MORBID ANGEL — Abominations of Desolation (review)

MORBID ANGEL — Abominations of Desolation album cover Demo · 1991 · Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Abominations of Desolation" is an archive album release by US, Florida based death metal act Morbid Angel. The album was released through Earache Records in September 1991. While it bridges the gap between the band´s second- and third full-length studio albums "Blessed Are the Sick (1991)" and "Covenant (1993)", "Abominations of Desolation" was actually recorded in May 1986 and was originally planned to be Morbid Angel´s debut album. It was not released at the time though and lay on the shelf until Earache Records decided to release it. One of the reasons was it had been heavily bootlegged and therefore the band/the label could just as well release it themselves, and make some money out of it. The album was recorded by Mike Browning (vocals, drums), Trey Azagthoth (guitar), John Ortega (bass guitar), Richard Brunelle (guitar), and produced by David Vincent. The latter would become the lead vocalist/bassist for Morbid Angel a few years later.

"Abominations of Desolation" features 9 tracks of energetic, raw, and aggressive death metal. It´s a seminal death metal release and one of the first in the genre (had it been released when it was recorded). Although the music is obvously influenced by the most raw and brutal thrash metal (Slayer´s chaotic screaming chromatic solo style is an audible influence), Morbid Angel twist their thrash metal influences into something (for the time) new and more menacing. Browning´s vocals are raw and snarling, and although they aren´t the deep growling type vocals, which are usually associated with death metal, they are still more extreme than most contemporary thrash metal vocalists.

All tracks from the album (except "Demon Seed") have been re-recorded and released on various later album releases. Some have been renamed, some have been given new lyrics, and some have been rearranged. On "Abominations of Desolation" the tracks are presented in their most raw and undeveloped form, and although the album was meant to be released as the band´s debut album, there is an almost primal demo atmosphere to the release (a very well produced demo that is). It´s an absolute blast listening to the early versions of tracks like "Chapel of Ghouls", "Unholy Blasphemies", and "Abominations", although the re-recorded versions are ultimately superior in quality and delivery.

Upon conclusion "Abominations of Desolation" is a good quality archive album release and an important release in the early history of death metal. Had I not listened to and gotten used to the later re-recorded versions of the tracks, I would probably have been able to appreciate "Abominations of Desolation" even more, but I can´t unhear what I´ve heard, and therefore the re-recorded versions will always stand as the original versions to me, and these early versions as lesser quality demo versions. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is still fully deserved.
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