David Vincent recently decided to reunite with the former drummer of MORBID ANGEL, Tim Yeung and create an interesting project, yet a controversial one, the I AM MORBID. The band is a ‘back to the roots’ one for Vincent, as he will have the chance to play songs from the very first MORBID ANGELl records, the records in which he contributed in the music of the legendary death metal band.
The fans did not welcome this move, as it was considered as a chance for Vincent to earn some money based on the success of the past, while others considered this move as disrespectful to the MORBID ANGEL of 2017. Vincent himself claims he is back to his roots and feels honored to be able to play songs he had years to get involved with, while urging the fans not to pick a side between a possible dispute with MORBID ANGEL.
Despite the controversies and with a few days remaining for I AM MORBID‘s shows in Athens and Thessaloniki, let’s take a closer look into who David Vincent is.
Vincent was associated with MORBID ANGEL long before he became their vocalist and their bassist. He defined their sound along with Trey Azagthoth, creating the way death metal would sound along with DEATH. The main difference between those two bands is the fact that while Morbid would remain extreme and gore, Death would ascent death metal into a prog and technical path. However, both bands made death metal popular and Vincent has always been a part of the genre’s success no matter what modern MORBID ANGEL fans believe.
Getting the facts straight, 1989 was the year MORBID ANGEL ’s major acceptance began. The band released their first full length record, ‘Altars of Madness’. ‘Altars’ is the most favorite record of MORBID ANGEL by the fans worldwide. The album is the epitome of death metal, introducing a sound that differs from black metal, but remains as extreme and aggressive it can get. Vincent’s brutal voice inspired many death metal singers out there, bending in harmony with the technical guitar parts and the loads of riffs that ‘Altars of Madness’ include. It marked the beginning of a great career and faced worldwide recognition.
‘Blessed Are The Sick’ followed-up two years after the debut record, in 1991, marking the beginning of death metal’s dominance in the 90’s. With thrash metal being bastardized into many sub-genres, Vincent along with his bandmate Azagthoth created another pure record, providing stability to the sound they both created in the beginning of MORBID ANGEL . The band’s success was enforced by their contracts with Earache Records, finding major success in the American and European extreme metal scene.
Vincent’s goals for MORBID ANGEL do not stop with ‘Blessed Are The Sick’. The record was the kick-start of the dominance of death metal in the 90’s and was followed up by ‘Covenant’. Having nothing to fear from Black Metal, MORBID ANGEL was inspired by a darker and more occult side of music, releasing ‘Covenant’ in 1993. The specific record made, in critic’s opinion, bands like VENOM proud of MORBID ANGEL , who sounded more evil than ever. Vincent managed to improve his vocals and change them in a way that he sounded darker and rawer than before. In the 90’s the band has completely reinvented death metal, creating a signature sound based on solid, technical guitar riffs, brutal vocals and play-along drumming.
In the meantime, Vincent’s ex-wife Gen was associated with Genitorturers, an industrial metal band with electronic and goth influences. She did not stop influencing Vincent, exchanging ideas about music which would later be noticeable in MORBID ANGEL ’s ‘Illud Divinum Insanus’. As a result, he later ended his career with MORBID ANGEL (for the time-being), in order to join forces with his ex-wife in GENITORTURERS as a bassist. Before leaving the band, they managed to record another remarkable record. ‘Domination’, the latter record of the classic MORBID ANGEL era was released in 1995, ending a period of major success and recognition, although the band continued as strong as before with Steve Tucker on vocals.
Vincent spent many years creating music alongside his ex-wife in the industrial metal band GENITORTURERS. The band recorded two records with Vincent, ‘Sin City’ and ‘Blackheart Revolution’ along with two EPs. ‘Sin City’ is the most notable record by the specific band. With a style close to MARILYN MANSON and shock rock influences, ‘Sin City’ was aggressive and erotic as well. The band did not face the recognition MORBID ANGEL had and by the end of the 90’s and the changes in the music industry, their sound and style was completely abandoned by the press and the fans.
Genitorturers continued with ‘Blackheart Revolution’ in the end of the 00’s, in 2009. The record is ideal for the audience of goth fans and fans dazed with industrial nostalgia, while it features Vincent in vocals, bass and guitars as well. Right before his long-awaited comeback with MORBID ANGEL , Vincent showed the world that he is still musically active and desires to create music that honors the underground scene that ascended his career years ago.
Vincent returned to MORBID ANGEL to record ‘Illud Divinum Insanus’ in 2011. His influence by industrial metal, mixed with the ideas Azagthoth had, in the moment, produced tracks that would be buried by the press back on those days, as well as by the fans. The record’s experimental sound and the odd, for MORBID ANGEL , music structure were considered a blasphemy to the original MORBID ANGEL records and brought Vincent’s and Azagthoth’s cooperation in turmoil again. The two musicians parted ways once more, this time for good.
The rest is pure history. Vincent created I AM MORBID to honor the original MORBID ANGEL albums while Trey Azagthoth joined forces with Steve Tucker once more, preparing another record and tour. Vincent’s importance in MORBID ANGEL ’s music should not get underestimated by the fans. He defined death metal in the same way Trey Azagthoth did, while both men shared the same vision for the music they loved and wanted to share with the rest of the world.
In his words, that’s all I AM MORBID is about; the rejoice of original death metal, with dignity and pure pride, a gift from the maker to the fans…
