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Morbid Angel - Sheffield, England, 21st November 2011


Event: Morbid Angel: Illud Divinum Insanus Europe Autumn 2011
Written by: Baz Anderson
Published: 22.11.2011

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Morbid Angel - Sheffield, England, 21st November 2011 by Baz Anderson (35)


The venue in Sheffield has started putting on shows earlier so that they finish earlier, allowing people to catch the last trains of the night back home. This did also mean, possibly with added confusion of opening times, that when the doors did open - not many people were waiting. American death metal legends Morbid Angel were in town with a great support package, and hardly anyone turned up for half the night.





A shame then for late-comers, as the little-known French band Benighted were about to absolutely demolish everything. Criminally unknown on these shores, these guys put groove into a brutal death-grind concoction with such intensity found nowhere else. The band filled their short set with songs from their last three albums and still kept the drive to deliver a blinding show, even if it pretty much was just to a front row. The band may have found some new fans here tonight, but the lack of any real audience put a slight dampener on the mood of the set. Either way though, these guys are absolutely on top of the scene and gave those present a mightily impressive set.


Benighted


Necrophobic might have been the main support band, but the story stayed the same for these Swedish guys. Unfortunately for them, they didn't bring with them anywhere near the kind of energy the last band brought. Thus their set was rather static, band and audience, and unfortunately edging on boring at times. The venue was filled with a somewhat enjoyable, but terribly bland mix of death and black metal. Aside from one or two fans the band had, it seemed as though the people watching were only really willing the headliners to come on earlier. Perhaps not the most flattering position for the band, sandwiched between two high-energy blast-fests.


Necrophobic


As if by magic the venue was alive as a ready and willing audience waited for the mighty Morbid Angel. Kicking off with the opening songs of their first three albums, Sheffield was about to get a whole lot more... morbid. The audience went crazy; hair, bodies, drinks flying everywhere. This is what the audience had been waiting for, and to open the first half of the set with a bunch of old songs was exactly the kindle required to ignite the audience the way they did. A trio of new songs quietened the audience, although "Existo Vulgoré" particularly didn't sound out of place.


Morbid Angel


The night was finally alive and this felt like a proper show. Old classics like "Maze Of Torment" and "Lord Of All Fevers & Plague" always sound great live, but after "Chapel Of Ghouls" the show came to an end without any real warning. The band's relatively short headlining set of one hour might have disappointed a few, combined with a couple of glaring omissions from the setlist such as "World Of Shit (The Promised Land)" and "God Of Emptiness". Regardless, Morbid Angel and Trey's amazing guitar skills never fail to deliver, and tonight was no exception. For the majority of the audience this night was all about Morbid Angel, who proved once more that in the live environment, they still are one of death metal's finest.


Morbid Angel


Setlist: Immortal Rites / Fall From Grace / Rapture / Day Of Suffering / Blasphemy / Maze Of Torment / Existo Vulgoré / Nevermore / I Am Morbid / Angel Of Disease / Lord Of All Fevers & Plague / Sworn To The Black / Chapel Of Ghouls

An interview with David conducted before the show can be found here.

Thanks to Gunnar for the accreditation.
Written by Barry Anderson.
Photos by Barry Anderson.







Written on 22.11.2011 by Member of Staff since 2006


Comments

Comments: 21   Visited by: 141 users
22.11.2011 - 23:02
AtrumHiberna

I was planning to go but since I booked for Eindhoven Metal Meeting it didn't seem necessary to go. It's too bad to read that the opening bands, two awesome bands imo, were so much ignored. The majority of the crowd of England proved (again) that it doesn't give any chance to the opening bands, and that's just too sad and close minded. Anw, I can't wait to see all of them in a few weeks \m/
----
This is my worship, this is my path...
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22.11.2011 - 23:17
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
I would have left after Benighted. It's too bad they didn't draw a crowd, being that they were the best band on the bill.
----
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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22.11.2011 - 23:29
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by Troy Killjoy on 22.11.2011 at 23:17

I would have left after Benighted. It's too bad they didn't draw a crowd, being that they were the best band on the bill.


