Altars of Madness by Morbid Angel

Album cover for Altars of Madness - Morbid Angel
1. Immortal Rites
4:04
2. Suffocation
3:15
3. Visions From the Dark Side
4:10
4. Maze of Torment
4:25
5. Chapel of Ghouls
4:58
6. Bleed for the Devil
2:23
7. Damnation
4:10
8. Blasphemy
3:32
9. Evil Spells
4:12

Altars of Madness is the debut studio album of Florida-based death metal band Morbid Angel. It was released on May 12, 1989 through Combat Records/Earache Records. The album was recorded in December 1988 at Morrisound Recording in Tampa, Florida. The album is one of the earliest examples of death metal and is considered to have helped pioneer the sound along with Possessed's Seven Churches in 1985 and Death's Scream Bloody Gore in 1987, and set a new precedent for heaviness and extremity, both musically and lyrically. It is one of the most celebrated albums in death metal history, and one of the most influential heavy metal albums of all time. The overtly Satanic and occult lyrical themes were a significant influence on the early Norwegian black metal scene.

Florida’s Morbid Angel didn’t merely ensure thrash’s transition into death metal on their 1989 debut. Thanks to cranium-cracking solos by guitarists Trey Azagthoth and Richard Brunelle on tracks like “Immortal Rites”, “Maze of Torment” and “Damnation”—and time signature changes that induce serial whiplash—the album sets a standard of technical mastery that death metal bands are still trying to match. Yet Pete Sandoval’s bludgeoning drums manage to keep pace with the axe attack. Atop it all, David Vincent’s guttural growling sounds downright sick.