The last time you listened to COVENANT (album)

[vO)))id]

Blasting it here now.
Goddamn this album rules. David in his prime.
Trey going crazy.
Pete the Feet.

Hadn’t listened to this album for yeaaaars.

[rhino]

Been a long time for sure

[Ninny]

Last summer

[bob_here]

2 days ago

[droidspawn]

This reminds me of a recent video I seen on YouTube a few days ago about fav albums of 2019. This dude picked the vltimas album and said it was Vincent’s best vocal performance of his entire career! He actually said that ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

[droidspawn]

https://youtu.be/eueWpIJKfKo

3:10

[Methuselah Honeysuckle]

Is that geddy lee

[droidspawn]

That’s Sam Dunn. He is Canadian

[bob_here]

saying anything to get fame and followers is a helluva drug

[agony bagony]

wrong FUCKING FORUM

[zim]

unless you moved the thread it's in the right forum?

[droidspawn]

He did

[agony bagony]

traditionally you say wrong fucking forum to denote that the thread was not posted in the correct forum

then, if the person who said that is a mod or an admin, the thread gets moved to the correct forum

in order to finalize the process of shame

stick around and observe sometime, ZIM

[zim]

[agony bagony]

you are avoiding my old guard query

[Paste Human]

Maybe once or twice per month. Listening to this now and loving it. So fucking savage. Ton of bricks type intensity but then it's also intricate, has texture, and goes in unexpected places. I know Blessed is often cited as their high note, but to me this album was on par with that composition-wise but also had the added benefit of perfect production for the material. The way I see it this was the only album that they nailed the production/mixing side of things. (Dodges tomatoes.)

[vO)))id]

What do you think of Formulas?

You’re right though. Rasmussen did an amazing job.

[Paste Human]

I love Formulas. On a conceptual level the way that the new material (I think) very obviously builds upon specific moments from Altars/Abominations, but then also incorporates raw re-imagined demo era material is so cool. It reminds me of the way Bathory would use the same intro on each album, which on paper comes across as lazy but in reality is more a matter of a band operating in their own little universe that they've created and continue to build upon. The weird traditions of MA don't get talked about a lot, but to me it's so cool: the alphabetical album sequence, Trey's awareness of their discography, and even things as simple as revisiting that weird metallic sound effect for Invocation.

I will also say that the material they featured from F on the tour for that album came across better live than in the studio, which sounded a bit stiff at times. It breathed better live during that era, especially at the Montreal show. Prayer of Hatred comes to mind. Since Steve didn't write the lyrics and Trey apparently didn't think about the physical execution of the vocals the pacing of them also seems a bit rushed at times, especially with how wordy things get. The production also didn't do Steve many favors imo, but I would have never known what he was really capable of until Gateways came out and featured a much more gaseous example of his vocals. I guess I just happen to prefer that style of delivery from him.

So just minor complaints, but as far as individual performances go it's Trey and Pete at their peak imo. Probably a top ten album for me, but I happen to like some live versions of certain songs a bit better.

[vO)))id]

A lot of words indeed. I still love Steve’s vocals on Formulas. They’re savage. It’ll always be my favorite Morbid Angel album but that’s also because it was the first album I heard from them back in 98.

[Paste Human]

It's definitely full of favorite MA album caliber material. For me the difference is a matter of millimeters with their classic stuff.

The only other noteworthy thing I can pull out of my dumb head that always seems to bend people out of shape when it comes up is the thought that I feel like in essence they kind of beat Nile to the punch with F. I'm not a musician so I don't know what mode or chord sequence the whole Egyptian thing is - and I know Nile is much more on the nose with it - but with the content and theme I feel like Trey just did a better job with that style, if it can vaguely be called that. And I have nothing against Nile. I saw them live not too long ago and was really happy with how tight they looked and the giant crowd they drew, but for some reason when I hear their stuff at home I generally end up reaching for Formulas a couple songs in. It's an admittedly weird opinion that I don't feel at all strongly about, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

[vO)))id]

Formulas is all Mesopotemian/Babylonian and not Egyptian but I understand where you’re coming from. Black Seeds kind of goes hand in hand with Formulas in that way.

[Paste Human]

I guess what I meant to say was F is almost like a concept album that in my opinion is much more interesting than what a similar concept band (Nile) ever managed to put out. And Nile put out some albums that are mandatory listening imo, so I'm not trying to be negative about them. Just an observation that musicians I know like to give me shit for having.

[zim]

i've listened to covenant a few times this year, it is without a doubt one of the best death metal albums ever recorded

[bob_here]

A lot of words indeed. I still love Steve’s vocals on Formulas. They’re savage. It’ll always be my favorite Morbid Angel album but that’s also because it was the first album I heard from them back in 98.

Loved it too. I remembered when FFF came out, I was sitting in the Tower records parking lot opening the shrink wrap of the cd, popped it in,
and when I heard the vocals, and even though I actually really liked Domination vocals (especially that era during the live shows),
I was really satisfied and excited with Tucker's vocals. I think I just loved that sense of urgency, rawness, and fatigue-driving phrasing
too. For me FFF vocals always conjures up some evil mummy with a half decimated, sand-blown face growling and spitting.

i've listened to covenant a few times this year, it is without a doubt one of the best death metal albums ever recorded

and this too.

[shadowalk]

It's got some nice tunes but I group it alongside D and H as one of my least favorites.

[zim]

covenant as one of your least favorites?

i don't know how to react to this treachery

[agony bagony]

that is a...peculiar point of view you've got there shadow alk

[shadowalk]

It's not a bad album per se but all other records aside from D and H have received more listens and praises than C. (K included as I listen to it more than C in the last few years)