Search - Morbid Saint :: Spectrum of Death

A CLASSIC ALBUM

E. Greif | 01/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I don't know who the reviewer is ("a music fan") who wrote such an eloquent and spot-on review in April '04, but that was the best that I've ever read. It was a pleasure to produce such a raw and honest example of perfect late 80s thrash. The shame is that it got lost in the shuffle and never saw the light of day properly. For that I must take part of the blame - but then again it was always an uphill battle coming from the American Midwest. Anyway, though I produced it, I can still say it stands the test of time...and is still available on the net if you hunt it down. Oh, and anyone that can say it is a ripoff of Pantera is certainly mistaken - this album predates Pantera."

CLASSIC EARLY THRASH-DEATH METAL!!!

T. Kasuboski | Winneconne, Wisconsin United States | 12/15/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"WOW!!! MORBID SAINT is another one of those unfortunate bands who probably will be unjustly forgotten by 99% of all metal "historians". MORBID SAINT only released one demo(as far as I know) called "Spectrum of Death" in 1988, and probably would have been completely overlooked had that demo not been rereleased on Grindcore Records in 1992. At any rate, Morbid Saint were awesome. Blending "Darkness Descends" era DARK ANGEL with early death-thrash like NUM SKULL, ASSASSIN(Ger.), BLESSED DEATH, KREATOR, POISON(Ger.), and BLOOD FEAST, MORBID SAINT definetly deserve a larger place in metal history. I think it's safe to say, however, that they have secured a spot as a "cult" thrash act cool enough only for those willing to go digging for the true underground classics of the early days of death metal...It may cost you a few $$$, but if you're a thrash fanatic MORBID SAINT is essential!!! It sure would be nice if some label would put this classic back in print!!!"

Thrash Masterpiece

Your humble correspondent | Touchdown City, USA | 03/03/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Originally released in 1990 on the virtually unknown Mexican label Avanzada Metalica, Morbid Saint's Spectrum of Death is a thirty-two-minute slab of viciously addictive thrash, unparalleled by the efforts of any major band. Featuring Pat Lind's scathing vocals and Lee Reynolds hyper, yet unbelievably precise drumming, this eight-cut recording easily ranks among the masterpieces of metal.



With almost no publicity, Spectrum of Death was reissued by Grind Core in 1992. Since the heyday of thrash had passed, it was evident that Morbid Saint's brand of metal wouldn't be heard by the masses. Without an inkling of hesitation I submit that, had it been marketed with any fanfare, this album would be the favorite of thousands of metalheads, as it has not been removed from my CD changer since the day it was purchased.



The album's lead track, "Lock up your Children" wastes no time in initiating the listener, while cuts like "Damien", "Scars", and "Crying for Death" possess qualities that make them instantly memorable. The crowning achievement, however, is the 7-minute thrash epic "Assassin". Just after the four-minute mark, Lee Reynolds executes a clinic on ungodly drumming. While Gene Hoglan, Dave Lombardo, and others are often heralded as untouchables in the art, Lee Reynolds could hit the skins as well as anybody.



Obtaining a copy of Spectrum of Death on disc is not a simple task, although a little searching and a willingness to ante-up should enable one to get his paws on what should be considered a nearly flawless piece of death-tinged thrash.

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