craveonline.com review

[God of Perverse]

http://www.craveonline.com/music/review ... um-insanus



Morbid Angel: Illud Divinum Insanus



The soundtrack to the apocalypse? Perhaps. One of 2011's best metal albums? Definitely.



Somebody told me that the world is supposed to end on May 21st. If that’s true then we certainly have a soundtrack for it. After four years of nothing, Morbid Angel have returned with Illud Divinum Insanus an album that promises to rival any others for best metal record of the year.



Sure there’s a lot of back story to the album but let’s forget that for a minute. Illud Divinum Insanus betrays a principal idea behind Death Metal, by not being dull. Unlike so many of their peers, Morbid Angel aren’t re-treading familiar ground nor are they sticking to the easy 1-2-3 rules of Death Metal. The songs have groove to them, there’s actual song writing going on here not just “hey watch us play fast”.



Illud Divinum Insanus is Death Metal only in the most tattered frays of the genre. Sure it’s fast, sure there are sick guitar parts and blistering drumming, but that’s not the entirety of the album. Morbid Angel are digging into deeper crates here and pulling out influences from industrial to thrash to old hardcore. Illud Divinum Insanus shatters the cardinal rule that implies Death Metal must be repetitive by introducing…gasp…dynamics. While the album does open with a silly “spoooooky” strings and horn intro, when the first track kicks in, everything changes. “Too Extreme” starts with a punk rock feel that quickly gives way to an almost robotic industrial vibe. The drums and guitar slam over and over like a hammer bashing in a nail. “Existo Vulgore” follows “Too Extreme” and flips the switch by being straight, unabashed Death Metal.



To the casual Death Metal fan, a song like “Blades For Baal” will sound like another track to head bang to. With a more discerning ear you can pick out flourishes of early hardcore as well as thrash. It’s clear Morbid Angel sees past the common ideas of their genre and strive for deeper textures. “Blades For Baal” effortlessly combines these elements, all of which come to a head during the solo. As the album continues it becomes clear that each song is it’s own entity, which is what makes the whole record so effective, Often Death Metal albums sound factory built, with one song sounding just like the other. Illud Divinum Insanus counters that idea by keeping each song it’s own entity.



Illud Divinum Insanus is a meaty record, filled with small touches and little nuances that most Death Metal bands reject completely. You have to listen for them, Morbid Angel makes you work for the album’s essence, but it’s worth it once you get there. Don’t let my flowery words fool you, the record is very much a fruital sledgehammer slab of sonic Armageddon, but it’s also tasty. Some Death Metal purists will scoff, some will naturally jump on the “it’s not as good as (insert album)” bandwagon and if so it’s their loss. That kind of blind ignorance has kept Death Metal stagnant for a very long time.



Lets get into the history. In 1996 David Vincent left Morbid Angel, shocking the metal community. Rather than folding up his tent, Trey Azagthoth soldiered on and Morbid Angel continued to make music. Vincent bopped around various projects, including his wife’s band the Genitorturers, Terrorizor and even Soulfly. Finally, after fifteen years, David Vincent has made a proud return.



While Vincent’s coming back to Morbid Angel is awesome, Illud Divinum Insanus is also the first album without longtime drummer Pete Sandoval. Sandoval was forced to step down after back surgery. Former Hate Eternal skinsman Tim Yeung filled in and does an amazing job. Still, it would’ve been excellent to see what Sandoval could have done with the record. Regardless of what might have been, Morbid Angel has unleashed an album that’s sure to be seen as a turning point for the genre. Illud Divinum Insanus is a fruital record and a technical record but it isn’t a typical metal record. Morbid Angel have let the metal world see a glimpse of where Death Metal can go and I, for one, like it.





CRAVE ONLINE RATING: 8 1/2 OUT OF 10

[Anjel]

Whoever wrote this is fucking retarded.

[jawn galliano]

yeah this was posted a little while ago, and it's seriously terribly written. craveonline apparently accepts review submissions from middling high school students.

[God of Perverse]

If you say so...



Excuse me, but Iann Robinson is a music journalist, a little more experienced than you...