Benighted are good but imo Necrophobic were the best on the bill. Would have stayed for them as well. But left for MA
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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22.11.2011 - 23:29
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
I'm not a big fan of Necrophobic but I'd still stay for them over MA.
----
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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22.11.2011 - 23:43
Void Eater
Account deleted
Did they kill have a dead cop manikin on stage?
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23.11.2011 - 01:19
Kingface

Great review Baz, I pretty agree with it all 100%. I too was disappointed with the poor turn-out before Morbid Angel, especially for the first two bands, and even more especially for Benighted who I preferred out of the three support bands before the show but were even better than I expected them to be live! Will definitely look out for them touring the UK again in the future. Thought the Drummer who played for both Nervecell and Benighted was amazing, playing two sets for two separate bands back-to-back, both of which were physically demanding performances by themselves!

Necrophobic sounded great in places but they got boring at times. It felt like nearly every song had the same Drum Pattern! Morbid Angel were really good, especially those first six songs played back-to-back (including my favourite 'Maze of Torment') and the atmosphere and crowd participation was incredible. It really did feel like a short set though, couldn't help but feel disappointed by that and songs like 'Where the Slime Live' and 'God of Emptiness' not making the setlist, but while it lasted, it was incredible.

Those who are saying they wouldn't stay for their set must be crazy! Why would you not want to see such a great and important Death Metal band that still plays the majority of their best material live?

Edit: After one of the songs (think it was after 'I am Morbid') somebody in the crowd shouted "Radikult!". Can't tell if he was serious or not but it would be so LOL-tastic if they did play it!
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23.11.2011 - 09:51
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by Kingface on 23.11.2011 at 01:19

Those who are saying they wouldn't stay for their set must be crazy! Why would you not want to see such a great and important Death Metal band that still plays the majority of their best material live?


Because I have already seen them a gazillion times? First time on the Altars Of Madness tour when they played with Carcass and openede for Napalm Death back in 1989. Last time I saw them was this summer and although the majority of their live material were their best songs live they just weren't as good as before. Dave Vincent just doesn't cut it any more and Tim Yeung isn't as versatile as Pete Sandoval and that showed.
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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23.11.2011 - 09:58
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by Kingface on 23.11.2011 at 01:19
After one of the songs (think it was after 'I am Morbid') somebody in the crowd shouted "Radikult!". Can't tell if he was serious or not but it would be so LOL-tastic if they did play it!

50 bucks says it was Baz.
----
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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23.11.2011 - 10:12
Kingface

Written by Troy Killjoy on 23.11.2011 at 09:58

Written by Kingface on 23.11.2011 at 01:19
After one of the songs (think it was after 'I am Morbid') somebody in the crowd shouted "Radikult!". Can't tell if he was serious or not but it would be so LOL-tastic if they did play it!

50 bucks says it was Baz.


Haha!

And Marcel, I guess it is far more understandable if you've seen them multiple times already. Quite jealous of that I must say!
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23.11.2011 - 12:38
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by Guest on 22.11.2011 at 23:43

Did they kill have a dead cop manikin on stage?


they do NOT sing 'kill a cop' anywhere. It's "killer cult"
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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23.11.2011 - 15:39
Baz Anderson

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 23.11.2011 at 09:51

Because I have already seen them a gazillion times? First time on the Altars Of Madness tour when they played with Carcass and openede for Napalm Death back in 1989. Last time I saw them was this summer and although the majority of their live material were their best songs live they just weren't as good as before. Dave Vincent just doesn't cut it any more and Tim Yeung isn't as versatile as Pete Sandoval and that showed.

Still though, even if you've seen them a million times before - watching Morbid Angel is surely more entertaining than a regular night watching TV or whatever...
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23.11.2011 - 21:23
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 23.11.2011 at 12:38
they do NOT sing 'kill a cop' anywhere. It's "killer cult"

James Hetfield also sings I am the tablet apparently, but that doesn't matter.
----
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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23.11.2011 - 21:25
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by Troy Killjoy on 23.11.2011 at 21:23

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 23.11.2011 at 12:38
they do NOT sing 'kill a cop' anywhere. It's "killer cult"

James Hetfield also sings I am the tablet apparently, but that doesn't matter.


