MORBID ANGEL — Illud Divinum Insanus (review)

MORBID ANGEL — Illud Divinum Insanus album cover

Album · 2011 · Death Metal

1/5 · 2011-10-12
AtomicCrimsonRush

Techno death that 'may have an unforeseen effect'!

Seriously! What the heck is going on with this industrial repetitive noise? It sounds like Rammstein meets Rage Against the Machine but far, far worse. This may be the 'St Anger' of death metal.

I used to be a fan and considered 'Alters of Madness' a death metal classic when I was into that extreme style and along comes the latest Morbid Angel and of course I had to indulge after hearing the controversy surrounding it which has become a phenomenon in itself. Listening to tracks such as 'Too Extreme'; made me actually laugh which is a rare thing when listening to MA. I laughed because of the ludicrous music, the drum machines and awful singing, and I can understand how fans are going to react. 'Ten More Dead' is a shocking juvenile song with grade 6 school lyrics and uninspired riffing.

'Existo Vulgore' is okay with massive guitar speed riffing but ruined by silly lyrics and throaty phlegm spitting and laughing. If I was a fan still, wanting some death metal and put this on I would be demanding my money back from the dealer, and telling him to place the album in the alternative section next to Slipknot and Marilyn Manson. Vincent even tends to channel Manson on 'Radikult' right down to the whispered chants and rapping, with axe chops of distorted industrial guitar. Hey, it's actually quite a cool track, though it's not going to help the band's reputation after fans have waited 8 years for some death and speed extreme metal; you won't find it here.

There is very little to recommend it apart from about 3 tracks that are old school death and speed though they are rare. 'Blades of Baal' is a brutal breakneck speed thrasher that really shines among the dullness. It still lacks the ferocity of past MA but this is a killer track. But it is counter balnced by trash such as 'Profundis Mea Culpa' with ludicrous chanting and absolutely appalling musicianship. Vincent's screechy vocals are okay but those "ohwoowah... ohwoowah,, oooohhhh" invocations are beyond a joke.

What I cannot understand is how the producers of this album and the band could not see the glaring obvious conclusion that this album is going to alienate old fans and perhaps kill their reputation permanently. I have seen the slogan RIP Morbid Angel and I can understand why fans feel that way. The hyper speed blastbeats and brutality of such tracks as 'Blades' would appease any fan of course. But delicious tech-death tracks such as 'Destructos Vs The earth/ Attack' are a real laugh a minute and destroy any credibility.

It is impossible not to be cynical about music with lyrics such as "attack imminent, it matters not what counter measure you employ, destroy man, we're marching, destructors marching on..." It gets worse too with some bizarre lead riffs that are just processed and repeated through effects mixers.

I like Rammstein but this copy of their style just does not work for death metal. Admittedly, after a while the style on display is so out of the box here that it becomes entertaining, but for all the wrong reasons. I became quite impressed at how awful the tracks are, a real feat in itself. It is a spellbinding album because it really could not be any bad for Morbid Angel, and it likely to become a cult over the years as 'St Anger' is. Morbid Angel are on another planet here and it is an unpleasant experience.

So you have been warned. Definitely listen to this before purchase. And then skip it and buy a decent metal album. The 'Destructos' track actually ends with the ironic statement, "This impact is so terrifying that it may have an unforeseen effect." Aint it the truth!