Morbid Angel, Kingdoms Disdain, A Review (2017)

Morbid Angel, Kingdoms Disdain, A Review (2017)

By: Erreh Svaia
Rock N Roll Animal

Morbid Angel is the world's most influential Death Metal band and definitely one of the best sellers ever in the whole genre, for a while it looked like MA would become the most popular DM band in the world, with unexpected heavy airplay of their videos and the band crawling out of the underground and right into the mainstream just a Celtic Frost (awkwardly) or Metallica (successfully) did a couple of years ago, the musical revolution supposedly led by Nirvana, which drive many people from the sounds of pop metal, led also many far from DM and right towards the sound of then emerging Nu Metal, which stole the focus that was growing around DM brightest underground stars like MA, Cannibal Corpse and Deicide, it was a lost chance but it kept the band's going on, safe in the underground without losing a bit of their risky artistic vision, something that kind of crippled Metallica, Slayer and Sepultura.

Morbid Angel are back with a powerful new album true to their original roots, although it doesn't fully reach the greatness of their Fall From Grace era, it's a perfect match for their enormous musical legacy, fortunately gone are the industrial experimentations of their last record that divided listeners and created confusion within the band, gone is also legendary bassist vocalist David Vincent, but impressive guitarist Trey Azagthoth is still fronting this band reduced here to a still brutal trio (with new guitarist Dan Vadim Von featured only on one track), totally capable of achieving those dense and complex structures of the past, Kingdoms Disdained quickly recovers the band classic sound with Azagthoth's dazzling guitar riffing on full display, and that nearly perverse reptilian sound so characteristic with the band on lead single Piles of Little Arms, featuring Steve Tucker unholy growl perfectly replacing original singer David Vincent, with Tucker's vocal attack as a great match to the rest of the band's brutal discharge.

There's plenty of room for some new tricks like on the maniacally insane D.E.A.D., with the band at full speed and delivering outstanding shifts on tempo, continued on Garden of Disdain, a great tune, lacking perhaps the density of early years, while on tracks like The Righteous Voice is evident that the band's obsession with ear damaging chaotic structures is still omnipresent, surely pleasing long time fans of the band and of the genre who would be very happy while hearing this killing machine in epic bonecrushing shape on song like Architect and Iconoclast, showcasing Scott Fuller's awesome hyperkinetic work behind the drum kit, enough to make you forget long time gone and great Pete Sandoval.

And if crushing riffs are your thing, check out Azaghtoth's performance on Paradigms Warped (or his flashy and impressive soloing featured on From the Hands of Kings) for another chance to appreciate Trey outstanding guitar wizardry, perfectly backed by Tucker and Fuller, or the band's clockwork coordination on The Pillard Crumbling, a mind blowing piece that could easily overcome Deicide's most intense moments, even daring to up the ante once again on For No Master, a perfect vehicle for Tucker most bestial growling.

The closing track on this amazing record is called The Fall of Idols, but Morbid Angel never fall down thru this whole amazing collection of songs, creating outstanding track after track, Azaghtoth's and his troupe of death metal warriors have created a true brutal musical feast, in a way, along with Cannibal Corpse's newest record is kind of a revival for classic Florida's Death Metal, could a Deicide New record be around the corner? Who cares, Kingdoms Disdain is the real thing!