Back in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, Morbid Angel graced us with the perfect mix of maddening thrash, guttural vocals, and Florida madness necessary to supercharge the nascent death metal movement, even flirting with mainstream success at points. The band respectfully declined these offers by firing its most attractive member and doubling down on its brutal assault, diversifying their sound by not only blasting the Christian God, but gods in general (while putting the Sumerian OGs on blast). Fearlessly led by guitar wizard, swamp denizen, and “professional drinker” Trey Azagthoth through 9 official releases, conveniently released alphabetically for your discerning record collectors, and an ever-changing lineups, all variants of which range from rock solid, to virtuously virtuoso. From genre-defining classics to great loads of radioactive crap, we are here to give you the official ranking of every Morbid Angel Album.
9. Illud Divinum Insansus (2011)
The much-anticipated album after reuniting with classic singer, his sexiness David Vincent, and the first without Pete “the feet” Sandoval, which gave the band the benefit of having a guy with an onion-style haircut on second guitar. Oh boy was this a disappointment. Shifting away from their classic death metal sound towards some indigestible industrial insanity, this album truly worked hard to earn the bottom slot, despite some moments of former glory thrown atop the slop.
Play it again: “Nevermore” (figuratively and literally)
Skip it: “Radical”
8. Gateways of Annihilation (2000)
The second outing with Steve Tucker has all of the traditional Morbid Angel fixings, like a Fast Food Death metal album, while breaking no new ground, it still provides the seductively satanic sonic feast that one craves when listening to Death Metal, even if it’s no fillet mignon. And most of us are so broke these days that a Big Mac will suffice over any fancy schmancy sit-down meal. So you can listen to this in a pinch, but there are plenty of better options out there.
Play it again: “He Who Sleeps”
Skip it: “At One With Nothing”
7. Kingdoms Disdained (2017)
After the objective failure that was Illum, Trey sacked David Vincent and re-hired Steve Tucker, course-correcting Morbid Angel back to their signature sound. Thankfully, it also reminds us of how FUN Death Metal can be without any of the meandering tracks, failed experiments or masturbatory mish mash that Trey claims to come up with while in the Temple of Ostyzx (in some alternate universe,an anagram for Tripping Balls).
Play it again: “Piles of Little Arms”
Skip It: “The Righteous Voice”
6. Formulas Fatal to the Flesh (1998)
First and foremost, this collection of flagitious tracks is the first album with the criminally underrated Steve Tucker, proving that the band was a strong independent band, that didn’t need no heartthrob frontman. Point being, with a reliable, solid frontman who could deliver the goods, and an album rips just like its predecessors, all while teaching us that maybe it’s what’s on the inside that counts, dear shallow readers.
Play it Again: “Covenant of Death”
Skip it: “Invocation of the Continual One” (at 9 minutes, it’s just too continuous)
5. Heretic (2003)
Undeniably the best of Tucker era Angel, this album pulled off the impossible by not only crafting an album that could stand tall next to their classic works, complete with all the riffs, blast beats, and mind-bending guitar solos the public had come to expect. The resounding success led to the firing of Steve Tucker, and the return of original vocalist David Vincent, in an ill-fated attempt to recapture the lightning in a bottle of their first four albums, leading to the crapsterpiece that was “Illum.” For one steeped in mythological knowledge, you would expect Trey to know the dangers of flying too close to the sun, but he’s always seemed like more of a Dionysus dude over an Icarus Individual.
Play it Again: “Curse the Flesh”
Skip It: “God of Our Own Divinity”
4. Domination (1995)
The last album with frontman David Vincent and the first to enlist Guitarist/Producer/go to replacement for iconic guitarist Erik Rutan, while this album still has the chops and evil of previous releases, it’s a little too polished and produced for our tastes, which is frankly blasphemous. Mathematically, this makes the “Domination” less blasphemous than previous records, leading it to our number four spot. Still a classic though.
Play It Again: “Dawn of the Angry”
Skip It: “Ceasar’s Palace”
3. Blessed are the Sick (1991)
Their sophomore release sees the boys in Morbid Angel experimenting more with different instrumentation and song structure, paving the way for what was to come next. From the raw brutality of “Unholy Blasphemies,” to the beautiful acoustic standalone used by every intermediate high school guitarist to impress their crush with “Desolate Ways” (RIP Richard Brunelle, Heaven gained another wingman). A perfect midpoint between the raw death metal of early Morbid and the more technical death metal that came next.
Play it Again: “Desolate Ways” into “The Ancient Ones”
Skip It: “Intro” (unless you’re reeeaaally into pick slides)
2. Covenant (1993)
Morbid Angel’s first album as a three-piece, and the album feels both tighter and more expansive for it, with every inch of this album moving like a juggernaut akin to the devil bringing an apocalypse. This was also the closest Morbid Angel, and the death metal genre as a whole came to mainstream success, with the video for “God of Emptiness” not only being featured on MTV (paving the way for future metal heartthrob Pete Steele), but also garnered them a well-earned spot on Beavis and Butt-Head. And if that ain’t metal royalty material, then I don’t know what is!
Play It Again: “Rapture”
Skip it: “The Lion’s Den,” so you can go straight into “God of Emptiness”
Honorable Mention: Abominations of Desolation (1991)
A collection of early demos and recordings with original singer/drummer Mike Browning, this record serves as an interesting look at a band pushing the limits of thrash metal and the beginnings of their burgeoning death metal sound of later full-lengths. A time capsule showcasing a band on the cusp of a musical revolution. The flint to this ignition was the inevitable inclusion of El Salvador’s best and beastliest blast beater Pete Sandoval, and commanding frontman David Vincent, this artifact of ancient death metal belongs rightfully in a metal museum.
1. Altars of Madness (1989)
Oh come on. Going into this list y’all knew which album was going to be number one. An all-American death metal album that not only belongs in a museum but the Library of Congress due to its radically patriotic free expression, while also promoting religious intolerance (A CORE AMERICAN VALUE)! This writer even owns TWO copies of this magnificent milestone of metal, deviating death metal from its thrash roots and bringing trve mvsical heresy to the masses by way of demonic death growls, furious drumming, and guitar riffing straight from the tormented souls on the album cover. Luckily for the band, all of these souls had passed from this mortal coil, leaving the band FREE FROM COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT. Now without further ado, GHOULS! ATTACK THE CHURCH!
Play it again: “Immolation Rights” (fresh after finishing the album, Hell Yeah Brother)!
Skip it: Don’t.