OUR reviewer Phil Noonan was ecstatic about the new album by The Black Dahlia Murder, 'Nightbringers'.
So excited was he that we tasked him to interview Trevor from the band. Armed with a transatlantic phone connection and a host of questions he engaged with the fearsome man.
Listen below to the interview:
Showing posts with label The Black Dahlia Murder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Black Dahlia Murder. Show all posts
Saturday, September 30, 2017
Monday, September 25, 2017
ALBUM REVIEW: Get your neckbrace on for The Black Dahlia Murder new slab Nightbringers
Michigan melodic death metal flag bearers The Black Dahlia Murder follow up their 2015 skull rattler ‘Abysmal’ with the equally satisfying ‘Nightbringers’.
The first track, ‘Widowmaker’ starts off so eerily and then come the riffs! Unbelievable fretwork and superhuman blastbeats accompany a scream straight from the pit of Hell. The vocals are filled with hatred and animosity, the lead work is insane, and the drums and bass absolutely monstrous.
‘Of God and Serpent, of Spectre and Snake’ just grabs you immediately and pulls you kicking and screaming into a mire of brutal riffage and a drumbeat that’ll give you Vietnam flashbacks. It’s heavier than a pair of concrete shoes, the vocal work is vicious and the solo is superb.
The albums third track ‘Matriarch’ is fast, furious and wickedly intricate. Melodic and savage in equal measure the tight double kick drumming and pulverising riffs will have you banging your head into the wall. The vocals are wonderful, switching from a higher melodic style of death metal to brutal roars with ease. The lead playing, yet again, is on another level.
The title track ‘Nightbringers’ is ridiculously heavy. There is a real sense of the old school Gothenburg melodic death metal scene going on throughout this track. The vocals, the heavy melodic guitar riffs and the lightning fast drums just scream Swedish melodic death! The solo comes out of nowhere, devastating your eardrums and making your eyes bleed.
‘Jars’ just starts with blasts and pummelling riffage and continues the intensity throughout. The leadwork is like a Turkish kebab at 3am, so tasty and probably bad for your insides. The vocals are that of pure aggression, the drumming is intensely fast and the pile of riffs causes complete carnage.
The solo will give you an aneurysm or seven.
The sixth track, ‘Kings of the Nightworld’, starts with a load of pinch harmonics woven into an unbelievably technical guitar riff. The drumming is killer, bouncing from the groovy to the extreme with supersonic double kicks. The vocals are strong and dynamic, and the solos are frighteningly good. You’ll be chanting along to the chorus on this one too.
‘Catacomb Hecatomb’ is brutal from the first note, blastbeats and melodic fretwork fire the track along at a panic inducing pace. The vocal work crushes everything in its path with uncontrollable anger. The chorus is wonderfully melodic in contrast to the verse and it works so well. There is one riff in there just after the chorus that will make you want to rip your own head off and hurl it at innocent bystanders. It is powerful! You will require neck surgery, you have been warned.
‘As Good as Dead’ immediately starts with technical fretboard wizardry before aurally assaulting you with razor sharp playing and hammering double kick drumming. It’s so heavy and catchy at the same time. The vocals fit perfectly with the music in their intensity. The solo... that solo! It’s hard to put into words just how good the solo is. It’s insanely melodic, intricate, technical... it’s simply wonderful. This track will get stuck in your head. A definite favourite.
The final track, ‘The Lonely Deceased’ has a really great bassline that’s accompanied by an almost melodic black metal riff and blastbeat after blastbeat after glorious blastbeat. There is so much melody and power throughout the track. The vocals are absolutely killer and the lead work, much like the rest of the album, is razor sharp and so on point you’ll cut yourself on it. A strong end to a strong album!
If you’re a fan of wearing a neckbrace and sounding like you’ve drank bleach for three days straight get this album. You’ll scream yourself hoarse, you’ll crack a few vertebrae and you’ll love every second of it.
Review by Phil Noonan.
The first track, ‘Widowmaker’ starts off so eerily and then come the riffs! Unbelievable fretwork and superhuman blastbeats accompany a scream straight from the pit of Hell. The vocals are filled with hatred and animosity, the lead work is insane, and the drums and bass absolutely monstrous.
