Review of the Album "Covenant" by American Heavy Metal Band Morbid Angel (1993)

The album called Covenant by American heavy metal band Morbid Angel is one of the most well-known albums in the sub-genre of death metal and it deserves a review because of the creativity, technicality, and the overall feel of the album.

Covenant is the first and only album that I have heard from these guys and it is memorable because of the airtime that it received on the popular music show Headbangers Boll back in 1993 and 1994. This may be the finest moment for the genre of death metal in the United States. Other than the work done by the late Chuck Schuldiner, this album was the peak of death metal greatness in the United States. If there are any albums in the United States that have come out in the 2000’s or later in this genre that are better than this, I’d like to know of any of those kinds of albums.

The vocals of David Vincent are a mixture of Sepultura during the Max Cavalera years and the extremely heavy Czech band Krabathor.

The most memorable moments on the album are the songs Rapture and Pain Divine. Let’s discuss Rapture first not just because it is the most popular song on the album but it may be the heaviest, most intense moments in the band’s history. The double bass drums with the fills are another noticeable moment in this song. Then the tapping solo which is one of the fastest solos in the history of heavy metal shows up to create a moment that lives on in the minds of heavy metal fans. There is a slow riff that is dark and then there are lead guitar taps followed by heavier riffing before one of the fastest solos in the history of heavy metal starts.

Then there is a terrific mid-section riff with some feedback kind of noise mixed in before the fast tapping solo comes upon us or should I say comes in the song itself.

Pain Divine is a great song because of the impressive riffing all throughout. The song is about people that advocate having pain for pleasure. There is a call to release the fury as the existence of human life is looked down upon. Anyone that can endure the trials and tribulations of this world is said to possess great endurance. The drumming is sometimes in the style of Cannibal Corpse but Morbid Angel at least in this album is superior to that mentioned band.

The song Vengeance is Mine has some grindcore influences in it. The next song called Lion’s Den is exactly about what the song implies. Lions are awaiting in their space as circus performers start to panic. The lion is the king of the jungle for a reason. The song is also about rejecting the typical Christian ways of living and thinking. The song called Angel of Disease features David Vincent doing growls that are a bit raspier in nature but not as raspy as Jeff Walker for instance. The lyrics are similar to the song Altar of Sacrifice by Slayer. Even if the music and lyrics are dark, the blast beats in the drumming really make this album memorable even more than 24 years later. Nar Mattaru is a short instrumental song with some synth and atmospheric sounds. Now there’s something you don’t always expect from a standard, traditional death metal band. There is also the sound of bells ringing in the song as well. As good as the album Covenant is the album is not perfect due to it not having enough melody and there is too much emphasis on the standard death metal sound and music.

Grade: 82 out of 100 points (B)