Review Summary: Wish upon a purgatory.
Morbid Angel, ladies and gentlemen. I don’t want to waste the introductory paragraph of this review to descriptions of how they were some of the biggest and then unanimously agreed to be some of the weakest in the Death Metal world. Let’s just admit they had a good run and then they didn’t. Long story short, they’re back on track with easily their most consistent, heavy and riveting album since Domination (or maybe even since Covenant).
Kingdoms Disdained is a marvellous display of sheer power and rage. Track after track the band bombards the listener with a myriad of crushing drums, demonic vocals and mind-bending riffs. It feels heart-warmingly familiar, which normally could be considered an issue, but given the bumpy road preceding this record, it’s rather a refreshing feeling. That is not to say that
Kingdoms Disdained is a direct return to form. The production, while undeniably heavy, makes the music sound somewhat samey all the way through. And there are far fewer solos. Admittedly, guitar solos weren’t always a prominent tool in Morbid Angel’s shed, but they at least made an appearance at a large portion of cuts of their albums. The aforementioned production also doesn’t help, as the solos usually sound more or less placid and never pop out as strikingly as one would want.
But none of those problems are actually that serious. They don’t ruin the album. They don’t spoil the experience. Outside of them, the album is an incredibly solid run of eleven tracks, each slapping you in the face with their monolithically hellish sound. The album just doesn’t stop. It goes on and on with all of its devastating weight, cutting through the ears and twisting the minds of its listeners.
And yet, even though the album does so many things right and almost makes me forgive the band’s past mistakes, there is something off. Not a major problem, not even a real gripe. Not a nit-pick that could to make the whole experience fall apart, but one that is easily noticeable and potentially obnoxious. It’s the compositional sameness.
Song after song, moment after moment, the band just keeps on going non-stop with the most magnetic, monumental and grandiose music imaginable, but its lack of variety eventually gets tiring. Each cut depends on the same, almost mathematically calculated ratio of beating drums and wavy guitar riffs to demonic vocals. Its song writing is slightly repetitive is what I mean. The exception to that is only the song “Declaring New Law (Secret Hell)”, which is the slowest and most low-toned song on the album. There is rarely a distinction or anything worth individual analysis on each track. Talking about one is like talking about the rest of them.
Still, while that is an issue you’ll just have to overcome, the album doesn’t fall apart. You get what you wanted, the good old thumping, imposing, and epic Morbid Angel, bringing the atmosphere of infernal decays a little closer to you. They are back with a blast and you better be ready.
