Garden of Disdain" | Nader Sadek | Kingdoms Disdained |
| 2019 | "Architect And Iconoclast" | Adult Swims Centre[105] |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
