I usually release my album of the week post every Wednesday and I have for the last four year or so. Unfortunately, Halloween lands on a Tuesday which means that my lost October Halloween themed posts were to end last week. In my right mind, I just couldn’t let that happen so I am releasing an album of the week post one week early this year and I have a good one. One band that has always always stuck out to me in the Death Metal community has always been Florida’s own Morbid Angel. There is a reason for that and it’s current vocalist Steve Tucker once told me on the Superjoint Ritual tour in 2003 to “get off your ass p*ssy because no sits at a Morbid Angel show.” I thought it was the coolest thing in the world because I was the only sitting on top of this bar top at the Worcester Palladium. Nonetheless, the band absolutely crushed it and I have been a fan ever since. The album I chose for today was based off a recommendation by MetalInjection.net and it’s the band’s debut album Altars Of Madness. The album featured David Vincent (Bass & Vocals), Trey Azagthoth (Guitars), Richard Brunelle (Guitars), and the “father of the blast beat” Pete Sandoval (Drums).
1. Immortal Rites– The track that kicks things off and the track is punishing as they sing about a ritual or offering to the lord of the dark. 4.5/5
2. Suffocation– a track with a real metal flare before the father of the blast beat takes over with the band whose chord progressions are insane. The track seems to be talking about a time when evil ran over the land just suffocating everyone’s judgement. 5/5
3. Visions from the Dark Side– A hammering track that is unrelenting as it bludgeons you to death in this track about how sometimes it’s the force of the dark that makes us do the things we do. 4.5/5
4. Maze of Torment– The intro has a real thrash like intro while integrating with their death metal sound. You can definitely hear a Slayer like influence on the track and it’s bad ass. This is one of the best tracks on the album in my opinion. 5/5
5. Lord of All Fevers & Plagues– The band pays tribute to various gods like Ningishzida who appears in the Simon Necronomicon and H.P. Lovecraft’s writings. 4.5/5
6. Chapel of Ghouls– A punishing riff that reminds me of early Slayer in a track that is about hell’s all out war against Christ and his churches. This is another amazing track on the album. 5/5
7. Bleed for the Devil– A track that is punishing like a sledgehammer that is all about what are willing to do for the lord of darkness. I love the guitar solo, it’s very Hanneman like. 4.5/5
8. Damnation– a hammering metal track that seems to be about hell on earth commencing and all of us being in damnation. 4/5
9. Blasphemy– Another blast beat heavy track that is all about being blasphemous towards God which is the ultimate unforgivable sin (I believe). I love the guitar solo in this track, it’s very cool. 4/5
10. Evil Spells– The last song on the album that is a very cool track with metal influences in it that put most Thrash bands to shame in a track that is all about hell. 5/5
My Final Thoughts– This is as bad ass as it gets people especially if you are thinking about getting in to Death Metal. I have always been one that says you don’t have to pay attention to the lyrics to enjoy the music, but know that the lyrics are an important piece of the puzzle. This album does put a lot of metal bands to shame as these guys wrote some amazing songs. I am giving the album 4.6 stars out of five for a final grade. Happy Halloween everyone!!!
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