A death metal recording studio is being recognised as a historical landmark in Florida

Cannibal Corpse onstage in 1994
(Image credit: Steve Eichner/WireImage)

Morrisound Recording – the Tampa studio where such bands as Death, Cannibal Corpse and Morbid Angel recorded their most seminal albums – is receiving a Historical Marker from Hillsborough County, Florida.

The studio’s previous site in Temple Terrace, on the outskirts of Tampa, will be honoured with the plaque to acknowledge its contributions to the music industry.

Morrisound Recording was a go-to spot for both local and international extreme metal bands in the late ’80s and early 1990s.

Originally used by such burgeoning thrash acts as Toxik and Agent Steel, the studio became a hub for the Floridian death metal scene following the release of Death’s Leprosy (1988) and Morbid Angel’s debut Altars Of Madness (1989), both of which were recorded in Morrisound by producer Scott Burns.

After that, Cannibal Corpse used Morrisound for their first six studio albums, from Eaten Back To Life (1990) to Gallery Of Suicide (1998). Death returned to the studio for their every subsequent studio album, Deicide used it up until 2001, Morbid Angel until 2000 and Obituary until 1994.

Other albums that were recorded in Morrisound include Sepultura’s lauded 1991 release Arise, Napalm Death’s Harmony Corruption (1990) and Cynic’s progressive metal game-changer Focus (1993).

Many of the most beloved metal albums to come from Morrisound were recorded by Burns, up until his retirement from full-time production in 1996.

Morrisound have responded to the news of their Historical Marker by releasing a celebratory t-shirt, listing the 20 best-selling death metal albums to come from the studio.

Morrisound have also commented on Facebook: “We are pleased to announce that Hillsborough County has awarded Morrisound Recording, Inc. a Historical Marker to honor the contributions that were made to the music industry by Morrisound and its staff, especially in the field of extreme metal production.

“The marker will be placed at the site of our earlier studios on 56th St. in Temple Terrace, the site of some of the most well-known extreme metal recordings during the 1980s and 90s.”

Buy your commemorative Morrisound t-shirt via the studio’s website.

Posted by MorrisoundRecording on 
Matt Mills
Contributing Editor, Metal Hammer

Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Prog and Metal Hammer, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, NME, Guitar and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.