Illud Divinum Insanus
Encyclopedia
Illud Divinum Insanus is the eighth studio album
by American death metal
band Morbid Angel
, released on June 7, 2011 by independent French record label Season of Mist
. It is Morbid Angel's first album since Heretic
(2003), their longest gap to date between studio albums.
, the first to feature bassist/vocalist David Vincent
since 1995's Domination, as well as their first not recorded with longtime drummer Pete Sandoval
, who had undergone back surgery when recording began (former Hate Eternal
drummer Tim Yeung
recorded the drum tracks for this album).
Illud Divinum Insanus took more than five years to materialize. Work on the album began in 2006 and it was originally going to be released in 2007, but was pushed back several times while the band continued touring and writing new material. After four years of writing, Morbid Angel recorded the album from June 2010 to January 2011 at several studios, including Mana Recording Studios and Red Room Studios for the drum recording and D.O.W. Studios for the bass, guitars, and vocals. The record was mixed in Hollywood, California with Sean Beaven.
The album's tracklist and information of various release formats were unveiled on April 5, 2011. Prior to the release of the album, a single
for the song "Nevermore" was made available on May 16 as a digital download
and seven-inch vinyl single. The cover artwork for the single was designed by French artists Valnoir and Fursy Teyssier for Metastazis. The single also contains an exclusive version of the song "Destructos vs. the Earth", remixed by Combichrist
.
sound to several tracks. Louisville Music News labeled the album a "failed experiment" and a "joke", and described Illud Divinum Insanus as Morbid Angel's St. Anger
, in reference to the Metallica
album. Jim Brandon on Metal Review gave it a 3.9/10 and said: "Illud Divinum Insanus is an insulting, confusing, egotistic attempt of a band to force its listeners into liking an aesthetic the polar opposite of what they’ve known, and it debases the views of longtime fans that refuse to accept this garbage without being labeled 'unfaithful' by the band and their shameless PR team. This record has no redeeming value, no goal in mind". Metal Injection gave it a 3/10 and negatively reviewed it.
Conversely, Phil Freeman of Allmusic gave the album 4/5, saying that while "those who love the band's earliest records...are bound to see Illud Divinum Insanus experiments with industrial...as betrayals of everything the group once stood for", "many of the songs on Illud...are as raw and savage as anything the band's ever recorded", and that the album is "a left turn by a band that's already made many of them throughout its...career". Metal Hammer
gave the album a score of 9/10, describing it as "a twisted, confrontational masterpiece".
The album received praise before its release from artists including Mikael Åkerfeldt
from Opeth
, Anders Nyström
from Katatonia
and several other metal artists.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
band Morbid Angel
Morbid Angel
Morbid Angel is an American death metal band based in Tampa, Florida. UK music magazine Terrorizer ranked one Morbid Angel album in its “Top 40 greatest death metal albums”, with their 1989 debut Altars of Madness appearing at number 1...
, released on June 7, 2011 by independent French record label Season of Mist
Season of Mist
Season of Mist is a record label and record distributor with subsidiaries in France and the United States. The record label was founded in 1996 by Michael S. Berberian in Marseille, France. From the start releasing black metal, pagan metal and death metal records, the label moved on to releasing...
. It is Morbid Angel's first album since Heretic
Heretic (Morbid Angel album)
Heretic is the seventh studio album by the death metal band Morbid Angel. This would be their last under Earache Records, as the band decided not to renew its contract, and the last to feature bassist/vocalist Steve Tucker....
(2003), their longest gap to date between studio albums.
Recording and production
Illud Divinum Insanus marks the band's first album featuring second guitarist DestructhorDestructhor
Thor Anders Myhren , better known as Destructhor, is a Norwegian musician who has played guitar with metal bands Myrkskog, Zyklon, and Morbid Angel. Along with being a guitarist, he has been the vocalist with Myrkskog. He joined Morbid Angel in 2008.-References:...
, the first to feature bassist/vocalist David Vincent
David Vincent
David Alexander Vincent , also known as Evil D, is an American musician who is best known as the lead vocalist and bassist for the death metal band Morbid Angel as well as the bassist for Genitorturers...
since 1995's Domination, as well as their first not recorded with longtime drummer Pete Sandoval
Pete Sandoval
Pete Sandoval is an American death metal drummer. Born in Santa Ana, El Salvador, he is known for his accomplishments in the world of extreme metal drumming. His first significant stint as a drummer was for the grindcore band Terrorizer, formed in 1986, where he began to demonstrate some of his...
, who had undergone back surgery when recording began (former Hate Eternal
Hate Eternal
-Biography:Hate Eternal was formed in 1997. The group's original line-up included Erik Rutan - guitars/vocals, bassist and co-vocalist Jared Anderson, drummer Tim Yeung, and guitarist Doug Cerrito of the band Suffocation...
drummer Tim Yeung
Tim Yeung
Tim Yeung is a prominent extreme metal drummer. He was born on November 27, 1978 in Rochester, New York and currently resides in Los Angeles, California. Tim started playing drums when he was 11 years old.-Biography:...
recorded the drum tracks for this album).
Illud Divinum Insanus took more than five years to materialize. Work on the album began in 2006 and it was originally going to be released in 2007, but was pushed back several times while the band continued touring and writing new material. After four years of writing, Morbid Angel recorded the album from June 2010 to January 2011 at several studios, including Mana Recording Studios and Red Room Studios for the drum recording and D.O.W. Studios for the bass, guitars, and vocals. The record was mixed in Hollywood, California with Sean Beaven.