Illud is certainly not your cup of tea, but it's a great work.

[jawn galliano]

experience or no, he's a fucking joke of a writer and is very clearly completely out of his element writing about death metal.

[agony bagony]

it's a little misleading to call tim a "former hate eternal drummer" since that was 12 years ago and he's actually done more with divine heresy. even though they are poop.

[bob_here]

The inanity of redefining a genre! I notice this crutch when people are defending something that's estranged such as this new MA album. "Oh well why does death metal have to be this or that, they are creating new death metal..." blah blah.



You know what? I'm bored with the color red [and all of it's shades]. Red should be - blue!

[Metal_Sucks]

This is why i do not pay attention to reviews since many years ago, reviewers can be "fanboys", and describe a mediocre album like a masterpiece, or on the other hand, the reviewer can hate/dislike the band or genre that he is reviewing and give a crappy score to a good album.

[agony bagony]

it really is a pretty lame fallback. i dont think people give that much of a shit about labels. if the new MA turns out to be *amazing,* probably 80% of the people on here will go "yeah it isnt DM but its so lets all do the illud dance." and the other 20% are beyond help anyway

[God of Perverse]

[quote name="Derek Waters"]experience or no, he's a fucking joke of a writer and is very clearly completely out of his element writing about death metal.[/quote]

I was referring to Anjel, I hadn't read your message...

What I meant to say is that he's a professional music journalist, not a death metal journalist (if they exist). The review is written under 'normal' musical values, not under death metal values.

[agony bagony]

actually that isnt true at all

Illud Divinum Insanus betrays a principal idea behind Death Metal, by not being dull. Unlike so many of their peers, Morbid Angel aren’t re-treading familiar ground nor are they sticking to the easy 1-2-3 rules of Death Metal.

what that means is "i am listening to this as a death metal record and analyzing it within the confines of said"

[general lee]

This reviewer obviously has his head up his arse (or Evil D's). "After four years of nothing"

Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't Heretic the last MA studio album to be released??

"Morbid Angel have let the metal world see a glimpse of where Death Metal can go and I, for one, like it." Faggotry! Death Metal doesn't belong on the dance floor of trendy clubs.

"Lets get into the history. In 1996 David Vincent left Morbid Angel, shocking the metal community. Rather than folding up his tent, Trey Azagthoth soldiered on and Morbid Angel continued to make music. Vincent bopped around various projects, including his wife’s band the Genitorturers, Terrorizor and even Soulfly. Finally, after fifteen years, David Vincent has made a proud return." Basically, the reviewer is saying forget about F,G and H because Vincent wasn't on them. Formulas is by far the best and most fruital MA album and Tucker was the most Death Metal frontman I've ever seen in my life. Fuck this reviewer

[agony bagony]

also vincent rejoined, like, years ago

[Abzu]

Fuck this incredibly shit review. I'm going for a hike.

[Verbal]

read it again and have an angry wank

[Anjel]

[quote name="God of Perverse"]
[quote name="Derek Waters"]experience or no, he's a fucking joke of a writer and is very clearly completely out of his element writing about death metal.[/quote]

I was referring to Anjel, I hadn't read your message...

What I meant to say is that he's a professional music journalist, not a death metal journalist (if they exist). The review is written under 'normal' musical values, not under death metal values.[/quote]



He talks about "the easy 1-2-3 rules of Death Metal" and also talks like it's the first death metal album with dynamics.

He obviously doesn't know shit about death metal.

[Abzu]

[quote name="pulsar"]Fuck this incredibly shit review. I'm going for a hike.[/quote]

[^_____________^]

I used to go on hikes. Then I ceased to have a car to get to the hiking areas.

[Abzu]

In Vermont, there are hikes within walking distance.

