Morbid Angel is an American death metal band based in Tampa, Florida, formed in 1983 by guitarist, primary composer and sole remaining original member Trey Azagthoth, vocalist and bassist Dallas Ward, and drummer Mike Browning. Widely considered one of the most influential bands in the genre and important in the transition of death metal from its thrash metal roots, they were one of the first bands to incorporate guttural vocals, up-tempo blast beats, multiple tempo changes and a dark atmosphere. They have been described as one of "the most influential and emulated bands in death metal", alongside Obituary, Death, Cynic, Autopsy and Deicide, and have been cited as an influence by many later bands. They were also the first death metal band to experience mainstream success in connection with being signed to Giant Records in 1992, heavy rotation of their music videos on MTV, and having the music video for the song "God of Emptiness" shown on an episode of Beavis and Butt-Head. Their first three albums – Altars of Madness (1989), Blessed Are the Sick (1991), and Covenant (1993) – are considered classics in the genre.
Pedro Rigoberto "Pete" Sandoval is a Salvadoran-born American drummer, best known for his work with extreme metal bands like Morbid Angel and Terrorizer.
David Justin Vincent, also known as Evil D, is an American musician who is best known as the former lead vocalist and bassist for the death metal band Morbid Angel, as well as the bassist for Terrorizer and Genitorturers.
Formulas Fatal to the Flesh is the fifth full-length studio album by death metal band Morbid Angel. The Satanic-themed lyrics of previous albums had been replaced with lyrics about the Old Ones, which would become the primary source of Morbid Angel's lyrical content from this point on, and has some lyrical content written in Sumerian. This is the first album to feature singer/bassist Steve Tucker, replacing David Vincent.
Erik Rutan is an American heavy metal musician and producer from New Jersey. He is the guitarist and lead vocalist of death metal band Hate Eternal and lead guitarist for Cannibal Corpse, who he fully joined in 2021 after acting as a fill-in guitarist during their 2019 tour. Rutan has also spent time with Morbid Angel and Ripping Corpse. When not performing, Rutan operates his own recording studio in Florida called Mana Recording Studios.
Covenant is the third official full-length album by Florida-based death metal band Morbid Angel. It was first released in Europe on June 1, 1993, through Earache Records, and in North America on June 22, 1993, through Giant Records. Covenant was the band's breakthrough album due to their contract with Giant Records and its widespread exposure on MTV's Headbangers Ball, as well as the music video for 'God of Emptiness' appearing on Beavis and Butt-head. It is frequently described as one of the greatest death metal albums of all time, and a landmark album in the genre, influencing countless future metal bands, including Portal and Dead Congregation. According to Nielsen Soundscan, Covenant was the best selling death metal album as of 2003, with sales of over 150,000 in the United States alone. In 2017, Rolling Stone named it the 75th best metal album of all time.
Nocturnus, currently Nocturnus AD, is an American death metal band formed in Tampa, Florida, in 1987 by the drummer/vocalist Mike Browning. They were known for their science-fiction themed lyrics and use of keyboards, both of which were virtually unknown in extreme metal at the time. The 1990 debut from the band is considered by some to be the first progressive death metal album.
Blessed Are the Sick is the second studio album from American death metal band Morbid Angel. Though the album features some fast sections, the overall sound is markedly slower than the debut and with identifiable classical music undertones present. Tracks 9, 10 and 12 are re-recorded songs from the 1986 demo Abominations of Desolation.
Altars of Madness is the debut studio album by American death metal band Morbid Angel, released on May 12, 1989, by Combat Records/Earache Records. The album was recorded in December 1988 at Morrisound Recording in Tampa, Florida. The album is one of the earliest examples of death metal and is considered to have helped pioneer the sound along with Possessed's Seven Churches in 1985 and Death's Scream Bloody Gore in 1987, and set a new precedent for heaviness and extremity, both musically and lyrically. It is one of the most celebrated albums in death metal, and one of the most influential heavy metal albums of all time.
Abominations of Desolation is the demo album by American death metal band Morbid Angel. While it was originally recorded in May 1986, the band did not release it at the time due to their dissatisfaction with the final product. These recordings would later be released in 1991 at the decision of the band's record label, Earache Records.
Domination is the fourth full-length studio album by death metal band Morbid Angel, released in 1995. This was Morbid Angel's last album under the label Giant Records before the label dropped the band. The band then re-signed with their former label, Earache Records. This is also the first Morbid Angel album to feature Hate Eternal frontman Erik Rutan on guitars and keyboards, who later left the band following this album, though he would return to the band for Gateways to Annihilation.
Heretic is the seventh studio album by the Florida death metal band Morbid Angel. This would be their last under Earache Records, as the band decided not to renew its contract, and also the last to feature Pete Sandoval and with Steve Tucker until his return on 2017's Kingdoms Disdained.
Ripping Corpse was a death metal band formed in 1987 in Red Bank, New Jersey.
Jared W. Anderson was an American death metal musician best known as the bassist and vocalist of Morbid Angel from 2001 to 2002 and Hate Eternal from 1998 to 2003.
Alas are an operatic progressive metal band from Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Michael George Browning is an American heavy metal drummer and vocalist.
Illud Divinum Insanus is the eighth studio album by American death metal band Morbid Angel. It was released on June 7, 2011, by independent French record label Season of Mist. It is Morbid Angel's first album since Heretic (2003), the band's longest gap to date between studio albums. This is the only Morbid Angel album to feature guitarist Destructhor and drummer Tim Yeung, making it their first not to feature Pete Sandoval, who was recovering from surgery. It is also the band's only album to feature bassist/vocalist David Vincent since he rejoined in 2004.
Dreaming with the Dead is the full-length studio debut by death metal band Ripping Corpse, released in 1991. Among the ranks of the band was guitarist Erik Rutan, who would go on to become a temporary member of Morbid Angel and also front his own band Hate Eternal. Worth noting as well is that Shaune Kelley would also play with Rutan's band as well, later on in their career.
Kingdoms Disdained is the ninth studio album by American death metal band Morbid Angel, which was released on December 1, 2017 by Silver Lining Music. It is the first album since 2003's Heretic to feature Steve Tucker and the only one to feature former Abysmal Dawn drummer Scott Fuller. It is also the first to not feature David Vincent, Destructhor and Tim Yeung since 2011's Illud Divinum Insanus, as all three members left the band in 2015. A music video was made for "Garden of Disdain".
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