The album's opening number, Piles of Little Arms, sets the tone for the entire album with a rolling blast beat-driven intro that is led by Azagthoth's abrasive guitar riff. While many portions of this song are fast, with Fuller's drumming really driving everything forward with much haste, there are moments that slow things down somewhat and introduce groovier elements. Tucker, performing on his first Morbid Angel album for quite some time, sounds excellent and really full of energy throughout. His deep growls are full of venom, and his performance on this song, atop the discordant riffing, really stands out. Guitar solos are not exactly forthcoming here, but the song ends with some wah-drenched guitar leads that lead nicely into D.E.A.D, the album's second song. D.E.A.D really takes things a step further with a progressive take on the standard death metal formula that mixes Behemoth-esque passages that use strident guitar chords and simpler drum beats, with twisted fast sections that really show off Fuller's skills as a drummer. His energy certainly adds to the overall feel of this album, and he should be commended on a strong performance throughout. There are lots of memorable riffs throughout this song and, while it is fairly short at just over three minutes in length, it stands out for it's originality and technicality. Garden of Disdain returns to the band's more typical formula with Fuller's fast footwork driving everything and a mid-paced verse that is packed full of venom with Tucker's bass guitar high in the mix to give the song depth. The bass is often lost in extreme metal albums, but thankfully that is often not the case here. Tucker's playing is often highlighted, which helps to really bulk out the songs and give the album a much heavier overall feel while still sounding well-produced. This is a song which never really reaches break-neck speed, but instead often relies on a more chugging feel despite some fast double bass drumming. The combination works well, and the song is a powerful one as a result. The Righteous Voice opens up with an unsettling guitar riff that always seems at odds with the more conventional drumming beneath it. This conflict works well however, and helps to create a unique atmosphere for the song. Azagthoth's use of pinch harmonics throughout also helps the song to stand out, and adds to the discordant nature of the piece. The verses are much more typical however, with Fuller's blast beats driving everything as Tucker bellows the lyrics. There's another strange guitar solo in this piece, and this one comes out of nowhere with some tortured leads that cut through the mix with an eerie feel. Architect and Iconoclast is one of my favourite pieces on the album, and this is partly down to the grooves that are packed into it. This is not a song that never really picks up the pace to a great extent, but instead makes use of the strong riffs and drum patterns to create interesting images that ooze out of the speakers. Fuller really shows off his skills again here with some excellent drumming displays that are packed full of inventive twists and turns. This is a track that shows that there is a lot in death metal that I can enjoy, and one that will ensure I continue to explore the genre. Paradigms Warped also opens fairly slowly, with some excellent guitar-led grooves that highlight the power of Azagthoth's playing. With many death metal acts utilising quite simple guitar lines, Azagthoth often goes beyond this to create much more involved soundscapes with his instrument. He has a progressive approach to songwriting, and that is showcased here with some choppy riffs and sections that allow Tucker's bass to take the lead for contrast.
The Pillars Crumbling is much more riff-driven, with an opening figure that contains some true classic rock strut before the drums come in properly to bring true death metal elements to the track. This is a song that is much less 'busy' than many of the other pieces here, with Azagthoth's guitar playing simpler riffs and leaving most of the more abrasive soundscapes behind. As a result the song stands out and actually becomes somewhat catchy in places, with the riffs really getting stuck in your brain. For No Master puts the speed back into the album, and is packed full of blast beats throughout. This is a real death metal anthem that showcases all of the hallmarks of the genre that Morbid Angel really helped to forge back in the 1980s. It really is a relentless piece of music. Many of the band's songs slow down in parts for some light and shade, this one really carries on the energy throughout and takes no prisoners with the lightning-fast riffing and drumming. Declaring New Law (Secret Hell) is another more groove-based piece with Tucker's bass taking on a prominent role throughout to add real depth and grit. It also features a guitar solo from Vadim, who has since joined the band as a second guitarist. The solo is his only contribution to the album, as Azagthoth handled the rest of the guitar work throughout the album, but he makes an impact with this twisted creation. As mentioned, the song is one of the albums slower offerings with a mechanical grinding sound throughout that is caused by Tucker's precise bass playing. Vadim's solo is the opposite of this, and comes out of nowhere with more melodic phrasing than would normally be expected on a death metal album. It sounds good, if a little out of place, and this helps to the song to stand out somewhat. From the Hand of Kings is more of the band's trademark death metal sound, but one that also showcases the band's progressive side a little too. The riffing throughout is excellent and mixes fast and slower sections with ease. Out of all of the songs on the album, this is one of the most powerful pieces as everything here is just really heavy. It is songs like this where Rutan's production job really shines, as it really boosts the sounds made from the rhythm section to give the song that big bottom end. All too often these instruments sound tinny on death metal albums, but that is not the case here as everything sounds tight and heavy. The album's closing number, The Fall of Idols, is another premium slab of death metal that again showcases all of the hallmarks of the genre. It is probably one of the least-interesting pieces here however, as it lacks the standout riffs or drumming of many of the preceding songs. This may be down to my own lack of knowledge of the genre, but for whatever reason this song just does not stand out as a much as the others. It still has a great driving energy however, which helps the album to end strongly despite the lack of standout features. Overall, Kingdoms Disdained is a really enjoyable album from Morbid Angel and one that has helped me further my quest to understand and appreciate extreme metal a lot more than I currently do. I shall certainly go back and explore some of the band's older works now.
The album was released on 1st December 2017 via Silver Lining Music. Below is the band's promotional soundclip for For No Master.
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