‘Of God and Serpent, of Spectre and Snake’ just grabs you immediately and pulls you kicking and screaming into a mire of brutal riffage and a drumbeat that’ll give you Vietnam flashbacks. It’s heavier than a pair of concrete shoes, the vocal work is vicious and the solo is superb.
The albums third track ‘Matriarch’ is fast, furious and wickedly intricate. Melodic and savage in equal measure the tight double kick drumming and pulverising riffs will have you banging your head into the wall. The vocals are wonderful, switching from a higher melodic style of death metal to brutal roars with ease. The lead playing, yet again, is on another level.
The title track ‘Nightbringers’ is ridiculously heavy. There is a real sense of the old school Gothenburg melodic death metal scene going on throughout this track. The vocals, the heavy melodic guitar riffs and the lightning fast drums just scream Swedish melodic death! The solo comes out of nowhere, devastating your eardrums and making your eyes bleed.
‘Jars’ just starts with blasts and pummelling riffage and continues the intensity throughout. The leadwork is like a Turkish kebab at 3am, so tasty and probably bad for your insides. The vocals are that of pure aggression, the drumming is intensely fast and the pile of riffs causes complete carnage.
The solo will give you an aneurysm or seven.
The sixth track, ‘Kings of the Nightworld’, starts with a load of pinch harmonics woven into an unbelievably technical guitar riff. The drumming is killer, bouncing from the groovy to the extreme with supersonic double kicks. The vocals are strong and dynamic, and the solos are frighteningly good. You’ll be chanting along to the chorus on this one too.
‘Catacomb Hecatomb’ is brutal from the first note, blastbeats and melodic fretwork fire the track along at a panic inducing pace. The vocal work crushes everything in its path with uncontrollable anger. The chorus is wonderfully melodic in contrast to the verse and it works so well. There is one riff in there just after the chorus that will make you want to rip your own head off and hurl it at innocent bystanders. It is powerful! You will require neck surgery, you have been warned.
‘As Good as Dead’ immediately starts with technical fretboard wizardry before aurally assaulting you with razor sharp playing and hammering double kick drumming. It’s so heavy and catchy at the same time. The vocals fit perfectly with the music in their intensity. The solo... that solo! It’s hard to put into words just how good the solo is. It’s insanely melodic, intricate, technical... it’s simply wonderful. This track will get stuck in your head. A definite favourite.
The final track, ‘The Lonely Deceased’ has a really great bassline that’s accompanied by an almost melodic black metal riff and blastbeat after blastbeat after glorious blastbeat. There is so much melody and power throughout the track. The vocals are absolutely killer and the lead work, much like the rest of the album, is razor sharp and so on point you’ll cut yourself on it. A strong end to a strong album!
If you’re a fan of wearing a neckbrace and sounding like you’ve drank bleach for three days straight get this album. You’ll scream yourself hoarse, you’ll crack a few vertebrae and you’ll love every second of it.
Review by Phil Noonan.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
INTERVIEW: Brian from The Black Dahlia Murder talks albums, drummers and...sports
A COUPLE of weeks back we were down in Dublin for a tremendous set from The Black Dahlia Murder as they tore apart the Voodoo Lounge.
The review is here, but before the show we caught up with Brian to chat through a pretty wide variety of things...Here's what he said:
The review is here, but before the show we caught up with Brian to chat through a pretty wide variety of things...Here's what he said:
Tuesday, February 02, 2016
LIVE REVIEW: The Black Dahlia Murder - death metal plus fun equals a mighty show
DEATH metal is sort of regarded by many as the po-faced, growly ugly cousin of heavy metal. Dodgy themes and technical wizardry, right? Well, not when The Black Dahlia Murder and Benighted roll in to town. There were more smiles and fun than a convention of Cheshire Cats.
When the TBDM 'Abysmal' tour rolled into Dublin the one word that couldn't be anticipated was 'fun', and fun in such high quantities of merriment it wasn't just the beer or 'other' substances that can be 'blamed' for the sheer sense of enjoyment from bands and fans alike.
If they could find a way to harness the atmosphere in the Voodoo Lounge on the 20th January you could power a small town.
