album · August 16, 1989
When Obscenity Becomes the Norm... Awake!
Metal Blade RecordsSee this day
metaldeath metal
"When Obscenity Becomes the Norm... Awake!" is the 1989 debut album by Angkor Wat, a notable entry in the early death metal scene. The album features raw production and aggressive instrumentation characteristic of the era.
- The album was recorded at The Music Lab in Hempstead, New York. It was released by Metal Blade Records, a label known for its significant contributions to the development of thrash and death metal. The album's title and lyrical themes reflect a preoccupation with societal decay and dark subject matter prevalent in some extreme metal circles of the time.
- The release date of August 16, 1989, placed it among a wave of influential death metal albums emerging that year. While not achieving widespread commercial success, the album has been cited by some underground metal enthusiasts as an important, albeit obscure, representation of early American death metal. Its sound is representative of the transition from thrash to more extreme forms of metal.
- The cover art, featuring a disturbing and graphic illustration, was typical of the controversial artwork often found on extreme metal releases of the late 1980s. The band's name, referencing the ancient Khmer temple complex, added a layer of exoticism and historical weight to their brutal sound. This album showcases a primitive, yet intense, approach to death metal songwriting.
Angkor Wat was a death metal band from Long Island, New York. The band was active during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
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