Altars of Madness is the debut studio album by American death metal band Morbid Angel. It was released in the UK by Earache Records on May 12, 1989 and in the United States by Combat Records on December 7, 1990. Considered a groundbreaking and important release in extreme metal, the album set a new precedent for heaviness and extremity in terms of lyrics and instrumentation. It is one of the most celebrated albums in death metal, and one of the most influential death metal albums of all time.