Opening proceedings for the evening were local act Warpath. Death metal in abundance, and obviously a band much loved by the Dublin crowd. Darren on vocals is a beast in terms of his range and his sheer size - we think he's on the Zakk Wylde exercise plan.
The band have well crafted songs that avoid the clichés so prevalent in death metal. We look forward to catching them again at Siege of Limerick on Easter Sunday.
Belgian crew, Benighted, were the surprise of the night for those of us who travelled to this show. Damn they are an immense band in terms of songs and stage presence. And, they smiled, and smiled and smiled. This is a band that enjoy what they do: no pretence, no bull, just playing music.
Vocalist Juliene has every death metal trick at his disposal and uses them well to accentuate songs that are tight, well thought out and delivered with a kick to the guts.
Showcasing material from their latest release 'Carnivore Sublime' those who had not seen/heard were seen updating their Spotify and buying from iTunes within minutes of the end of their set. We ordered the album the next day...
There is no doubt that The Black Dahlia Murder have a devoted fanbase. Sure the Dublin gig is in a relatively small venue, but that only seemed to amplify the response of those attending, as from the get go there was a febrile response to every note played.
Brian, Trev and Ryan are then heart of the band but in total the five-piece are so slick at their delivery that at times it seems they are much, much more than a melodic death metal band.
But that slick delivery doesn't mean that there isn't a soul in their twisted songs. To have such craftmanship on show is one thing, but to make sure that you remain engaged throughout is another thing.
From opener 'Receipt' the audience response is equalled by Trev cajoling the audience to greater levels of effort. From directing mosh pits, pointing for aid when someone fell to encouraging crowd surfing he made sure that as well as an aural and visual experience it could also be a very tactile experience for those who wished.
Of course tracks from latest release 'Abysmal' were featured, but they also ranged throughout their back catalogue. Stand-out tracks included 'Elder Misanthropy', Vlad, Son of Dragon', 'Miasma', 'Raped in Hatred by Vine of Thorns' and closer 'I Will Return', which expressed fans hopes for another show soon.
The musicianship on display from each band member etched itself across every track and Trev showed why is among the most talented of death metal vocalists out there. The Black Dahlia Murder are the sort of live band that can reach across the genre boundaries. Added to that is the time they - and the other acts - took to meet, interact and chat with the fans.
And, yes as the fans filed out into the chilly Dublin night it was smiles not scowls from the devotees of death metal.
Review by Jonny
Pictures by Darren McVeigh
When the TBDM 'Abysmal' tour rolled into Dublin the one word that couldn't be anticipated was 'fun', and fun in such high quantities of merriment it wasn't just the beer or 'other' substances that can be 'blamed' for the sheer sense of enjoyment from bands and fans alike.
If they could find a way to harness the atmosphere in the Voodoo Lounge on the 20th January you could power a small town.
Opening proceedings for the evening were local act Warpath. Death metal in abundance, and obviously a band much loved by the Dublin crowd. Darren on vocals is a beast in terms of his range and his sheer size - we think he's on the Zakk Wylde exercise plan.The band have well crafted songs that avoid the clichés so prevalent in death metal. We look forward to catching them again at Siege of Limerick on Easter Sunday.
Belgian crew, Benighted, were the surprise of the night for those of us who travelled to this show. Damn they are an immense band in terms of songs and stage presence. And, they smiled, and smiled and smiled. This is a band that enjoy what they do: no pretence, no bull, just playing music.
Vocalist Juliene has every death metal trick at his disposal and uses them well to accentuate songs that are tight, well thought out and delivered with a kick to the guts.
Showcasing material from their latest release 'Carnivore Sublime' those who had not seen/heard were seen updating their Spotify and buying from iTunes within minutes of the end of their set. We ordered the album the next day...
There is no doubt that The Black Dahlia Murder have a devoted fanbase. Sure the Dublin gig is in a relatively small venue, but that only seemed to amplify the response of those attending, as from the get go there was a febrile response to every note played.
Brian, Trev and Ryan are then heart of the band but in total the five-piece are so slick at their delivery that at times it seems they are much, much more than a melodic death metal band.
But that slick delivery doesn't mean that there isn't a soul in their twisted songs. To have such craftmanship on show is one thing, but to make sure that you remain engaged throughout is another thing.
