Representative Albums: "Covenant," "Domination," "Blessed Are the Sick"
Representative Songs: "Maze of Torment," "God of Emptiness," "Rapture"
Biography
Groups like Venom, Mercyful Fate, and Slayer may have founded death metal in the early '80s, but it wasn't until such disciples as Morbid Angel came along at the close of the decade that the genre was pushed to its most extreme level, both musically and lyrically. Formed in 1984 in Florida, Morbid Angel (along with Death) would also help spearhead an eventual death metal movement in their home state, which would include such notables as Deicide and Obituary, among countless others. From its inception, the group's leader has been guitarist/songwriter Trey Azagthoth, who has successfully maintained that Morbid Angel stick to their guns throughout countless musical fads during their career. Over the course of their first few releases, 1989's Altars of Madness and 1991's Blessed Are the Sick (the latter considered by many as a landmark release in the death metal genre), the group's lineup consisted of Azagthoth, vocalist/bassist David Vincent, guitarist Richard Brunelle, and drummer Pete Sandoval. With Brunelle bowing out of the group shortly thereafter and replaced by Erik Rutan, Morbid Angel had come across what would become the longest-lasting lineup of their career, showcased on such albums as 1991's Abominations of Desolation, 1993's Covenant, 1995's Domination, and 1996's in-concert Entangled in Chaos, before Vincent jumped ship and was replaced with Steve Tucker. The Tucker-led lineup lasted for a pair of releases, 1997's Formulas Fatal to the Flesh and 2000's Gateways to Annihilation, before he was replaced with former Hate Eternal vocalist/bassist Jared Anderson. Morbid Angel spent the summer of 2001 touring U.S. arenas along with Pantera and Slayer as part of the multi-band Extreme Steel Tour. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
Mike Browning
Wayne Hartsell
Dallas Ward
Richard Brunelle
Kenny Bamber
Sterling Von Scarborough Steve Tucker Erik Rutan Jared Anderson
Tony Norman
John Ortega
Michael Manson
Morbid Angel is an Americandeath metal band based in Tampa, Florida. They, along with Death, Possessed, Obituary, Massacre, Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, and a handful of others were crucial in the development of the death metal genre and its standards, separating it from the thrash metal genre completely. UK music magazine Terrorizer ranked two Morbid Angel albums in its "Top 40 Greatest Death Metal Albums," with their 1989 debut Altars of Madness appearing at number 1. Decibel Magazine also rated guitarist Trey Azagthoth as the number 1 "Death Metal Guitarist Ever". The band's songs are complex in arrangement, owing to the considerable technical skills of both Azagthoth and drummer Pete Sandoval (who also played in the grindcore/death metal band Terrorizer). According to Nielsen SoundScan, Morbid Angel is the third best-selling death metal band in the United States with sales over 445,000[1] in the United States alone and releasing the best-selling death metal album in the United States of all time, Covenant, with sales over 127,000[2].
Morbid Angel was formed in 1983 in Tampa, Florida. The band made their vinyl debut in 1987 on New Renaissance Records. They recorded their debut album, Abominations of Desolation, in 1986, but the band was unsatisfied with the final product and it remained unreleased until 1991. Their first proper studio album, Altars of Madness, was released in 1989.
Morbid Angel was one of the original death metal bands signed to Earache Records, and was also influential in the transition of death metal from its thrash metal roots to its current form by adding guttural vocals, up-tempo blast beats, incorporating atonality in guitar soloing, and dark, chunky, mid paced rhythms. They were also the first death metal band to have a touch of mainstream success, such as being signed to Giant Records in 1992 and having the music video for the song "God of Emptiness" shown on an episode of Beavis and Butthead (who ridiculed it).
The band's original lyrical themes focused mostly on Satanism, occultism and anti-Christian subject matter, but from their second album, Blessed Are the Sick onward, the lyrics slowly moved toward the ancient Sumerian gods, though much of this is a nod to the Simon Necronomicon, which was influenced by Sumerian mythology as well as the author H. P. Lovecraft[3], as well as a fascination with the Roman Empire, though anti-religious elements continue to permeate the lyrics. Their albums are notable for being released in alphabetical order (their first album starts with the letter A, the second with B, etc.). Guitarist Trey Azagthoth has said in an interview that it was at first a coincidence with the first albums [1].
As stated on their official website, Morbid Angel's appearance on some of the mid-summer 2008 European festivals is announced as a "short break from writing and pre-production of their new 8th Studio album" (most likely starting with the letter "I", as all of Morbid Angel's albums, starting with Altars of Madness, have followed an alphabetic theme ) which would be the follow-up to 2003's Heretic. As of November 2009, Morbid Angel is currently under contract with Season of Mist and the label will release their new album in 2010.[4]
In May 2008 it was announced Thor Anders Myhren of Zyklon would be the band's new touring guitarist.[5] Myhren will appear on Morbid Angel's upcoming album.
During European tours and festivals in 2008 a new song, "Nevermore" had been played from the forthcoming album.
On November 18 2009 independent record label Season of Mist announced that they completed a deal with Morbid Angel. [6]
