I Am Morbid, the formidable project featuring former Morbid Angel stalwarts bassist/vocalist David Vincent and drummer Pedro “Pete” Sandoval, has captivated audiences for years by performing classic Morbid Angel material. However, the pressing question among fans remains: will this powerful lineup, which also includes guitarists Bill Hudson and Richie Brown, ever channel their collective energy into creating new music?
In a recent interview with Altars Of Metal, David Vincent weighed in on the prospect of fresh material, expressing a cautious skepticism. While acknowledging that he has already penned some songs, Vincent voiced concern that any new output might be unfairly measured against the revered Morbid Angel classics.
He elaborated on his hesitation, stating (as transcribed by Blabbermouth):
“We’ve talked about it. I have some songs. I just don’t know if anybody would care, because it would only be compared to the [classic Morbid Angel] records.”
Vincent emphasized that his current artistic perspective differs significantly from his earlier years, a natural evolution for any musician.
“There’s a lot of time that passes, and as time passes, you grow. And if there would’ve been a continuum for so many years, and new record, new record, new record, probably what I would do now would be a bit different, because music and art is a reflection of where you are today. And where I am today is much different from where I was in the ’80s.”
Ultimately, Vincent indicated a strong preference for I Am Morbid to remain a dedicated legacy project, resonating with what he perceives as fan expectations. He drew a parallel to the challenges faced by even the most legendary acts when introducing new material to a live audience:
“Maybe. We’ve talked about it. I just don’t know that it’s a good idea. I mean, I really wanna keep this kind of as a legacy project. That’s what’s important to me. And I think that’s what’s important to fans. And every band probably goes through this. I mean, Iron Maiden could come out tomorrow with the very best record that they’ve ever done — musically, sonically, the composition, et cetera — but when they play live, what do people wanna hear? They wanna hear ‘Wrathchild‘, they wanna hear ‘The Number Of The Beast‘, they wanna hear ‘Flight Of Icarus‘. All bands have the same problem. So, nobody cares about the new stuff. They wanna hear their favorites.”
Despite his clear leanings, Vincent did not entirely shut the door on future possibilities, concluding with a slight ambiguity: “Well, we’ll see what happens. We’ll leave it there. We’ll see what happens.”
The current I Am Morbid lineup sees Vincent reunited with drummer Pedro “Pete” Sandoval, marking their first time playing together in 12 years during a spring 2022 European tour. Sandoval had departed Morbid Angel in 2010 following surgery for a prolapsed disc and has since embraced a born-again Christian lifestyle. On guitars, the band features Richie Brown (Exmortus, The Absence, Trivium) and Bill Hudson (Northtale, Doro). Brown joined the band in October 2022, replacing Kelly McLauchlin, and made his live debut with I Am Morbid at the Grita Fest in Colombia.
