MORBID ANGEL — Altars of Madness (review)

MORBID ANGEL — Altars of Madness album cover

Album · 1989 · Death Metal

5/5 · 2015-07-20
Vim Fuego

‘Altars of Madness’ was the album which made people sit up and take death metal seriously.

Early death metal was characterised by heavy Neanderthal riffs, double kick drum abusing percussion, and gargling vocals. Death’s 1988 album ‘Leprosy’ was the first to start refining this formula past its most basic, but ‘Altars Of Madness’ took it a step further. Morbid Angel proved that death metal musicians could be highly skilled, and that death metal didn’t have to be simple to be effective.

There is so much detail through the album. Each song is a multi-spiralling helix of twisted riffs, demented solos and leads and machinegun percussion. There is so much going on in each song that repeated listens are required to pick out even half of it. A song like ‘Maze of Torment’ is appropriately titled, because it shoots off in so many different directions, turning back on itself, twisting and writhing.

Trey Azagthoth had a reputation as a bit of a fruit loop, but no one could doubt his skill as a guitarist. Azagthoth routinely slashed his arm before playing, letting the blood flow over his instrument as a sacrifice to aid his skills. Owing equal debts to Eddie Van Halen, Mozart and the Ancient Ones, his playing was far from conventional. He often throws in off-kilter notes and unexpected guitar effects and noises, essential in weaving the ultra-complex web of Morbid Angel’s identity. Richard Brunelle matched Azagthoth for enthusiasm, if not quite for technique, and while his soloing style is less technical than Azagthoth’s, it is no less frenetic.

David Vincent’s voice is not as gruff as many early Death Metal vocalists, but it allows a certain fluidity a deeper voice would negate. It allows the listener to fully appreciate the band’s tales of damnation and evil.

‘Chapel of Ghouls’ is one of the oldest songs here, written along with original drummer and vocalist Mike Browning, but it stands out as a highlight. Believe it or not, it has a sing-along chorus. While much of the album takes several listens to penetrate, it is quite possible to pick up the chant “Dead- your god is dead/Fools- your god is dead/Useless prayers of lies/Behold Satan’s rise”. Judicious use of blast beats and the multifaceted Azagthoth/Brunelle solos embed this song firmly into your mind.

‘Blasphemy’ is the other real stand out track. It starts with machinegun fire, the rapidity of which Pete Sandoval matches and then surpasses with the snare. Ever wondered why his nickname is Commando? Vincent’s voice almost sounds out a melody, while the minimal use of solos (well, minimal for Morbid Angel anyway) helps create a short, punchy track.

The re-released version of the album has the track ‘Lord of All Fevers and Plague’ as a bonus. It is hard to see why the track wasn’t originally included on the album. The overall sound fits perfectly with the rest of the album. Lyrically though, it is Azagthoth’s ode to Lovecraftian demons, rather than following the satanic theme present elsewhere. There are also remixes of ‘Maze of Torment’, ‘Chapel of Ghouls’ and ‘Blasphemy’ added as bonus tracks, although the only difference between these and the originals are some slightly altered solos.

This album still sounds fresh. Although nowhere near as heavy as much of the death metal coming out today, ‘Altars Of Madness’ proved a valuable point at the time of its release, that brutality and skill need not be mutually exclusive.