Morbid Saint fits into a rather unique niche in metal history. Formed way back in 1984, the band didn’t catch the attention of headbangers until the release of their now cult classic debut, Spectrum of Death (1990). Dropped in the heart of the death metal boom, Spectrum of Death fit just right alongside the likes of reigning titans Death, Obituary, Autopsy, and so forth, albeit being as thrashy as it was deadly. This landed Morbid Saint alongside the likes of Demolition Hammer, Num Skull, and Devastation who were not fully death metal, but weren’t “just thrash” either, hence the branding of death/thrash.
Fast forward nearly 35 years later and metalheads the world over have patiently waited for a follow up to Spectrum of Death. Well, that’s not entirely true. There was a follow up recorded entitled Destruction System, which despite set for a 1992 release, didn’t see the light of day until 2015. It’s a crying shame because against all odds, this album was even more brutal than its predecessor. One can only imagine what Morbid Saint could’ve accomplished had they stuck it out through the ’90s. There’s no doubt in my mind they could’ve ruled the death metal underground alongside Cannibal Corpse and Deicide, but I digress.
Instead, we find ourselves in 2024, face to face with the official follow up to Spectrum of Death, Swallowed by Hell. With such a straightforward title and some zany Ed Repka cover art that depicts a crazed thrasher decapitating what looks like Jerry Seinfeld, one would expect nothing less than meat and potatoes thrash, which is exactly what we get here. Mind you, the key word here is “thrash”, not “death/thrash”. Unfortunately, the raw, lethal edge of Morbid Saint’s early days has been toned down in exchange for an approach that resembles the more palatable moments of thrash’s late ’00s resurgence (AKA Warbringer).
Taking this into consideration, the formula for Swallowed by Hell becomes pretty evident within the first few songs. The guitar riffs are unrelentingly aggressive, the drumming is unabashedly Slayer-esque, and frontman Pat Lind’s vocal delivery has gone from hellish Quorthon sounding rasps to a more conventional shouting/chanting style in the vein of Tom Araya. This is all fine and good for cuts like the violent “Rise from the Ashes”, chug-laden “Bloody Floors”, and anthemic “Burn Pit” (my favorite on here). However, come Swallowed‘s second half, things start to get a bit predictable and frankly exhausting. Songs like “Pine Tuxedo” and “Killer Instinct” are clearly cut from the same cloth as the other 8 thrashers on here.
Aside from some gnarly mosh breakdown sections (par the course for the genre), there’s nothing out of the ordinary on Swallowed by Hell that I see sticking with me like Spectrum of Death. That doesn’t mean it’s bad per se. I’ve heard far less inspired thrash from many of Morbid Saint’s peers. It’s just underwhelming considering the standard this band set in their prime. When all is said and done, Swallowed by Hell leaves me relating with headless Seinfeld. He can’t feel any less pain than me right now, having just endured such a mediocre listen.
5 out of 10
Label: High Roller Records
Genre: Thrash Metal
For fans of: Slayer, Demolition Hammer, Warbringer