Abominations of Desolation

Recorded in 1986.

"The Abomination of Desolation" is a prose-poem written in 1929 by horror/sci-fi/fantasy author Clark Ashton Smith and most likely the inspiration source for the release title.

Recorded in 1986 as their first album, with David Vincent producing, but never put out. They finally released it through Earache as a response to the prevalence of bootlegs. One of them being a release on Japanese label Satanic Records on glow in the dark vinyl, red vinyl, splatter vinyl, and black vinyl that's limited to 1000 copies.

It is specified on the cover that it was intended to be their first full-length album, yet unreleased, which would make Altars of Madness their proper debut. The band recorded and initially promoted the album under this pretense, but the plans were shelved after Mike Browning left the band in 1986 due to an altercation with Trey Azagthoth. Trey has said in interviews that Abominations of Desolation is not really an album and should be considered a demo, but it is indeed the band's first full length.

Most of the songs were reworked and appeared on later Morbid Angel albums. "Chapel of Ghouls", "Lord of All Fevers and Plague", and "Welcome to Hell" (renamed "Evil Spells") can be heard on Altars of Madness. "Unholy Blasphemies", "Abominations" and "Azagthoth" (renamed "The Ancient Ones") are on Blessed Are the Sick. "Angel of Disease" was recorded for Covenant, and lastly, "Hell Spawn" finally appeared on Formulas Fatal to the Flesh as "Hellspawn: The Rebirth". To date "Demon Seed" is the only song from these sessions that has not been re-recorded for a full-length album.