SEPULTURA — Morbid Visions (review)

SEPULTURA — Morbid Visions album cover Album · 1986 · Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
UMUR
"Morbid Visions" is the debut full-length studio album by Brazilian death/thrash metal act Sepultura. The album was released through Cogumelo Records in November 1986. It was recorded and mixed in only 7 days in August 1986 at Estudio Vice Versa, Belo Horizonte. It´s a 16 track recording. The original album consists of 8 tracks and a playing time of 34:40 minutes. Later reissues include the 5 Sepultura tracks from the December 1985 "Bestial Devastation / Século XX" split with Overdose as bonus material. The original vinyl pressing included the first movement of "Carmina Burana" by Carl Orff as an intro to the album, but later reissues omit that piece.

The music on the album is death/thrash metal strongly influenced by artists like as Kreator, Sodom, Celtic Frost and Possessed (the earliest output of those acts). Opinions vary and some consider "Morbid Visions" one of the earliest death metal releases, but I´d say it´s more an example of an early death/thrash metal release, and I´d even say most of the album leans more towards teutonic thrash metal then death metal. In other words an early hybrid of death and thrash metal. All tracks on the album are raw, filthy, and mean sounding, hammering away with pounding drums, thin sounding thrashy guitars, and Max Cavalera´s raw semi-growling/throaty singing on top.

"Morbid Visions" is not an album packed with standout tracks, but I´d mention the opening title track as one and also "Troops of Doom". In the case of the later predominantly because of the catchy and powerful heavy opening riff. "Troops of Doom" has been re-recorded by the band (in the studio) and is also a song Sepultura usually play live (at least in the days when Cavalera was still fronting the band). The sound production is not particularly well sounding, and while some may find its rawness and hollow sound charming/authentic, the production values on the bonus tracks from "Bestial Devastation" (1985) are actually much better sounding and more impactful.

So this is an album for those who enjoy the early teutonic thrash metal releases and other contemporary South American thrash metal ditto. Raw, brutal, simple and spewing out aggression and primitive occult lyrics. Upon conclusion I can´t say "Morbid Visions" blows me away, but a 3 star (60%) rating is still warranted.
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