Dual Disc reissue of Morbid Angel's classic 'Altars of Madness' hits the shops on March 13th

Few albums struck a chord within the ears and minds of the late '80s underground metal scene like Morbid Angel's 'Altars of Madness' did at the end of the decade. 'Altars of Madness' set a new precedent for metal bands to reach and, along with fellow Floridians Death, pretty much laid down the blue print for what we think of when we now hear the words "Death Metal", thus setting the standard by which virtually all extreme metal over the course of the next decade would be judged.
Fusing the primal fury of extreme thrash legends such as Slayer & Possessed with the extremity of the burgeoning UK grindcore scene principal songwriter and lead guitarist Trey Azagthoth orchestrated music that was almost absurdly frantic and technically convoluted, yet extremely memorable and somehow hugely melodic. Lyrically, no other artist up to this point had aligned themselves so closely with Satanism or spat this sort of blasphemy with as much conviction as Morbid Angel's frontman David Vincent. This, coupled with the impossible speed of powerhouse drummer Pete Sandoval, undoubtedly made a great impression on the minds of not only a thousand thrash metal bands, who instantly switched direction to embrace this new form of barbarity, but also those Northern Europeans who were destined to become pillars of the infamous black metal scene of the early 90's.

Showcasing outstanding musicianship and a frightening sincerity in the message it conveys, it's easy to see why ‘Altars Of Madness' is still considered by many to be a defining moment in the Death Metal and is still held in reverence by the majority of the genre's devotees.

Now upgraded to Dual Disc format, this latest release of 'Altars of Madness' not only contains remixes of "Maze of Torment", "Chapel of Ghouls" & "Blasphemy" but also, on the flipside, boasts the first ever official DVD release by the band - the long sought after November 1989 Nottingham Rock City show filmed on the bands first ever European outing; the legendary Grindcrusher Tour (alongside Napalm Death, Bolt Thrower and Carcass) - The first 5,000 copies of this release come with a free replica of the ticket to this infamous show.

The energy and power of this performance demonstrates not only why Morbid Angel were catapulted to huge success in the years that followed but also captures the exact moment that Death Metal outgrew the underground and established itself as a credible metal style in the wider marketplace.