Hetfield only sings that once or twice and sing "I am the table" in the other instances. Whereas 'Kill A Cop" isn't sung at all. With MA it's a case of misheard lyrics with Hetfield it isn't
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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23.11.2011 - 21:27
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 23.11.2011 at 21:25
With MA it's a case of misheard lyrics with Hetfield it isn't

That's what I'm saying, the people will make it what they want. Even those who know it's not kill a cop will still say kill a cop. Because it's easier to make fun of an album when you don't have to take its shit seriously.
----
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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24.11.2011 - 05:43
Angelic Storm
Melodious
That is actually a great setlist, despite it's short length. (reminds me of W.A.S.P. setlists!) And they only played the good songs from the new album, so nothing really to complain about other than them only playing for an hour. Obviously with such a short set, there are some glaring omissions, like playing nothing from "Domination" which would have disappointed me.
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25.11.2011 - 20:00
Nefarious
Doom Knight
I am pretty sure Nervecell played too right?!
----
"FUCK!!! You're the fucking 5th person asking me in an interview about the woman in the bathtub?The problem is that I AM the fucking person in the bathtub, and I AM a fucking MAN, for fuck's sake! I hate you all!" ~ Herr Morbid
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25.11.2011 - 20:08
Baz Anderson

Written by Nefarious on 25.11.2011 at 20:00

I am pretty sure Nervecell played too right?!

Yes, I was doing the interview while they were on though.
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25.11.2011 - 20:17
Nefarious
Doom Knight
Written by Baz Anderson on 25.11.2011 at 20:08

Written by Nefarious on 25.11.2011 at 20:00

I am pretty sure Nervecell played too right?!

Yes, I was doing the interview while they were on though.


Ah ok, fair enough. Shame the crowd was so small for Benighted & Nervecell.
----
"FUCK!!! You're the fucking 5th person asking me in an interview about the woman in the bathtub?The problem is that I AM the fucking person in the bathtub, and I AM a fucking MAN, for fuck's sake! I hate you all!" ~ Herr Morbid
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29.11.2011 - 22:03
Big-Al

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 23.11.2011 at 12:38

they do NOT sing 'kill a cop' anywhere. It's "killer cult"


Quoted for respect to Morbid Angel, still a brilliant band on top of their game. Totally amazing live, trend setters, breakers and true masters of chaos.

Just saw them in Budapest, David Vincent's got to be one of the best live front men around.. did a splendid job. additionally I'd add that the reviewer seriously missed out on the Nervecell performance. though some how the audience in Budapest was somewhat uninterested in them too sadly enough.

To be honest though, while I did enjoy the whole show, I do find benighted a bit boring after a while... though I was right at the front for the whole event (except when I went to pee during Benighted's set.

Additionally we were blessed with Tim Yeung's birthday sing along which of course broke into a shot drum solo but a truly underrated drummer. his entire performance was truly spectacular.

And finally, I really enjoyed Necrophbic's set, sure it wasn't as "heavy" as Benighted, but it was very melodic and full of variety while both heavy & dark. Was lucky enough to have a short chat with them after the show too.
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I drink moosepiss
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29.11.2011 - 22:13
Big-Al

Written by Angelic Storm on 24.11.2011 at 05:43

That is actually a great setlist, despite it's short length. (reminds me of W.A.S.P. setlists!) And they only played the good songs from the new album, so nothing really to complain about other than them only playing for an hour. Obviously with such a short set, there are some glaring omissions, like playing nothing from "Domination" which would have disappointed me.

Budapest was blessed with "Where the Slime Live".
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I drink moosepiss
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29.11.2011 - 22:20
Angelic Storm
Melodious
Written by Big-Al on 29.11.2011 at 22:13

Budapest was blessed with "Where the Slime Live".


A great song from a very underrated album... any Morbid Angel setlist would seem incomplete without at least one song from "Domination" in it.
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