From opener 'Receipt' the audience response is equalled by Trev cajoling the audience to greater levels of effort. From directing mosh pits, pointing for aid when someone fell to encouraging crowd surfing he made sure that as well as an aural and visual experience it could also be a very tactile experience for those who wished.
Of course tracks from latest release 'Abysmal' were featured, but they also ranged throughout their back catalogue. Stand-out tracks included 'Elder Misanthropy', Vlad, Son of Dragon', 'Miasma', 'Raped in Hatred by Vine of Thorns' and closer 'I Will Return', which expressed fans hopes for another show soon.
The musicianship on display from each band member etched itself across every track and Trev showed why is among the most talented of death metal vocalists out there. The Black Dahlia Murder are the sort of live band that can reach across the genre boundaries. Added to that is the time they - and the other acts - took to meet, interact and chat with the fans.
And, yes as the fans filed out into the chilly Dublin night it was smiles not scowls from the devotees of death metal.
Review by Jonny
Pictures by Darren McVeigh
Monday, September 14, 2015
ALBUM REVIEW: It might be called Abysmal but The Black Dahlia Murder are anything but
THEY are amongst the most revered of extreme metal acts, and they have delivered consistently since they formed and in 2013 The Black Dahlia Murder released the outstanding 'Everblack', an album of fierce intent and outstanding ferocity. Now, in 2015 can they top that?
Sit down, source your inner metal demon and listen to 'Abysmal' - one of the most ferocious, yet balanced extreme metal albums in a long, long time. Raw, angry and perfect to rip up lifetimes of pretentious shit you have had to put up with.
The title track alone will induce neck ache as you impulsively bang your head and cause jaw ache as you try to comprehend what The Black Dahlia Murder have achieved here.
"Once the record started to come together we knew it was going to be something special," said vocalist Trevor Strnad.
"It's more urgent, it has more dynamics, it's a more emotive record, and it has a more raw, angry sound to it. It's still million mile-per-hour death metal, but when you invest so much thought and emotion into what you're creating you end up with a record that does stand out, and we can hold our heads up high and say yeah, this is our best work."
This really is 100% melodic death metal, ferocity married with a sense of what can be achieved through arrangements and balanced guitar and rhythm work. But that is not to say that the band has remained shackled by past glories.
"I still love Everblack and everything we achieved when touring it, and in fact going into that record we faced a massive challenge in following up Ritual (2011), which had also been huge for us," said Strnad. "Having two records in a row connect with fans in such a way was amazing, but definitely piled on the pressure going into this new one, because we don't want to let them down, and we don't want to let ourselves down. But we learned a lot in making those two records, and we brought that into Abysmal.
"We know we can take people's heads off playing super fast, but that doesn't always give listeners something to really chew on. We've learned to focus on creating some drama, interesting dynamics, and most importantly really investing time in thinking about how different parts of songs will make you feel."
We have to confess when we read the PR blurb and quotations like those above our initial response was that cynical Northern Ireland "Aye, dead on!" In this case we were wrong, because this is an album that has sheer brutality in every aspect of its songs.
The likes of 'The Fog' and 'Threat Level Number Three' show case the type of metal that needs - yes needs - a wider listenership.
Drummer Alan Cassidy, who joined the band in 2013 combines with Max Lavelle (bass) to give it a live vibe that some had doubted the band could ever achieve again.
Brian (Eschbach, guitar) performs at a level that TBDM have always promised and taken that to the next level in combination with Ryan Knight's six string heroics. The level of riffing is at times extraordinary. Check out the opening of 'Asylum' and pick your jaw off the floor.
What makes Knight's work all the more impressive is that for every shred there is subtlety that harkens back to the NWOBHM.
Just as Everblack tested the boundaries of blasphemy this time out lyrically they challenge perceptions of an afterlife - and the current age - by exploring hell on literal and metaphorical terms. In this sanatised society which other genre would tackle the topic of the issues facing a rapist/molester - chemically castrated - talking to his inner demons as he tries to assimilate back into the real world. This is uncomfortable listening, but it is a societal issue that the 'talking heads' chatter about while the tabloids pontificate about.
