Review by Ben for Morbid Angel - Domination (1995)

The fourth consecutive (and last) Morbid Angel masterpiece. Brilliant, varied death metal!

I just don't get why so many Morbid Angel fans rate this album so poorly. Are we listening to the same album? Yes, the band slowed things down a bit more than previously and yes, Domination can be considered their most accessible album, but that doesn't automatically mean that it sucks. I do find it very frustrating that so many metal fans get upset and shout sell-out as soon as a band creates something that appeals to a wider audience than their former material, but I'm not even certain that this is the case here. Much of this album is blistering brutal and when they do slow things down, the results are crushing and vicious. I also applaud the band for the variety that can be found here, with tracks like Where the Slime Lives and Hatework breaking out of the typical death metal mould, while still retaining the sharply oppressive spirit that pervades all Morbid Angel's work. When it was released, Domination was an album that I looked forward to probably more than anything prior, and I wasn't disappointed in the slightest.

The only change in line-up between Covenant and Domination is the addition of Erik Rutan as a second guitarist. This achieved so much more than simply giving the band more presence on stage. Erik's style of playing contrasts dramatically from Trey’s unique technique yet compliments it extremely well. As if the immensely creative and at times bizarre riffs and leads that Trey had always brought to Morbid Angel weren't enough to satisfy, now Erik's exquisite leads and chunky death metal riffs were added to the equation. The solos throughout the album are some of the best you will ever hear, being technically brilliant, effortlessly moving and damn memorable. Pete's drumming is also nothing short of incredible, as if there was any doubt there. The crystal-clear clarity of the production does give his bass drums a slightly clicky sound, but I certainly don't mind having my attention drawn back to his performance repeatedly. Never satisfied to just back the riffs up, Pete makes his presence felt throughout in a peerless display of tight, god-like drumming.

I've said it before, but there is no doubt in my mind that the loss of Dave Vincent straight after this album was an absence they have never quite recovered from. Their first four albums where he is present are all 5-star classics that put Morbid Angel at the very top of the death metal hordes. It's no coincidence that everything they've released since then has ranged from inconsistent to plain average, bringing them way back to the rest of the pack. Why this is isn't all that clear as the remaining members are immensely talented, but at the very least I think his vocals are the absolute pinnacle of brutal yet decipherable death metal growls. He brings a certain level of intensity and authenticity to every word and I can only imagine that he brought with him a level of control and conviction that has lacked since his departure. His return to the band in recent times has me chomping at the bit that Morbid Angel may yet reclaim their former glory, particularly as they haven't released any material whatsoever in the past 6 years.

Domination is a cracking album, enjoyable all the way through. Its only minor blemish would be Inquisition (Burn With Me) which doesn't manage to meet the high standard set by the rest of the track listing, but that's not enough for me to give this release anything but full marks. Highlight tracks are Dominate, Eyes to See, Ears to Hear, Nothing But Fear and the brilliantly dark closer Hatework.