By the time
Blessed Are the Sick arrived in 1991, Morbid Angel had already established themselves as death metal innovators, but this sophomore release confirmed their position as absolute visionaries. If
Altars of Madness was a lightning strike—a violent burst of energy that electrified the underground—then
Blessed Are the Sick is the slow, calculated burn that follows, conjuring a darker, more deliberate evil. It’s not just a follow-up; it’s a statement.
What immediately sets this album apart is its maturity. Rather than attempt to recreate the chaotic frenzy of their debut, Morbid Angel opted to expand their sonic palette. The result is an album that blends suffocating atmosphere with complex structure, marrying speed and brutality with patience and menace. It’s the sound of a band not just writing death metal—but sculpting it.
Trey Azagthoth’s guitar work deserves special mention. His riffs are labyrinthine yet organic, as if the music is being exhumed rather than composed. There’s a ritualistic cadence to many of these songs, especially in the title track and “Fall from Grace,” where twisted melodies and ominous slow passages swirl like smoke around Vincent’s commanding growls. The solos are unhinged in the best way—dissonant flurries that sound like they're clawing their way through dimensions.
Pete Sandoval’s drumming is, predictably, otherworldly. Whether he’s blasting at high speed or accentuating a slower, doom-laden passage, his precision and explosiveness elevate every track. “Day of Suffering” is a perfect showcase of his ferocity, while “Desolate Ways,” a haunting acoustic instrumental, highlights the band’s boldness in embracing contrast and nuance.
David Vincent’s vocals here are deeper and more assured than on Altars. His performance walks the line between authority and depravity, and his lyrical delivery in the title track has become nothing short of iconic. When he proclaims, “Blessed are the sick in spirit,” it's not just a lyric—it’s a decree.
The inclusion of rerecorded tracks from Abominations of Desolation may seem like a compromise, but in truth, they fit seamlessly. Tracks like “Unholy Blasphemies” and “The Ancient Ones” are revitalized with improved production and performance, acting more like pillars of continuity than leftover material. The instrumentals, too, serve a greater purpose—lending an almost symphonic pacing to the album’s progression, like a classical suite reimagined through the lens of chaos and decay.
Production-wise, the album captures that rare magic where every element—drums, guitars, vocals—sits perfectly in the mix without sacrificing weight. It’s raw without being muddy, refined without sounding sterile. Even the album artwork, inspired by Jean Delville’s Les Trésors de Satan, reflects the arcane grandeur of the music within.
Blessed Are the Sick isn’t just a record; it’s an atmosphere, a world unto itself. While not as overtly aggressive as Altars, it trades that intensity for something more enduring—depth, scope, and eerie sophistication. For those who value death metal not just as a genre but as an art form, this album remains an essential experience.
Morbid Angel didn’t just avoid the sophomore slump—they summoned a masterpiece.