Hell is not a one-dimensional Biblical story here - hell is a complicated personal journey and a phantasmagorical fantasy landscape. 'Vlad, Son Of The Dragon' touches on the Stoker tale of Dracula, while recalling the brutal history of Vlad The Impaler.
But, amidst this controversial back drop there is a defiance, a fuck you attitude, a stand that says we are who we are. Closer 'That Cannot Die Which Eternally Is Dead' is a single finger salute to the doubters: it's a declaration that this band are going to keep on delivering and keep on the metal path.
What impresses more is the very sound - no sampling, no over dubs, no post-production pissing about. This is metal as it should be - people playing metal and playing it with an intensity that deserves listening to.
At this stage in the game, with typically modest aspirations, Strnad is more interested in maintaining their longevity than shifting records, and if the band never gets any bigger than they are right now he will "die happy a hundred times over". However, this does not mean there is anything even vaguely resembling an end in sight. "We're still young at heart and I feel like the evolution of the band still has a long way to go. I don't see a ceiling on what we can do, and there will be no end. It's just going to be a constant ongoing fight to make better music and be a better band, and it's always going to be time to kick ass."
If this is what The Black Dahlia Murder can achieve in 2015 we cannot wait until the next 10 years of this band.
Sit down, source your inner metal demon and listen to 'Abysmal' - one of the most ferocious, yet balanced extreme metal albums in a long, long time. Raw, angry and perfect to rip up lifetimes of pretentious shit you have had to put up with.
The title track alone will induce neck ache as you impulsively bang your head and cause jaw ache as you try to comprehend what The Black Dahlia Murder have achieved here.
"Once the record started to come together we knew it was going to be something special," said vocalist Trevor Strnad.
"It's more urgent, it has more dynamics, it's a more emotive record, and it has a more raw, angry sound to it. It's still million mile-per-hour death metal, but when you invest so much thought and emotion into what you're creating you end up with a record that does stand out, and we can hold our heads up high and say yeah, this is our best work."
This really is 100% melodic death metal, ferocity married with a sense of what can be achieved through arrangements and balanced guitar and rhythm work. But that is not to say that the band has remained shackled by past glories.
"I still love Everblack and everything we achieved when touring it, and in fact going into that record we faced a massive challenge in following up Ritual (2011), which had also been huge for us," said Strnad. "Having two records in a row connect with fans in such a way was amazing, but definitely piled on the pressure going into this new one, because we don't want to let them down, and we don't want to let ourselves down. But we learned a lot in making those two records, and we brought that into Abysmal.
"We know we can take people's heads off playing super fast, but that doesn't always give listeners something to really chew on. We've learned to focus on creating some drama, interesting dynamics, and most importantly really investing time in thinking about how different parts of songs will make you feel."
We have to confess when we read the PR blurb and quotations like those above our initial response was that cynical Northern Ireland "Aye, dead on!" In this case we were wrong, because this is an album that has sheer brutality in every aspect of its songs.
The likes of 'The Fog' and 'Threat Level Number Three' show case the type of metal that needs - yes needs - a wider listenership.
Drummer Alan Cassidy, who joined the band in 2013 combines with Max Lavelle (bass) to give it a live vibe that some had doubted the band could ever achieve again.
Brian (Eschbach, guitar) performs at a level that TBDM have always promised and taken that to the next level in combination with Ryan Knight's six string heroics. The level of riffing is at times extraordinary. Check out the opening of 'Asylum' and pick your jaw off the floor.What makes Knight's work all the more impressive is that for every shred there is subtlety that harkens back to the NWOBHM.
Just as Everblack tested the boundaries of blasphemy this time out lyrically they challenge perceptions of an afterlife - and the current age - by exploring hell on literal and metaphorical terms. In this sanatised society which other genre would tackle the topic of the issues facing a rapist/molester - chemically castrated - talking to his inner demons as he tries to assimilate back into the real world. This is uncomfortable listening, but it is a societal issue that the 'talking heads' chatter about while the tabloids pontificate about.
Hell is not a one-dimensional Biblical story here - hell is a complicated personal journey and a phantasmagorical fantasy landscape. 'Vlad, Son Of The Dragon' touches on the Stoker tale of Dracula, while recalling the brutal history of Vlad The Impaler.
