I first discovered Morbid Angel's "Covenant" in ninth grade when I stole it from the Cuyahoga County Regional Public Library. At an age when testing the limitations of musical extremities was pastime, this record became an essential piece of my music collection and a cherished item to say the least. The three piece's third official full length album, "Covenant" displayed stronger song structures and clearer production than their first two efforts and did what all classic albums do, it tested the bands abilities and challenged the listener with every track. "Rapture," "Angel of Disease," "God of Emptiness," and "World of Shit (Promised Land)" helped re-shape and re-define the concept of death metal as a genre and facilitated its rapid evolution that continued throughout the 90s. Ask any metal guitarist between the ages of 23 and 35 who their primary influences are and you will most likely hear Trey Azagthoth's name cited by most if not all of them. "Sworn to the Black" alone has better lead guitar work than most bands ever dreamed of and the band managed to display technically sound material without sacrificing quality of songwriting, something that makes this record so coveted, no pun intended.
Trey isn't the only member whose star shines brightly on this release. The drumming of Pete Sandoval truly came into its own on this album and his drumming technique helped death metal emerge from the shadow of thrash with beats and fills that made Dark Angel look like Black Sabbath. Pre-Genitortures David Vincent was at his peak also on the record and his viciously brutal, yet clear vocal delivery matched the music's intensity quite well. In a nutshell, "Covenant" is one of death metal' most pivotal releases and one that all musicians can appreciate in some aspect. Morbid Angel will be performing this classic record in its entirety at Peabody's on November 16th and if you have ears I encourage you to come to that show and witness this masterpiece in person!
- Joe