Blessed Are the Sick

Day Six. It's always difficult which album to review next. I decided to get into some death metal with Morbid Angel's Blessed Are the Sick. After all, In Flames was by first bridge into it. It actually took me a bit of getting used to the cookie monster vocals. They're still kind of comical, but somehow it fits. Besides, when a mom and her kids give you a horrified look as you're blasting Deicide, it generates a feeling of satisfaction.

I can't quite remember which was the first proper death metal band I got into, but Morbid Angel was definitely among the very first. After listening to Slayer, the next step in extreme metal was bands like Morbid Angel, Deicide, and Atheist. Blessed Are the Sick is probably my first legit death metal purchase back in freshman year high school.

Let's get one thing out of the way, I actually think the production is terrible. Yes, it's clear and you can hear everything. But it's so sterile and lifeless and it somehow manages to suck the life out of that guitar tone.

Luckily, the music is so good that it would sound great even if played on an acoustic guitar. The reason why is because these riffs are built on the same atonal chromaticism pioneered by Slayer (and Discharge before that). True to the title, these riffs create a feeling of diabolical sickness. It's a wretched descent into all of mankind's flaws: war, greed, lust, desire, pain, vengeance, and power. Just the stuff explored by Black Sabbath since the very beginning of metal.

Some folks consider Altars of Madness or Covenant Morbid Angel's best. I still think Blessed Are the Sick is their finest work. Altars of Madness is raw fury barreling at you at top speed, but it it's easy to become numb to it by the seventh track. Covenant has amazing production values, but the riffs don't contain that diabolical sickness found on Blessed Are the Sick. I think it's great that they slowed things down in order to emphasize that subtle, twisted, sense of melody found in ever corner.

Trey Azagthoth receives all the credit, but Richard Brunelle is equally as good as Trey. They are constantly trading guitar solos and riffs to create the most sinister atmosphere they've ever created.

BUY OR DIE!