MORBID ANGEL Signs With UDR MUSIC

Death metal legends MORBID ANGEL have signed with UDR Music for all territories exclusively outside Japan. Featuring founding member and venerated guitar legend Trey Azagthoth, plus returning longtime member, bassist/vocalist Steve Tucker, MORBID ANGEL is delighted to be back working with people who know metal music and will ensure the band reaffirms their status as the world's greatest death metal band.

"We are extremely excited to be in this partnership with UDR," says Steve Tucker. "We are looking forward to making a great album and destroying the stage at many shows. UDR is a great label that supports the bands that they believe in, and we are proud to be one of those bands! Looking forward to a successful partnership!"

While there are no specific details at this moment, Azagthoth and Tucker both look forward to writing and recording MORBID ANGEL's ninth studio album, to be released sometime in 2017, and to taking the band back out on tour.

Tucker recently spoke to Metal Wani about what he thinks went wrong with MORBID ANGEL's controversial 2011 album, "Illud Divinum Insanus", which incorporated industrial and electronic elements into the band's traditional death metal sound. He said: "I really wouldn't know what to say about that. I mean, honestly, I think that they did an album, and I think when you're doing an album, the people that are involved in the album have their input and their say in things, and I think maybe that album is what some people involved actually really wanted. It is who it is. I mean, it's the people that wrote the album together, and that's what the final product was, and, like I said, I don't think that everyone involved with that album was disappointed with the album at all. Maybe some of the fans were, but that's fans, and they have that right — they have that right to like or dislike; that's completely their choice. I mean, if they didn't like it, I wouldn't say they're wrong, I wouldn't say they're right. It's their choice."

"Illud Divinum Insanus" marked the group's first CD to feature bassist/vocalist David Vincent since 1995's "Domination" album.

Vincent confirmed a year ago that he was no longer working with Trey Azagthoth. His announcement followed the exit of drummer Tim Yeung and Norwegian guitarist Destructhor (a.k.a. Thor Anders Myhren).

MORBID ANGEL has yet to announce replacements for Yeung and Destructhor.

The band is confirmed for next year's edition of Maryland Deathfest, set to take place May 25-28, 2017 in Baltimore.