Morbid Angel is an American death metal band from Tampa, Florida. Formed in 1983, the group was originally a trio featuring bassist and vocalist Dallas Ward, guitarist and keyboardist Trey Azagthoth, and drummer and vocalist Mike Browning. The band's current lineup includes constant member Azagthoth alongside bassist and vocalist Steve Tucker (initially a member from 1997 to 2001, from 2003 to 2004, and most recently since 2015), drummer Scott Fuller (who joined in 2017) and drummer Charlie Koryn (who joined in 2023).
Morbid Angel was formed in 1983 by Dallas Ward, Trey Azagthoth and Mike Browning, with vocals initially handled by Ward. After brief stints in 1984 and 1985 with Terri Samuels and Kenny Bamber, respectively, vocal duties were taken over by Browning and guitarist Richard Brunelle, the latter of whom joined in 1985. [1] By early 1986, the band consisted of Browning, Azagthoth, Brunelle and bassist John Ortega, who recorded the group's first three demos Scream Forth Blasphemies, Bleed for the Devil and Total Hideous Death, as well as the 1991 release Abominations of Desolation . [2]
Shortly after the recording of Abominations of Desolation, Ortega was replaced with Sterling Von Scarborough, and after one more show Browning was fired following a fight with Azagthoth. [2] He was replaced by drummer Wayne Hartsell and vocalist Michael Manson, although after a short time both Scarborough and Manson departed, leaving producer David Vincent to take over as bassist and vocalist. [1] After another demo, Thy Kingdom Come, former Terrorizer drummer Pete Sandoval replaced Hartsell in July 1988. [3] This lineup released Altars of Madness and Blessed Are the Sick . [4]
In late 1992, Brunelle was dismissed from Morbid Angel, reportedly due to substance abuse, and the band became a trio for the first time since its formation. [5] After the release of Covenant , however, Brunelle's vacated position was taken by former Ripping Corpse guitarist Erik Rutan. [6] The new lineup issued Domination in 1995, before frontman David Vincent left at the end of the album's touring cycle the following summer. [7] Rutan also left around the same time. [8] Vincent was replaced by Steve Tucker and the band recorded 1998's Formulas Fatal to the Flesh as a trio. [9]
With Erik Rutan back in the lineup, the group issued Gateways to Annihilation in 2000. [10] The following year, Tucker was forced to step down due to "family and personal problems". [11] He was replaced by Rutan's Hate Eternal bandmate Jared Anderson. [12] By the summer of 2002, however, both Anderson and Rutan had left Morbid Angel to focus on Hate Eternal. [13] [14] After a short hiatus, it was announced in May 2003 that Morbid Angel had begun recording a new album as a trio, with Tucker returning. [15] After the release of Heretic , the band added Monstrosity's Tony Norman as a touring guitarist. [16]
By August 2004, Tucker had left for a second time due to various "personal reasons, musical reasons and very logical reasons" (including health problems), with former frontman David Vincent returning to take his place. [17] Erik Rutan also returned temporarily in the summer of 2006, taking the place of Tony Norman for a European tour running until August. [18] After the tour, the band remained relatively inactive until May 2008, when it was announced that Thor "Destructhor" Myhren of Zyklon had joined as an official second guitarist, in time for the recording of a planned eighth album. [19]
In March 2010, drummer Pete Sandoval was forced to step down from Morbid Angel after undergoing back surgery. [20] He was replaced by Tim Yeung, who was initially credited as a stand-in but ultimately remained with the band on a permanent basis. [21] The new lineup issued Illud Divinum Insanus in 2011. [4] In June 2015, a series of personnel changes occurred – first, it was announced that Tucker had returned, although Vincent initially claimed that he had not left; [22] next, Yeung confirmed rumors that he too had left; [23] and finally, Destructhor announced his departure a few days later. [24]
Morbid Angel remained inactive for the rest of 2015 and all of 2016, before announcing its return in January 2017 with new guitarist Dan Vadim Von and drummer Scott Fuller. [25] The new lineup released Kingdoms Disdained later that year. [4] It was announced in March 2023 that drummer Charlie Koryn joined the band for its 2023 spring American tour. [26] His first gig with the band was in Pensacola, Florida at Vinyl Music Hall. [27]
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Trey Azagthoth | 1983–present |
| all releases | |
Steve Tucker |
|
|
| |
Dan Vadim Von | 2017–present | guitars | Kingdoms Disdained (2017) – one track only | |
Charlie Koryn | 2023–present | drums | none to date |
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mike Browning | 1983–1986 |
|
| |
Dallas Ward | 1983–1985 |
| none | |
Richard Brunelle | 1985–1992 (died 2019) | guitars |
| |
John Ortega | 1985–1986 | bass |
| |
Kenny Bamber | vocals | none | ||
Sterling Von Scarborough | 1986 (died 2006) | bass | ||
Wayne Hartsell | 1986–1988 | drums | Thy Kingdom Come (1987) | |
Michael Manson | 1986 | vocals | none | |
David Vincent |
|
|
| |
Pete Sandoval | 1988–2010 |
| all releases from Altars of Madness (1989) to Live Madness '89, except Abominations of Desolation (1991) | |
Erik Rutan |
|
|
| |
Jared Anderson | 2001–2002 (died 2006) |
| none | |
Tony Norman | 2003–2006 (touring only) | guitars | ||
Thor "Destructhor" Myhren | 2008–2015 | Illud Divinum Insanus (2011) | ||
Tim Yeung | 2010–2015 |
| ||
Scott Fuller | 2017–2023 | Kingdoms Disdained (2017) |
Period | Members | Releases |
---|---|---|
1983–1984 |
| none |
1984–1985 |
| |
1985–1986 |
| |
Early – summer 1986 |
|
|
Summer 1986 |
| none |
Fall 1986 |
| |
Late 1986 – July 1988 |
|
|
July 1988 – late 1992 |
|
|
Late 1992 – late 1993 |
|
|
Late 1993 – summer 1996 |
|
|
Early 1997 – early 1998 |
|
|
Early 1998 – April 2001 |
|
|
April 2001 – June 2002 |
| none |
June – August 2002 |
| |
August 2002 – May 2003 |
| |
May – November 2003 |
|
|
November 2003 – August 2004 |
| none |
August 2004 – June 2006 |
| |
June – August 2006 |
| |
August 2006 – May 2008 |
| |
May 2008 – March 2010 |
| |
March 2010 – June 2015 |
|
|
June 2015 – January 2017 |
| none |
January 2017 – 2023 |
|
|
2023 – present |
| none |
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 death metal genre.
