Howdy, dear readers. It’s time for our monthly review of the Last Rites staff’s listening habits—a little feature we call Staff Infections. Here’s hoping September finds you and yours in fine health and spirits, but if it doesn’t, we understand; it’s rough out there. Do you know what isn’t rough? The competition for album of the month. We have a runaway winner this time around, with no runners-up. It’s a rare occurrence, but given the stature of the winner, not an unfathomable situation.
Everybody’s favorite Ancient Egyptian themed death metal band put out a new record, and it has easily taken the top spot this month. Not so much because of an overwhelming showing itself—four playlist appearances is a respectable number, though hardly a landslide victory—but because there was literally no competition. Nonetheless, The Underworld Awaits Us All, the band’s second post-Dallas-Toller-Wade effort, finds Nile in fine form, but you don’t have to take my word for it, as our man Spencer Hotz has an absolutely ape-shit review for you right here.
Before we move on, I must give an honorable mention to Morbid Angel, which, through our guy Josh’s efforts, has six playlist appearances this month. Sadly, Josh didn’t get any backup from the other staff. But just because Morbid Angel didn’t win any prizes this month doesn’t mean we can’t talk about the band a little. So, in the comments, along with your playlist, give us your favorite Morbid Angel Album. Myself, while I respect and enjoy the Tucker-era albums, I’m rather partial to the Vincent era, and truthfully, I could pick either Altars of Madness or Blessed Are the Sick, depending on the day. On this day, though, I’ll go with Blessed Are the Sick.
That’s all for now, folks. Be sure to listen to the staff-curated Spotify playlist below, and have yourselves a good month.
[Spotify Playlist]
- Zach Duvall
Concrete Winds – Concrete Winds
Nile – The Underworld Awaits Us All
KEN mode – Venerable
Pissed Jeans – Half Divorced
In Aphelion – Reaperdawn
Stabbing – Extirpated Mortal Process - Andrew Edmunds
Nile – The Underworld Awaits Us All
Amorphis – Halo
Marshall Tucker Band – Carolina Dreams
Whitesnake – Ready An’ Willing
Melt-Banana – 3+5
Immolation – Acts Of God - Captain
Graves at Sea – The Curse That Is
Suma – Ashes
Pyrrhon – Exhaust
Malady – Toinen Toista
Slowdive – Souvlaki
Andrew Hill – Smoke Stack - Manny-O-War
Marnz Malone – Tina’s Boy
Coffin Rot – Dreams of the Disturbed
Rush – Permanent Waves
KayMuni – Signed to the T
Undeath – Lesions of a Different Kind
Vasum – Carnal Law - Danhammer Obstkrieg
Aluk Todolo – LUX
Devin Townsend – Lightwork
Zeitgeber – Fellow Prisoners of the Splendour and Travail of the Earth Part 1
Blind Guardian – Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited
Townes Van Zandt – Our Mother the Mountain
Delving – All Paths Diverge - Josh Heath
Morbid Angel – Altars of Madness
Morbid Angel – Blessed Are the Sick
Morbid Angel – Covenant
Morbid Angel – Domination
Morbid Angel – Formulas Fatal to the Flesh
Morbid Angel – Gateways to Annihilation - Ryan Tysinger
Sacred Outcry – Damned for All Time
Sacred Outcry – Towers of Gold
Queensrÿche – The Warning
Fates Warning – Parallels
Vendel – Out in the Fields
Nuclear Tomb – Terror Labyrinthian - Isaac Hams
Nile – The Underworld Awaits Us All
Gillian Welch – Woodland
A Forest of Stars – A Shadowplay for Yesterdays
Thy Catafalque – Naiv
Sargeist – Let the Devil In
Nero – Between II Worlds - Jeremy Morse
Nile – The Underworld Awaits Us All
Solitude Aeturnus – Into the Depths of Sorrow
Solitude Aeturnus – Through the Darkest Hour
Al Di Meola – Casino
Sepultura – Chaos A.D.
Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young – Déjà Vu
Vulture – Sentinels
Nile – The Underworld Awaits Us All
Leprous – Melodies of Atonement
Cradle of Filth – Existence is Futile
MEER – Wheels Within Wheels
Dimmu Borgir – Stormblåst
White Dog – Double Dog Dare
Coffins – Sinister Oath
Shadow Knell – s/t
Man or Astroman? – ROYGBIV
Judas Priest – Ram It Down
Ockeroid – Crow Country OST
As far as Morbid Angel goes I don’t know if this is the hipster answer or the basic b*tch answer but I’ve always like Altars of Madness best. Covenant has its moments but the first album was always the best mix of catchy/innovative to me.
Noxis -Violence Inherent in the System
Zeal & Ardor – Greif
Hellripper – Coagulating Darkness
Hellripper – The Affair of the Poisons
Spectral Wound – Songs of Blood and Mire
Domination holds kind of a special place in my mind because it was the first Morbid Angel album I heard. It may not be there best album, or even which one I’ll choose to listen to first if I’m in a MA mood these day, but that first exposure still holds sway.
*their best album. Ugh.
Cobra the Impaler – Karma Collision
Octoploid – Beyond the Aeons
200 Stab Wounds – Manic Manual Procedures
Pod People – Oblivion
Hamilton Cast Recording
Altars of Madness is the only Morbid Angel album I’ve listened to, so I guess it wins by default.
Brocas Helm – Defender of the Crown
Ouijabeard – The Well To Hell
Hellbutcher – s/t
Lizzy Borden – Master of Disguise
George Harrison- Cloud Nine
Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart – s/t
The Crown – Hell is Here
Fontaines D.C. – Romance
A-ha – Hunting High and Low
Queensryche – The Warning
PJ Harvey – Is This Desire?
Wovenhand – Mosaic
Covenant has always been my favorite Morbid Angel record. They were superlative on that tour. I am out after Dave Vincent leaves the band the first time.
Cognizance – Phantazein
Vale of Pnath – Between the Worlds of Life and Death
Cognitive – Abhorrence
Heaven Shall Burn – Veto
Imperialist – Quantum
Fen – The Dead Light
I like almost all of Morbid Angel’s records but my favorite is Covenant. Altars of Madness is very close behind. The evil, rampaging riffs and blazing drumming are off the charts on both of those records, but there is more varied songwriting on Covenant.
Nightwraith – Divergence (AotY so far)
Oxygen Destroyer – GotU
ABSU – Tara
Wallachian Cobwebs – Night Sobbed…
Twisted Tower Dire – Make it Dark
Propagandhi – Supporting Caste
Summoning – Let Mortal Heroes…
Donny Benet – Mr. Experience