CD Review: Morbid Angel - Illud Divinum Insanus (The Remixes)

Written by Colin McNamara Thursday, 12 April 2012 13:25

Artist: Morbid Angel
Title: Illud Divinum Insanus (The Remixes)
Genre: Death Metal/ Techno Metal
Release Date: 24th February 2012
Label: Season Of Mist

Album Review

Back in 2011, MORBID ANGEL made the biggest and possibly most upsetting return to Metal. Originally one of the biggest names in Death Metal, and being absent for almost eight years, so many fans were excited that not only were they returning to the fold, but David Vincent, the original vocalist, was also taking the reins again. However, as it turned out, the original ‘Illud Divinum Insanus’ was not the same MORBID ANGEL; it was still heavy and certainly Death Metal, but the band had thrown in a lot more techno and electronic elements, warping and distorting the former image they had set in the 90s. As a result, fans mostly revolted. However, some were impressed, and because of this MORBID ANGEL decided to continue their experiment, this time releasing their first remix album ever by inviting so many artists in electronic and industrial sections of music to make the music even more dance heavy. A good idea? Somewhat. However, as fans will notice, MORBID ANGEL had a lot to work with here that they just didn’t capitalize on and ended up turning this remix collection into a shadow of what the possibilities could have been for a phenomenal dance heavy Death Metal album that could have been quite original.

The biggest problem: the song selection. As listeners will notice, tracks like ‘10 More Dead’, ‘Radikult’, and ‘I Am Morbid’ are repeated and remixed so many times that it just becomes boring. Some like the opening remix by LAIBACH are interesting with the whole horror carnival aspect that makes an original approach, as well as the combination of ‘OmniPotens’ and ‘10 More Dead’ in ‘OmniDead’ by CEVIN KEY, but overall the rest of the tracks sound all too the same and all too familiar with just the loud opening, beat heavy thumps and chopped up sections of the chorus which repeat over and over like an annoying mantra. To hear SYNAPSCAPE’s ‘Too Extreme’ is like hearing FIXHEAD’s ‘Radikult’; the chances to create unique, individual remixes is thrown out the window. And plus, to do a whole remix album, there should have been inclusions of other tracks from ‘Illud…’ like ‘Blades For Baal’ and ‘Beauty Meets Beast’ that never show up, yet could have been made into fantastic choices. And with two discs full of all too similar remixes, the excitement level just doesn’t get up. If MORBID ANGEL had allowed perhaps a second disc to be full of remixes of tracks from ALL their past discography, then this compilation would have been ten times better than how it was presented today. Unfortunately, it is just a fancy dud dressed up into too many songs that sound all too familiar and once again disappoint fans who might have been expecting something mind blowing and original.


Tracklist

Disc 1
01. Laibach - I Am Morbid (Wall Of Morbid Mix) - 3:28
02. Cevin Key/Hiwatt Marchall – OmniDead - 5:01
03. Brain Leisure - Too Extreme (Black Symphony Edition) - 4:59
04. The Toxic Avenger - 10 More Dead - 3:38
05. Malakwa - I Am Morbid - 5:19
06. Synapscape - Too Extreme - 4:30
07. Punish Yourself Vs. Sonic Area - Destructos Vs. The Earth (DoomsdayMarchMix) - 5:49
08. Hiv+ - Too Extreme - 5:04
09. Micropoint - I Am Morbid - 5:41
10. John Lord Fonda - Too Extreme (Metallizer Remix) - 4:02
11. Evil Activities – Radikult - 4:14
12. Mixhell - Too Extreme - 5:13
13. Black Lung - I Am Morbid - 5:43
14. Mondkopf - Radikult              - 5:24
15. Xytras - Existo Vulgoré - 4:14
16. Toxic Engine - I Am Morbid - 4:39

Disc 2
01. Ahnst Anders - I Am Morbid - 5:48
02. Nachtmahr - Destructos vs. The Earth - 3:53
03. Tim Skold - Profundis/Mea Culpa - 4:35
04. Black Strobe - 10 More Dead - 4:44
05. Chris Pohl - Too Extreme - 4:31
06. Project Pitchfork - Destructos vs. The Earth - 7:34
07. Treponem Pal - 10 More Dead - 5:12
08. Scott Brown - I Am Morbid - 5:17
09. Fixhead – Radikult - 4:04
10. DJ Ruffneck - I Am Morbid - 5:50
11. Igorrr - Remixou Morbidou - 2:46
12. Tamtrum - I Am Morbid - 4:43
13. Tek-One - 10 More Dead - 5:08
14. Adrian - I Am Morbid - 5:43
15. The Horrorist - Existo Vulgoré - 5:21


Website

http://www.morbidangel.com/


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 4
Sound: 5
Total: 4.5 / 10


Buy the album here!