Promotion and release
The cover art for the album was unveiled on March 30, 2011. It was designed by Brazilian artist Gustavo Sazes, who commented:- "To create this cover we worked from several references, ideas, elements, and I would say a 'world' of options and paths. After a long brainstorming period and some [good and bad] ideas left behind, we came up with the concept of this organic surreal insane being; a fallen God or a weird mirror image of our own madness. It is a different Morbid Angel cover for sure, but I think that's how Morbid Angel is...Deviant and different on each new release. They never repeat themselves. They are always pushing the boundaries and setting new standards. I'm really proud of the final results and hope the fans appreciate my work, while listening to the new album!"
The album's tracklist and information of various release formats were unveiled on April 5, 2011. Prior to the release of the album, a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
for the song "Nevermore" was made available on May 16 as a digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
and seven-inch vinyl single. The cover artwork for the single was designed by French artists Valnoir and Fursy Teyssier for Metastazis. The single also contains an exclusive version of the song "Destructos vs. the Earth", remixed by Combichrist
CombiChrist
Combichrist is a Norwegian Aggrotech band formed in 2003 by Norwegian Andy LaPlegua based in Atlanta.-Formation:The first material LaPlegua wrote was a few powernoise/techno crossover tracks under the moniker DRIVE...
.
- "Of all the remixes I've been asked to do I never expected one of the world's most notorious death metal bands to have an interest in hearing their music on the dance floor," said Combichrist mainman Andy LaPlegua. "However, 'Destructos' is one of those tracks that are so versatile that it could have been recorded as a folk song and it would still sound amazing. I'm honored to be a part of this project and am excited to see how the Morbid Angel fans react to this unusual new direction."
Reception
The album received mixed reviews from critics. It also received a strong backlash from many fans unhappy with the band's attempt to add an industrialIndustrial metal
Industrial metal is a musical genre that draws from industrial music and many different types of heavy metal, using repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Founding industrial metal acts include Ministry, Godflesh, and KMFDM.Industrial metal's...
sound to several tracks. Louisville Music News labeled the album a "failed experiment" and a "joke", and described Illud Divinum Insanus as Morbid Angel's St. Anger
St. Anger
St. Anger is the eighth studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on June 5, 2003 through Elektra Records. It was the band's last album released through Elektra. The album marked the end of the longest timespan between studio albums from Metallica, with nearly six...
, in reference to the Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
album. Jim Brandon on Metal Review gave it a 3.9/10 and said: "Illud Divinum Insanus is an insulting, confusing, egotistic attempt of a band to force its listeners into liking an aesthetic the polar opposite of what they’ve known, and it debases the views of longtime fans that refuse to accept this garbage without being labeled 'unfaithful' by the band and their shameless PR team. This record has no redeeming value, no goal in mind". Metal Injection gave it a 3/10 and negatively reviewed it.
Conversely, Phil Freeman of Allmusic gave the album 4/5, saying that while "those who love the band's earliest records...are bound to see Illud Divinum Insanus experiments with industrial...as betrayals of everything the group once stood for", "many of the songs on Illud...are as raw and savage as anything the band's ever recorded", and that the album is "a left turn by a band that's already made many of them throughout its...career". Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and in several other countries by different publishers. Metal Hammer articles feature both mainstream bands and more unusual acts from the whole spectrum of heavy metal music...
gave the album a score of 9/10, describing it as "a twisted, confrontational masterpiece".
The album received praise before its release from artists including Mikael Åkerfeldt
Mikael Åkerfeldt
Lars Mikael Åkerfeldt is a Swedish musician who achieved fame as the lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter of progressive death metal band Opeth as well as the lead vocalist of death metal band Bloodbath. He was the vocalist and guitarist for the band Sörskogen and the guitarist of the band Steel...
from Opeth
Opeth
Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
, Anders Nyström
Anders Nyström
Anders Nyström, also known as Blakkheim is a Swedish musician who was born on April 22, 1975 in Stockholm.-Biography:...
from Katatonia
Katatonia
Katatonia is a Swedish metal band formed in Stockholm in 1991 by Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström .-1991-1993:The early Katatonia releases, such as the EP Jhva Elohim Meth.....
and several other metal artists.
Track listing
Personnel
- David VincentDavid VincentDavid Alexander Vincent , also known as Evil D, is an American musician who is best known as the lead vocalist and bassist for the death metal band Morbid Angel as well as the bassist for Genitorturers...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocals - Trey AzagthothTrey AzagthothTrey Azagthoth is an American musician best known as founder and guitarist of the Florida death metal band Morbid Angel. Azagthoth began playing at the age of 16...
– guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... - DestructhorDestructhorThor Anders Myhren , better known as Destructhor, is a Norwegian musician who has played guitar with metal bands Myrkskog, Zyklon, and Morbid Angel. Along with being a guitarist, he has been the vocalist with Myrkskog. He joined Morbid Angel in 2008.-References:...
– guitar - Tim YeungTim YeungTim Yeung is a prominent extreme metal drummer. He was born on November 27, 1978 in Rochester, New York and currently resides in Los Angeles, California. Tim started playing drums when he was 11 years old.-Biography:...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Sean Beavan – engineer, mixing
- Gunter Ford – management
- Juan "Punchy" Gonzalez – engineer
- Mark Prator – engineer
- Erik Rutan – engineer
- Gustavo Sazes – cover art, design