Morbid Angel | |
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Morbid Angel live in 2011
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Background information | |
Origin | Tampa, Florida, United States |
Genres | Death metal |
Years active | 1984–present |
Labels |
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Associated acts | Terrorizer |
Website | www |
Members | Trey Azagthoth Steve Tucker Scott Fuller Dan Vadim Von |
Past members |
David Vincent Pete Sandoval Destructhor Tim Yeung Mike Browning Wayne Hartsell Dallas Ward Richard Brunelle Kenny Bamber Sterling Von Scarborough Erik Rutan Jared Anderson Tony Norman John Ortega Michael Manson Terri Samuels |
Morbid Angel is an American death metal band based in Tampa, Florida. The band was one of the original death metal bands signed to Earache Records, and was also influential in the transition of death metal from its thrash metal roots to its current form by incorporating guttural vocals, up-tempo blast beats, atonality in guitar soloing, and dark, chunky, mid-paced rhythms. They have been described as one of "the most influential and emulated bands in death metal", alongside Cannibal Corpse, and have been cited as an influence by many later bands. They were also the first death metal band to experience mainstream success in connection with being signed to Giant Records in 1992, heavy rotation of their music videos on MTV, and having the music video for the song "God of Emptiness" shown on an episode of Beavis and Butt-head. Their first four albums are considered classics in the genre.
UK music magazine Terrorizer ranked Morbid Angel's 1989 debut 'Altars of Madness' first in its list "Top 40 greatest death metal albums". Decibel magazine also rated guitarist Trey Azagthoth as the number one "death metal guitarist ever". The band's songs are complex in arrangement, owing to the considerable technical skills of both Azagthoth as well as drummer Pete Sandoval, the latter of whom also played in the grindcore band Terrorizer. According to Nielsen SoundScan, Morbid Angel is the third best-selling death metal band in the United States (after Cannibal Corpse and Deicide up until 2003 with sales of over 445,000), with their third album Covenant being the best-selling death metal album during the beginning of the Soundscan era time with over 150,000 units sold.