Morbid Angel: Illud Divinum Insanus - The Remixes

On February 24th, 2012 (USA: February 28th) Morbid Angel will release this, Illud Divinum Insanus - The Remixes, "31 fresh, sharp and inventive remixes" that, with the limited first pressing, will be accompanied by a "further 8 crazy and stunning re-interpretations" on a bonus download card ranging "from techno hardcore to industrial, from dubstep to electro dark". First asking the listener to "join this trip into musical realms where no Metal band dared to go before," the press release also claims that this bunch of remixes is for "those with an open mind". A pre-emptive strike aimed toward the criticism Morbid Angel are anticipating, perhaps? Maybe, but Rob Zombie (and White Zombie), Fear Factory, Faith No More, Senser, and a host of others did the same in the 90s, and not one of those releases has been deemed a "classic" or as "groundbreaking" as Morbid Angel seem to think that Illud Divinum Insanus was and no doubt hope that these remixes will become.

Of the eleven tracks on Illud Divinum Insanus, it appears that only six of them seem to have been deemed worthy of getting the remix treatment. Of the thirty nine tracks(!), there are eleven versions of 'I Am Morbid', five versions of '10 More Dead', five versions of 'Destructo VS The Earth', four versions of 'Radikult', four versions of 'Too Extreme', and three versions of 'Existo Vulgore'. Given that there are perhaps only three decent tracks on the original – 'Blades of Baal', '10 More Dead', and 'Nevermore' (two of which were co-written by new member Destructhor) – the album already looks uninspiring. There are times when the tracks sound like better-than-average electronica / industrial / techno / dubstep, etc. There are tracks that stand out, such as both Tek-One's and Sylvgheist Maelstrom's versions of '10 More Dead', The Horrorist's version of 'Existo Vulgore', and Fixhead's and Roger Rotor's versions of 'Radikult'. And where Project Pitchfork's mix of 'Destructos VS The Earth' sounds like the Pet Shop Boys, Nachtmahr's mix OD'ing on god-awful pop may well become a gay club staple. (The thought of a dance floor thronged with butch, lubed-up men wearing cowboy hats and boots, leather waistcoats, thongs, and ass-less chaps grinding away to their favourite band will no doubt have many a Morbid Angel diehard convulsed in tears of rage.)

Morbid Angel fans won't like this because like the original, it wasn't made for them. For those fans that do indulge, this will do little more than "introduce you to Morbid Angel's parallel world filled with industrial, minimalistic, dub step, hypnotic, hardcore, horror, dark and even avant-garde electronic music." What is ironic is that in sounding very little like the original versions, the tracks are actually much better. In fact, removing Vincent's vocals altogether would be a huge improvement as Azagthoth's and Destructhor's riffs work with and enhance the aesthetic of each remix. When Vincent's vocals enter the mix, the tracks sound like a poor man's Rammstein.

If you've never heard of Morbid Angel and fancy over three hours of electronic remixes of an album you would probably be better off having never heard, go for it. As with Illud Divinum Insanus, this is not as ground-breaking or as "fresh, sharp and inventive" as claimed, nor are they particularly "crazy" or "stunning re-interpretations". But credit where credit's due, the credit for this album lies solely with the artists that have remixed the tracks and attempted to remould that gathering of garbage into gold, and given what they had to work with, it's almost a success. The remixes will work in the clubs however, the reason being that the tracks have been ripped apart and barely resemble what they once were. And if that's not worth dancing about, I don't know what is.

Tracklisting: CD 1 (70:52)

1. Laibach – I Am Morbid (Wall of Morbid mix)
2. cEvin Key /Hiwatt Marshall – OmniDead
3. Brain Leisure - Too Extreme (Black Symphony Edition)
4. The Toxic Avenger – 10 More Dead
5. Malakwa – I Am Morbid
6. Synapscape – Too Extreme
7. Punish Yourself vs Sonic Area – Destructos vs The Earth (DoomsdayMarchMix)
8. HIV+ - Too Extreme
9. Micropoint – I Am Morbid
10. John Lord Fonda - Too extreme (Metallizer Remix)
11. Evil Activities - Radikult
12. Mixhell – Too Extreme
13. Black Lung – I Am Morbid
14. Mondkopf - Radikult
15. Xytras – Existo Vulgoré
16. Toxic Engine – I Am Morbid

CD 2 (72:34)

1. Ahnst Anders – I Am Morbid
2. Nachtmahr – Destructos vs. the Earth
3. Tim Skold – Profundis – Mea Culpa
4. Black Strobe – 10 More Dead
5. Chris Pohl – Too Extreme
6. Project Pitchfork – Destructos vs. the Earth
7. Treponem Pal – 10 More Dead
8. Scott Brown – I Am Morbid
9. Fixhead - Radikult
10. Dj Ruffneck – I Am Morbid
11. Igorrr – Remixou Morbidou
12. Tamtrum – I Am Morbid
13. Tek-One – 10 More Dead
14. Adrian – I Am Morbid
15. The Horrorist – Existo Vulgoré

DROPCARD

1. Combichrist – Destructos vs The Earth
2. Chrysalide - Nevermore
3. Asche – Destructos vs The Earth
4. Sylvgheist Maelstrom – 10 More Dead
5. Dead Sexy Inc. – I am Morbid
6. Roger Rotor - Radikult
7. The Processus – I am Morbid
8. Mulk – Existo Vulgoré

Added: January 4th 2012
Reviewer: Jason Guest
Score:
Related Link: Morbid Angel's website
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Language: english

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