(but I drive to all of mine)

[agony bagony]

[quote name="pulsar"]
[quote name="pulsar"]Fuck this incredibly shit review. I'm going for a hike.[/quote]

[/quote]



i want to hike this bitch

[Abzu]

[quote name="Dusto"]
[quote name="pulsar"]
[quote name="pulsar"]Fuck this incredibly shit review. I'm going for a hike.[/quote]

[/quote]



i want to hike this bitch[/quote]

It's fucking

The Falls of Lana. You hike up and along the trail there are huge, moss covered boulders with some tree roots knotting through them and eventually the mountain spring-fed river that becomes the falls is on the other side of you and it's all very very nice. If you climb out onto the rocks you're far up overlooking Lake Dunmore. If you keep going up up up you can end up at Silver Lake (where I am camping this weekend through tstorms).

Moosalamoo National Park http://www.moosalamoo.org/

[BlackCatTheory]

[quote name="Verbal"]read it again and have an angry wank[/quote]



We're I to do that, I would destroy my cock.

[agony bagony]

[quote name="pulsar"]
[quote name="Dusto"]
[quote name="pulsar"]
[quote name="pulsar"]Fuck this incredibly shit review. I'm going for a hike.[/quote]

[/quote]



i want to hike this bitch[/quote]

It's fucking

The Falls of Lana. You hike up and along the trail there are huge, moss covered boulders with some tree roots knotting through them and eventually the mountain spring-fed river that becomes the falls is on the other side of you and it's all very very nice. If you climb out onto the rocks you're far up overlooking Lake Dunmore. If you keep going up up up you can end up at Silver Lake (where I am camping this weekend through tstorms).

Moosalamoo National Park http://www.moosalamoo.org/[/quote]



and how far is that from the your place

[Abzu]

[quote name="Dusto"]
[quote name="pulsar"]
[quote name="Dusto"]
[quote name="pulsar"]
[quote name="pulsar"]Fuck this incredibly shit review. I'm going for a hike.[/quote]

[/quote]



i want to hike this bitch[/quote]

It's fucking

The Falls of Lana. You hike up and along the trail there are huge, moss covered boulders with some tree roots knotting through them and eventually the mountain spring-fed river that becomes the falls is on the other side of you and it's all very very nice. If you climb out onto the rocks you're far up overlooking Lake Dunmore. If you keep going up up up you can end up at Silver Lake (where I am camping this weekend through tstorms).

Moosalamoo National Park http://www.moosalamoo.org/[/quote]



and how far is that from the your place[/quote]

It's about a 15-25 minute drive. It is not very far at all. The two closest good hikes, which are 5 minutes and 10 minutes from my home, respectively, are Pine Hill Park and Bucklin Trail, both beginning on opposite sides of the Rutland City Forest (wooded area on the outskirts of the city that connect to state and national forests). Pine Hill Park is mostly a network of well maintained trails while Bucklin connects to Long Trail / Appalachian Trail segments and climbs Killington Peak.

[agony bagony]

i wish i had a good hike 15 minutes driving distance from here



at some point though i am going to hike the AT. i'll wave at you when we get up near vermont way

[Abzu]

[quote name="Dusto"]i wish i had a good hike 15 minutes driving distance from here



at some point though i am going to hike the AT. i'll wave at you when we get up near vermont way[/quote]

If you find yourself on Killington, maybe I'll hike up and have a beer in the shelter with ya, sir.

[Gmajnar]

I agree with God of Perverse where he said ''The review is written under 'normal' musical values, not under death metal values.''

The reviewer used some not fitting words for me, like punk rock in the beginning of Too Extreme and hardcore/thrash in Blaades For Baal, but that's the way he hears music and nothing wrong with it.

Sometimes people who are not totally into one music scene can see/hear some really basic good old songwriting, while the experts in that field are searching for something that their Mind tricked them into and the Mind is restless, there's allways something else that it wants



It's like an old saying - I CAN'T SEE THE FOREST BECAUSE OF ALL THE TREES BLOCKING MY VIEW - if you drift away from the Mind, which is allways jumping from one thing to another (from one tree to another), then in a moment the whole forest is right in front of you

In this case it would be something like this - I CAN'T SEE/HEAR MORBID ANGEL BECAUSE OF ALL THE LITTLE THINGS BLOCKING MY VIEW (clothes of MA members/parts of lyrics/haircuts/electronic music which was allways an integral part of MA/and on and on...)