Morbid Angel released their third album, «Covenant», on June 22, 1993 via Earache in Europe and Giant in North America. One of the greatest death metal albums of all time — Rolling Stone ranked it #75 among the best metal records — and the genre’s best-seller, with over 150,000 sales in the US alone.
Country: USA
Genre: Death Metal
For fans of: Death, Obituary, Possessed
The listen
«Covenant» was the band’s first album with a single guitarist: Trey Azagthoth also took on the role of the departed Richard Brunelle, and the result was more aggressive, heavier and more old-school. His dizzying solos sound like no one else’s, with intricate, heavy detuned riffs and lightning-fast picking. David Vincent delivers some of his most extreme performances, and Pete Sandoval builds one of the most legendary blast beat foundations in the genre’s history.
«Rapture» opens with fury, «Pain Divine» has some of the record’s most recognizable riffs, and «God of Emptiness» became so well known that its video even aired on Beavis and Butt-head. «World of Shit (The Promised Land)» closes the first half with venomous energy, while «Angel of Disease» is one of their most sluggish and crushing tracks. The album can be loud and fast or slow and deeply catchy — but always heavy.
With production credited to Flemming Rasmussen (Metallica), «Covenant» is an album that has nothing to envy anyone: a landmark moment for death metal and the peak of one of the genre’s most important bands, which influenced countless acts — from Incantation and Dead Congregation to the modern scenes.
See also
Mike Browning – The man who brought death has passed away · LEFT TO DIE: New single «Witch of Hell»
