Morbid Angel
Kingdoms Disdained

LA RECENSIONE

The album I never expected to listen to at the end of 2017.

The return of Morbid Angel literally "massacred" my already poor hearing for at least a week.

Six years after the abomination that was the previous "Illud Divinum Insanus": an attempt to step out of the canonical and stormy Death Metal, their disturbing and malevolent characteristics, to land in a headless and tailless mess. And here I stop because the anger in my body for such garbage is still immense. Let's move on to "Kingdoms Disdained" which is a total eruption of old-school Death.

Trey Azagthoth has put things right, remembering that he is a pillar, a constant in musical extremism.

He calls to the bedside of his creature, now on the brink of the precipice and ignoble end, bassist-singer Steve Tucker, author of all the lyrics of the album.

Those well-versed in the artistic trajectory of Morbid Angel are aware of the alphabetical sequence of the titles of the Floridian band's works. "Altars of Madness", "Blessed are the Sick", "Covenant", "Domination" are the first four masterpieces; the sequence continues with the other letters until reaching, with this new album, Kappa.

A simple, essential, and direct album. Without frills or unnecessary digressions. It does not reach, I feel obliged to write, the spasmodic peaks of the aforementioned initial four albums. But it is rich in tracks that split you in eight, thanks to the consistently excellent production work of Erik Rutan, who in recent years has stood out as one of the best sound "constructors" in the Metal scene.

Steve's voice is a growl with ultra-low tones: a bloodthirsty ogre that devours the phrases uttered; the drums draw squared geometries, of a beastly power, alternating frenetic speed with sudden slowdowns. But once again, it is Trey's atonal, distorted, schizoid riffs that reign supreme during the listening of all the tracks. Note upon note built without ever a pause; long, tortured, dense riffs with doomy slowdowns of a harsh cemetery flavor.

Forty-seven minutes to demonstrate that the Kings of Death Metal are back...FROM THE HAND OF KINGS... (I just wrote it!!!!!).

Diabolos Rising 666.