Gateways to Annihilation

Gateways to Annihilation
Studio album by Morbid Angel
Released	October 17, 2000
Studio	Morrisound Recording, Tampa, Florida
Genre	Death metal
Length	44:25
Label	Earache
Producer	Morbid Angel Jim Morris
Morbid Angel chronology
Formulas Fatal to the Flesh (1998) Gateways to Annihilation (2000) Heretic (2003)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles	9/10 [2]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal	7/10 [3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[4]
Kerrang!	[5]
Rock Hard	9.5/10 [6]
Terrorizer	7.5/10 [7]

Gateways to Annihilation is the sixth studio album by American death metal band Morbid Angel, released on October 17, 2000 by Earache Records. This album saw a change in musical style as the speed-laden intensity of the previous album Formulas Fatal to the Flesh was abandoned for a slower, more droning style, reminiscent of Blessed Are the Sick . This is also the first album in which Steve Tucker contributed lyrics and music to the band. It is also the second and last album to feature guitarist and keyboardist Erik Rutan.

Dan Seagrave painted the album cover. This marks the first Morbid Angel album cover he had painted since Altars of Madness .

The intro track name "Kawazu" is an archaic Japanese word meaning "frog", which explains the sounds of frogs croaking on the track.

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Steve Tucker, except "Secured Limitations" by Trey Azagthoth

No.	Title	Music	Length
1.	"Kawazu" (instrumental)	Azagthoth	0:35
2.	"Summoning Redemption"	Azagthoth	7:16
3.	"Ageless, Still I Am"	Azagthoth	5:18
4.	"He Who Sleeps"	Tucker	4:04
5.	"To the Victor the Spoils"	Azagthoth, Tucker	3:43
6.	"At One with Nothing"	Azagthoth, Tucker	4:33
7.	"Opening of the Gates"	Azagthoth	5:15
8.	"Secured Limitations"	Azagthoth	4:39
9.	"Awakening" (instrumental)	Erik Rutan	1:21
10.	"I"	Azagthoth, Tucker	3:50
11.	"God of the Forsaken"	Rutan	3:49

Personnel

• Steve Tucker – bass, lead vocals
• Trey Azagthoth – guitars, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Secured Limitations"
• Erik Rutan – guitars, keyboards
• Pete Sandoval – drums

References

1. Kantor, Matt. "Gateways to Annihilation - Morbid Angel". Allmusic. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
2. Dick, Chris (October 7, 2000). "Morbid Angel - Gateways to Annihilation". bravewords.com . Retrieved January 18, 2024.
3. Popoff, Martin; Perri, David (2011). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 4: The '00s. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 331. ISBN   9781-926592-20-6.
4. Larkin, Colin, ed. (2006). "Morbid Angel". Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 5 (4th ed.). MUZE. pp. 886–887. ISBN   978-0-19-531373-4.
5. Alexander, Phil (September 23, 2000). "Albums". Kerrang! . No. 820. EMAP. p. 47.
6. "Gateways To Annihilation". Rock Hard (Vol. 161) (in German). September 19, 2000. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
7. Schwarz, Paul (October 2000). "Selected & Dissected". Terrorizer . No. 83. p. 58. ISSN   1350-6978.