Covenant (1993)

Twenty years ago, my favorite death metal album and one of my favorite recorded pieces of music in general, was released. I'm posting this in celebration of its 20th birthday. I was seven years old and would not hear it for four or five more years, well after a handful of other mediocre-in-comparison releases by the same band had come out. Morbid Angel, in my opinion, invented legitimate DEATH metal. You can argue that Cannibal Corpse did, or Death did, or Obituary did....These are all favorites of mine and bands that make me proud to be a Floridian in the heavy music community, but as far as unrelenting drums, down-tuned disgustingly depressing guitar riffs, spastic but still melodious, wailing guitar solos and, of course, deep, gutteral, fathomless growls, are all concerned, Morbid Angel set the standard for all others to strive for. The best representation of this is portrayed on their 1993 masterpiece:

Covenant.

Not only was this one of the very first death metal records I ever heard and owned, but it is my absolute favorite, for various reasons. The guitar tones are something that are widely recognized, often imitated, never duplicated (I have tried and failed). It's like swamp thing ripping open his forearm and strumming his veins. Pete Sandoval, in my opinion, is one of the most precise and talented drummers, not just in extreme music, but on the planet earth. Trey Azagthoth's guitar solos have become a staple in the death metal community, taking clear influence from the randomness and insanity of Kerry King's signature speed-solos and giving it his own personal spin/philangic assault. David Vincent's lyrics and vocals have just the right amount of stereotypical mysticism via the Satanic and Lovecraft-esque subject matter, being spoken through his iconic belches (for lack of a better word). After being taken through a labyrinth of punishment for 40 minutes or so, filled with memorable and broad rhythms and riffage (a quality often missing among most death metal bands), your brain is turned to complete mush and you submit to the closing mantra, sung in one of the most eery clean vocal melodies the devil himself may have taken credit for orchestrating:

Bow to me faithfully. Bow to me splendidly.

Be sure to try and catch them on the 20th Anniversary Tour of Covent this Fall too!