Review Summary: Reinvigorated by a fresh addition to the lineup and featuring polished and refined elements from all previous albums, The Black Dahlia Murder release an album equal to if not better than anything they have done before.
For months eager fans of The Black Dahlia Murder have been rabidly speculating online about what to expect from their new recorded work. It’s safe to say that if some thought they knew, then they were wrong, as nothing could have prepared fiendly fans for an album as fine as this. With nine songs clocking in at just over half an hour the album is absent of filler from start to finish, every memorable track having its own strong identity.
The album opens with ‘Widowmaker’ and a brief synthwave-esque precursor makes way for a mid-paced riff which quickly escalates into the furious percussive blasting and fast paced riffing that is TBDM’s trademark. Trevor Strnad’s vocal prowess is on full display from his very first line, his delivery ranging from beastlike growling lows to banshee like highs, this transition often occurring mid-word.
‘Of God And Serpent, Of Spectre And Snake’ boasts winding riffs that could have been stripped from 2007’s breakthrough album ‘Nocturnal’, fed a diet of black bilious hatred and locked in a cellar for ten years only to be released a decade later to finally unleash their foulness on unsuspecting ears. The pace is kept up for second single ‘Matriarch’, then eases off slightly for the catchy title track, probably the most instantly accessible song on the album. Up next is ‘Jars’, the gang-vocal laced ode to preserving the flesh of one’s enemies for consumption is quite possibly the most frenzied song on the record. ‘Kings of the Nightworld’ is tinged with the classical influences of young guitar virtuoso Brandon Ellis (Arsis, Cannabis Corpse) who during this record cycle took over lead guitar duties from Ryan Knight.
Destined to be a fan favourite is ‘Catacomb Hecatomb’, with soaring guitar melodies in the chorus that could easily be at home on a Killswitch Engage song. These make way for a pummelling bridge lead by Strnad’s line “Screaming as we’re both eaten alive!”, which is undoubtedly destined for crowd participation in the live setting. The vocal elicits a rousing similar to the iconic chant “Let freedom ring with a shotgun blast” from Machine Head’s classic anthem ‘Davidian’. Following this song the opening arpeggios of ‘As Good As Dead’ make way for a death n’ roll groove in the chorus and solo that would make Cowboy From Hell Dimebag Darrell proud.
This being the third album to feature the rhythm section of Max Lavelle and Alan Cassidy, it marks stability of the bass and drums line-up for the same number of albums as the release of 2011’s Ritual, the album many fans consider the standard which other TBDM works be judged against. Cassidy shines on this record, his blast beats incorporating complex cymbal patterns, his grooves augmented by lightning fast technical fills. The kick and toms sounds have both a strong attack and a satisfying weight. Meanwhile, the furious finger playing of Lavelle must be heard to be believed, locked in tight with the fastest of Cassidy’s drumming or the guitarists tremolo picking. His sinister bass tone sits welcomely high in the mix for all to appreciate, the pluck of bass fills embellishing spaces throughout the songs. The talents of this rhythm section are in full display on closing track of ‘The Lonely Deceased’ which commences at blinding speed before easing off so that some fantastic guitar interplay can come to the fore. The brooding melodies of this song have an aching feel evocative of Nocturnal track “To a Breathless Oblivion”.
Trevor Strnad continues to push the envelope with his lyrical themes and phrasing. The songs feature a treasure trove of villainous characters from an assassin and Satanic hordes to undead arachnids and a necrophile morgue worker. Meanwhile the album benefits from having in Brian Eschbach and Brandon Ellis two guitar players with recognisably different song writing. Playing with Ellis seems to have pushed TBDM mastermind Eschbach to reach even further heights, his trademark riffs more focused than ever and sharp as a razorblade. Ellis’ soloing style is not entirely dissimilar to that of his predecessor Ryan Knight, with a shared love for vibrato, but favours a faster flashy style peppered with squeals and dive bombs. His classical and guitar virtuoso influences are most evident in these solos, yet all are performed tastefully to fit perfectly with each song. More than anything else, it is his breathtaking lead work that is the one single thing that sets this record apart from all that came before. The guitarists play parts that contrast each other’s while at the same time complementing them, the partnership having the makings of being the beginning of a legendary rhythm/lead duo.
Overall the record is not as forlorn in tone as 2015’s ‘Abysmal’. There are elements of each of the band’s seven preceding records to be found within, all refined and crafted into an extraordinarily polished package. The album is so catchy it's easy to overlook how technical and precise the songs are. Short and concise, it ticks every box while leaving the listener hungry for more. The band have been at the top of the game for years, always evolving and improving while holding on to their signature sound. Balancing savagery and breakneck speeds with melody and stellar song writing, this record should cement The Black Dahlia Murder’s status as legends of modern melodic death metal.
