Morbid Angel
Blessed Are The Sick
[Earache]
This death metal milestone came relatively late into my possession; I'm not too
old after all and have not experienced the surge of death metal at the end of
the 80s/beginning of the 90s. This is therefore the experience of someone who
had listened to "modern" bands for a long time and after that started digging
into the past.
The approach of the band is clearly satanic, with some links to "The Ancients", mainly devised by the guitarist Trey Azagthoth. The music is purest death metal; every element is there. Because of the fabulous skills with the instruments, the band is able to play highly intricate compositions. The solos are an attraction; it seems as if Azagthoth is using a different scale, weaving his melodies along with the music, but completely independent of that music, yet forming a perfect union with it. The drumming by Pete Sandoval is excellent as well, great tempo shifts and ingenious breaks are commonly encountered on the album, and apart from that, the man does it with surgical precision. The vocal presentation is great as well, David Vincent belches forth hymns to the Ancient Ones and Satanic verses which are open to many, many interpretations. Indeed, the lyrical work is great. David Vincent really turns into a Great Being on the title track; some great sludgy kind of death metal, slow and ploughing, with a Demon growling, belching and spewing out the victory of Satan (interpretable as a metaphorical equivalent for the ego, as the powerful force that runs in nature and gives us free will, as the sentient horned being... It's up to the reader to find out). Me not being a satanist, I cannot deny the lyrical skills of David Vincent and Trey Azagthoth. They fit perfectly with the music, and both have a great deal to say. The music tells its tale as well (with a fitting sound to it), through different melodies and riffs. Sometimes using the old verse-chorus scheme and sometimes defying structure and order.
I think that this album is a reflection of their peaking period; I cherish it, and think of old days.
© 1998 dwaallicht
The approach of the band is clearly satanic, with some links to "The Ancients", mainly devised by the guitarist Trey Azagthoth. The music is purest death metal; every element is there. Because of the fabulous skills with the instruments, the band is able to play highly intricate compositions. The solos are an attraction; it seems as if Azagthoth is using a different scale, weaving his melodies along with the music, but completely independent of that music, yet forming a perfect union with it. The drumming by Pete Sandoval is excellent as well, great tempo shifts and ingenious breaks are commonly encountered on the album, and apart from that, the man does it with surgical precision. The vocal presentation is great as well, David Vincent belches forth hymns to the Ancient Ones and Satanic verses which are open to many, many interpretations. Indeed, the lyrical work is great. David Vincent really turns into a Great Being on the title track; some great sludgy kind of death metal, slow and ploughing, with a Demon growling, belching and spewing out the victory of Satan (interpretable as a metaphorical equivalent for the ego, as the powerful force that runs in nature and gives us free will, as the sentient horned being... It's up to the reader to find out). Me not being a satanist, I cannot deny the lyrical skills of David Vincent and Trey Azagthoth. They fit perfectly with the music, and both have a great deal to say. The music tells its tale as well (with a fitting sound to it), through different melodies and riffs. Sometimes using the old verse-chorus scheme and sometimes defying structure and order.
I think that this album is a reflection of their peaking period; I cherish it, and think of old days.
© 1998 dwaallicht