Heretic (Morbid Angel album)
Encyclopedia
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.
The album was recorded at Diet of Worms Studios by Juan Gonzalez
. Heretic is the first Morbid Angel
album that was not recorded at Morrisound Recording
.
The second track, "Enshrined By Grace", is featured on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
soundtrack. It also had a music video
which received airplay in the months following the album release.
The song "Born Again" is actually the outro guitar solo from the song "Secured Limitations" off Gateways to Annihilation
.
with no bonus CD limited to 1,500 copies.
, the tracks' numbers and duration have some meaning.
Tracks not listed are silent. Names given are taken directly from the CD-Text
on the disc.
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 the 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...
. This would be their last under Earache Records
Earache Records
Earache Records is a heavy metal-oriented record label based in Nottingham, UK and New York, USA. It helped to pioneer extreme metal by releasing many of the earliest grindcore and death metal records in the period 1988-1994.-History:...
, as the band decided not to renew its contract, and the last to feature bassist/vocalist Steve Tucker.
The album was recorded at Diet of Worms Studios by Juan Gonzalez
Juan González
Juan Alberto González Vázquez , nicknamed "Juan Gone", "Juando", and "Igor", is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. Juan González developed into one of the most prolific RBI men to anchor a lineup since World War Two...
. Heretic is the first 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...
album that was not recorded at Morrisound Recording
Morrisound Recording
Morrisound Recording is an audio recording facility in Temple Terrace, Florida, owned and operated by brothers Jim and Tom Morris. Since its opening in 1981, Morrisound has been responsible for the popularization of genres such as heavy metal and death metal, but of course caters to every genre of...
.
The second track, "Enshrined By Grace", is featured on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003 film)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a 2003 remake of the 1974 horror film of the same name. The 2003 film was directed by Marcus Nispel and produced by Michael Bay...
soundtrack. It also had a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
which received airplay in the months following the album release.
The song "Born Again" is actually the outro guitar solo from the song "Secured Limitations" off Gateways to Annihilation
Gateways to Annihilation
Gateways to Annihilation is the sixth studio album by the death metal band Morbid Angel.This album saw a change in musical style as the speed-laden intensity of the previous album Formulas Fatal to the Flesh was abandoned for a slower, more droning style, reminiscent of Blessed Are the Sick...
.
Track listing
The album was released in five different versions. The first simply contains Heretic in a standard CD case; the second is a box set featuring the album plus the 18-track CD Bonus Levels and a sticker—released in Germany only and limited to 10,000 copies; the third is a double-disc slipcase of both CDs—available only through US mail order and limited to 2,000 copies; the fourth features both discs in a double-CD jewel case—released in Europe only and limited to 20,000 copies; and the fifth is a 12-inch picture discPicture disc
Picture discs are gramophone records that show images on their playing surface, rather than being of plain black or coloured vinyl.-Development:...
with no bonus CD limited to 1,500 copies.
Bonus tracks
The album contains additional tracks after "Born Again". Many of these are silent, while some contain guitar solos or ambiance (notably the sound effects from "Place of Many Deaths" on "Tortured Souls"). When ripped to a computer, the tracks with solos or songs have mostly comical names. The disc has 44 tracks and, according to interviews with Trey AzagthothTrey Azagthoth
Trey 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...
, the tracks' numbers and duration have some meaning.
Tracks not listed are silent. Names given are taken directly from the CD-Text
CD-Text
CD-Text is an extension of the Red Book Compact Disc specifications standard for audio CDs. It allows for storage of additional information on a standards-compliant audio CD...
on the disc.
- "Inflections" – 1:35
- "Tortured Souls" – 3:50 (sound effects from "Place of Many Deaths")
- "Terror of MechaGodzilla Lava!" – 0:33 (the guitar solo in the end of "Praise The Strength")
- "Triplet Lava!!" – 0:51
- "Doomcreeper" – 4:30 (instrumental version of "Beneath the Hollow")
- "Laff" – 0:18
Bonus Levels
A few pressings of the album were made with an extra disc called Bonus Levels. The first six tracks are all songs off the first disc, with synthesized drums and no vocals. The remaining tracks are guitar solos.- "Beneath the Hollow" instrumental – 4:25
- "Curse the Flesh" instrumental – 3:34
- "Within Thy Enemy" instrumental – 3:16
- "God of Our Own Divinity" instrumental – 6:13
- "Praise the Strength" instrumental – 5:15
- "Place of Many Deaths" instrumental – 4:06
- "Beneath the Hollow" guitar solo – 0:23
- "Curse the Flesh" guitar solo - 0:16
- "Praise the Strength" guitar solo – 0:16
- "God of Our Own Divinity" guitar solo – 0:36
- "Summoning Redemption" guitar solo 1 – 0:28
- "Summoning Redemption" guitar solo 2 – 0:24
- "Summoning Redemption" guitar solo 3 – 0:28
- "Ageless, Still I Am" guitar solo 1 – 0:38
- "Ageless, Still I Am" guitar solo 2 – 0:24
- "At One with Nothing" guitar solo 1 – 0:30
- "At One with Nothing" guitar solo 2 – 0:32
- "To the Victor the Spoils" guitar solo – 0:38
Chart positions
| Chart (2003) | Peak |
|---|---|
| Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
27 |
| Top Independent Albums | 28 |
Personnel
- Steve Tucker – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, lyricistLyricistA lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:... - 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...
– electric 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...
, guitar synthesizer, keyboardsKeyboard 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...
, composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media... - Pete SandovalPete SandovalPete 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...
– 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 ....
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, keyboards, composer - Karl SandersKarl SandersKarl Sanders is an American musician, most widely known as the founding member of the American Egyptian-themed death metal band Nile. He was born in California, and lives in Greenville, South Carolina. Karl is endorsed by Dean Guitars, and has two signature models by KxK Guitars...
– additional guitar soloGuitar soloIn popular music, a guitar solo is a melodic passage, section, or entire piece of music written for an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar. Guitar solos, which often contain varying degrees of improvisation, are used in many styles of popular music such as blues, jazz, rock and metal styles such...
on "God of Our Own Divinity" - Juan "Punchy" GonzalezJuan 'Punchy' GonzalezJuan "Punchy" Gonzalez is a record producer/artist who has worked with many talents including, Morbid Angel, Christian Death, Lover of Sin, Nile, and many others. He was also the guitarist/producer of his own band, Diet of Worms....
– producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may... - Marc Sasso – cover artCover artCover art is the illustration or photograph on the outside of a published product such as a book , magazine, comic book, video game , DVD, CD, videotape, or music album. The art has a primarily commercial function, i.e...
- Peter "Drunken Monkey" Tsakiris – designGraphic designGraphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
- Alex Solca – photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...