Dying Fetus is an American death metal band from Greater Upper Marlboro, Maryland, formed in 1991. Various lineup changes throughout the years have left John Gallagher as the sole remaining original member, as well as the band's driving force. According to Gallagher, the band name was chosen while the members were young and was intended to be offensive. To date, Dying Fetus has released nine studio albums.
Terrorizer is an American grindcore band from Los Angeles, California. It was originally formed in 1985 as Unknown Death by vocalist Oscar Garcia and guitarist Jesse Pintado. They would rename themselves Terrorizer after recruiting drummer Pete Sandoval, who remains the band's sole constant member throughout their discography, in 1986. The band's current lineup consists of Sandoval, bassist David Vincent, vocalist Brian Werner and guitarist Richie Brown. They are currently signed to Earache Records.
Pedro Rigoberto "Pete" Sandoval is a Salvadoran-born American drummer, best known for his work with extreme metal bands Morbid Angel, Terrorizer and I Am Morbid.
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 Florida death metal band Morbid Angel, as well as the bassist for Terrorizer and Genitorturers.
Erik Rutan is an American heavy metal musician and record producer. He is the guitarist and lead vocalist of death metal band Hate Eternal and most notably, lead guitarist for Cannibal Corpse, since 2021. Rutan has also spent time with Morbid Angel and Ripping Corpse. In addition, Rutan also owns and operates Mana Recording Studios in Florida.
Covenant is the third full-length album by Florida death metal band Morbid Angel, released in Europe on June 1, 1993, through Earache Records, and in North America on June 22, 1993, through Giant Records.
Hate Eternal is a Florida death metal band from St. Petersburg, Florida. The band currently consists of founding guitarist/vocalist Erik Rutan and bassist J. J. Hrubovcak. To date, Hate Eternal has released seven studio albums: Conquering the Throne (1999), King of All Kings (2002), I, Monarch (2005), Fury & Flames (2008), Phoenix Amongst the Ashes (2011), Infernus (2015), and Upon Desolate Sands (2018). All albums were produced by Rutan.
Nocturnus, currently Nocturnus AD, is a Florida 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 by Florida death metal band Morbid Angel, released on May 2, 1991 through Earache Records.
Domination is the fourth studio album by American death metal band Morbid Angel, released in 1995. This was Morbid Angel's last album with 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.
Gateways to Annihilation is the sixth studio album by the death metal band Morbid Angel.
Tim Yeung is an American extreme metal drummer. He has previously performed with Morbid Angel and I Am Morbid alongside former Morbid Angel vocalist/bassist David Vincent.
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.
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.
Infernaeon is an extreme metal band from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. They have released two full-length albums on Prosthetic Records entitled A Symphony of Suffering (2007) and Genesis to Nemesis (2010) and a full-length album on Black & Blue Records entitled The Cancer Within (2013). Formed in the spring of 2004 by vocalist Chris Defaut, bassist Kevin Gibbons (Strychnine), and guitarist Brian Magley, the group recorded and released their first demo entitled "Oracle of Armageddon" in Fall of 2004. They went on to gain a following in the South Florida area where they played with such bands as Response Negative, Sac, and Divine Empire.
This is a timeline documenting events of heavy metal in the year 2015.
Bill Hudson is a Brazilian-American heavy metal guitarist, currently serving as the main composer, lead guitarist and founder for power metal supergroup NorthTale. He worked with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra as well German heavy metal bands U.D.O. and Dirkschneider, both fronted by former Accept vocalist Udo Dirkschneider and American death metal band I Am Morbid, featuring former Morbid Angel frontman David Vincent and drummer Pete Sandoval. As of 2021, he is the guitarist for German heavy metal legend Doro Pesch, after acting as a fill in guitarist since 2017.
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".
I Am Morbid are an American death metal band formed in late 2016, by David Vincent (vocals/bass) and Tim Yeung (drums), both former members of Morbid Angel.