Gateways to Annihilation [Enhanced]

Morbid Angel | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 17, 2000)
• Original Release Date: October 17, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Earache Records
• ASIN: B00004YLFJ
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #93,420 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars About as different from FFF as can be (and still be "DM")., February 28, 2001

By 

Into "voidness" (everywhereandnowhere) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gateways to Annihilation (Audio CD)

Anyone using these reviews as a reference to decide which Morbid Angel albums to buy is bound to be a little confused, since there is such a difference of opinion as to which album is the best, and why. Putting aside earlier albums, Altars of Madness and Covenant, which seem to be considered by most to be their best albums, I'm going to focus on FFF and Gateways as examples of Morbid Angel's "art" at it's most mature and developed. As a relative newcomer to Morbid Angel, I'm going to attempt to clear up the confusion a bit by sticking to some of the facts that are less open to a wide range of opinions, than others.

There are several common threads in the reviews of Gateway: it's slower; it's heavier; Steve Tucker's voice is better than on FFF; Trey's solos are better (or not as good, depending on the reviewer); the engineering on Gateways is better/worse than FFF, depending on which review you read (although most seem to give the production nod to Gateways). When you compare these albums it seems obvious that MA's intent was for the two to be very different.

Firstly, there's no question that Gateways has slower songs overall, so if you insist upon a Death Metal album that's mostly played at breakneck speed, you may very well be disappointed with Gateways. However, if you can deal with some slower tempos, I think that the people who say that Gateways is heavier are right. This has some of the HEAVIEST guitar sounds you will ever here on a metal recording, almost sounding a little like down-tuned "doom metal" in some places, owing partly to the fact that the sound production is not quite as thick on Gateways, which gives the lower, deeper sounds more room to resonate. You might think that a thicker, more opaque recording always makes for a heavier sound, but Morbid Angel knows its stuff well enough to know that if you really want some depth to the sound, you need a little transparency, and the low guitar chords on this recording have an almost subterranean depth. The other reason the guitar sound is heavier is that Eric Rutan is back after Trey handled all of the guitars on FFF; and having the second guitar definitely makes for a heavier sound here. It seems that the one guitar approach on FFF was geared toward creating one of MA's fastest albums, whereas they decided to follow that up with perhaps their heaviest. I really like how fast Trey and Pete "air out" the guitar and drums on FFF (nowhere has Sandoval sounded more like his nickname, "Commando"), but I also really enjoy the interplay of Trey and Eric on Gateways, and the almost seismic heaviness of the guitar sound they produce. With regard to the guitar solos, again, it's a question of whether or not you insist upon nothing but fast solos. Trey's solos tend to be faster and shorter on FFF, but they tend to be longer and more developed with some great, arcane-sounding eastern modalities that are even more evident than on FFF. Rutan gets into the act with some good solos as well, and I personally favor a dual guitar approach myself, especially when it includes some dual soloing.

Secondly, there's Tucker's voice. To me, he sounds a lot like Max Cavalera (ex-Sepultura)on Gateways, whereas he has a more generic Death Metal growl on FFF. Although I listen to quite a bit of DM, it's mostly for the guitars, and I've never cared much for most of the "vokills." However, I find Tucker's voice on Gateways to have developed more of a "style," and since Max C. has always been one of the few "extreme metal" vocalists that I can deal with, I definitely like Tucker's style on Gateways better. Also, the fact that the voice is less of a growl on Gateways means that you can hear the lyrics better, if you're into that (and Morbid Angel definitely has some of the "least mindless" lyrics in DM).

As far as the comments made by some reviewers about MA becoming more progressive or experimental, because of some of the instrumental interludes on these albums, I don't think this is much of an issue. Personally, I think most of these interludes are kind of cool, but if you don't like them, you can program them out and you've still got very full albums. I think the inclusion of these episodes lends some authenticity to the personal mythologies (Sumerian/Mesopotamian) that they're trying to explore with their music. The raw, primeval power of metal lends itself well to exploring the dark mysteries of a broad range of ancient mythologies, and I admire Morbid Angel for daring to move beyond the Satanic cliche' which many metal bands stay stuck in, and into more fertile and unexplored realms. I think that FFF and Gateways are easily Morbid Angel's best, and most developed, albums. It's really amazing that these guys have managed to stay on top of their game for so long, and these albums show that they are still the best at what they do.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars in perspective (i think), October 22, 2002

By 

silenus - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gateways to Annihilation (Audio CD)

this album could be seen as a let down to anyone expecting more classic death from this talented crew. however, that may have been an unrealistic expectation given the stresses, internal and external, that have been applied to the band and its members since their last release, "formulas..." the sound is smoother, less chaotic, very atmospheric (for death metal), but still aggressive. anyone looking for constant, frenzied soloing and over-the-top death metal should look elsewhere. here is offered a smoother sound with melodic soloing and more drawn out phrases. this is easily picked up (not the same as "easily listened to"), but perhaps not readily understood.

since their conception, morbid angel has, arguably, always had a differing conception of death metal with each album. in this regard, "gateways..." continues that trend thanks in large part to the lead guitarist and his spiritual path. while trey azagthoth (arguably the band's creative impetus) doesn't put much stock in the technical analysis of music, he places a large emphasis on the atmosphere of it and its creation; in his own words, "I go by feelings rather than the way it makes sense,"- a direct reflection of his recent philosophical bent. in light of this, it could then be seen as inappropriate to ask "what will trey do with death metal on the next album?" instead, the better question might be "where has death metal led trey?" therefore, it seems to me that morbid angel did not miss the mark, they just shot at a different target.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A death metal masterpiece for the new millenium, April 23, 2009

By 

Justin Bean (Ann Arbor, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gateways to Annihilation (Audio CD)

Is 'Gateways to Annihilation' Morbid Angel's best album? Perhaps not in terms of its position in the pantheon of Morbid Angel's seminal career. It would be foolish to compare 'Gateways' to 'Altars of Madness' or 'Covenant,' the two albums that seem to frequent most people's lists of all-time top death metal albums. Both albums, as well as the interim 'Blessed are the Sick,' were created when death metal was still new and fresh with 'Altars' being one of the first true American death metal albums. Nevertheless, I am of the opinion that 'Gateways to Annihilation' represents the most mature realization of Morbid Angel's hellishly atmospheric death metal.

The production is absolutely crushing in a way that only 'Domination' approached. The dual attack of Trey and Erik Rutan is clear as day but covered in a layer of sludge that roles like a tank. The layering of guitars creates a melodic feel throughout the album that is seems to exemplify musical evil in a way that few albums do. Morbid Angel has always featured relatively complex and thoughtful song compositions, but 'Gateways' sees the band in top form as it weaves track after track of songs deceivingly easy to swallow in their arrangement . As each track progresses, however, it seems as if you're swallowing a molten rock. And damn, does it taste good. I gave the album 95 instead of 100 for two minor reasons. At the album's mid section the songs tend to bleed into one another due to some recycled sounding riffs, but this is endemic in death metal it seems. In addition, the noise tracks that Trey or whomever in the band seems to like so much do nothing for the album.! They are short and few in number, but I could do without them interrupting an otherwise mindbending death metal experience.

Don't get caught up in arguments that toe the line which says that this album isn't good because it's from Morbid angel's post-1995 era. I will gladly concede that David Vincent is Morbid Angel's true and best vocalist, but his absence here is made up for by the musicianship, production, and song writing. Anyhow, I think Steve Tucker has a pretty kickass voice too and it fits the tone of 'Gateways' just fine.

Conclusion: To me, 'Gateways to Annihilation' represents one of the crowning achievements in death metal. Get at it.