But, amidst this controversial back drop there is a defiance, a fuck you attitude, a stand that says we are who we are. Closer 'That Cannot Die Which Eternally Is Dead' is a single finger salute to the doubters: it's a declaration that this band are going to keep on delivering and keep on the metal path.
What impresses more is the very sound - no sampling, no over dubs, no post-production pissing about. This is metal as it should be - people playing metal and playing it with an intensity that deserves listening to.
At this stage in the game, with typically modest aspirations, Strnad is more interested in maintaining their longevity than shifting records, and if the band never gets any bigger than they are right now he will "die happy a hundred times over". However, this does not mean there is anything even vaguely resembling an end in sight. "We're still young at heart and I feel like the evolution of the band still has a long way to go. I don't see a ceiling on what we can do, and there will be no end. It's just going to be a constant ongoing fight to make better music and be a better band, and it's always going to be time to kick ass."
If this is what The Black Dahlia Murder can achieve in 2015 we cannot wait until the next 10 years of this band.
Review by Jonny
The Black Dahlia Murder release Abysmal on Metal Blade Records on 18th September
Friday, July 17, 2015
NEWS: Buckcherry, Vintage Trouble, Cattle Decipitation, and The Black Dahlia Murder release news
+++NEWS+++
Buckcherry Bring It On Back
WHEN they played Belfast some time ago Buckcherry were pretty much run hard by support act Hardcore Superstar, but it seems that the LA rockers have re-grouped from a tour that saw them plugging what was in essence a 'best of set'.
The band are readying the release of their seventh studio album, 'Rock 'n' Roll' on August 21st on F-Bomb Records/Caroline/
To - err - tease y'all the band have released the first video for the song 'Bring It On Back'. What do you think? Is it a return to form?
Vintage Trouble ready release
Now the band are set to release 1 Hopeful Rd. their first album for Blue Note Records – on August 14th.
The album pre-order is underway now at http://vintagetrouble.lnk.to/HihG4. Fans who pre-order 1 Hopeful Rd. digitally will instantly receive the album opener “Run Like The River,” a rhythm and blues stomper.
Extinction warning from death's finest
As the official deployment of 'The Anthropocene Extinction', the impending new full-length from San Diego's, Cattle Decapitation, draws ever closer, today Vice Magazine's mega music portal, Noisey, premieres the official "making of" documentary.
Tracked by Dave Otero (Allegaeon, Cephalic Carnage) at Flatline Audio in Denver, Colorado, The Anthropocene Extinction serves as Cattle Decapitation's "most sonically and thematically engrossing record to date".
On The Anthropocene Extinction we are transported forward to man's last gasps in the band's trademark "turning the tables" approach that mirrors what is happening in the Pacific Ocean: The birds and aquatic wildlife are mistaking the vast amounts of man-made plastic items for food, ingesting it and are dying in large numbers, rotting where they fall and exposing to the world what is happening to the ecosystems of the earth's oceans the most unknown and unexplored part of our planet - and the domino effect that will result… The Anthropocene Extinction.
The making of The Anthropocene Extinction mini documentary brings fans up close and personal with the band and the intricacies involved in following up their critically-lauded Monolith Of Inhumanity full-length.
Issues Noisey of the fifteen-plus minute clip, "It's an interesting look on how the band has changed their approach over the years, especially when gearing up for the new record. From Homovore to now, the band has refined their grindy sound into something dark yet crisp. This record is going to be an absolute monster, and you can even hear a little bit of it in the documentary."
Delve deep into the soul of The Anthropocene Extinction, courtesy of Noisey, here. THIS LOCATION.
And if you missed it, sample seventh track and second single, "Mammals In Babylon," still available for communal consumption at Revolver here, at THIS LOCATION.
The Black Dahlia Murder new album out 18th September
THE Black Dahlia Murder are set to release their latest dark tome , 'Abysmal', on September 18th via Metal Blade Records
Abysmal is said to be "a vicious slab of unrelenting aggression" which "showcases TBDM at their very finest with a meticulous, pin-point precise rhythmic assault mixed with ferocious speed and dynamic hooks". The band also re-enlisted the services of renowned producer Mark Lewis (Cannibal Corpse, Whitechapel) and former bass player Ryan Williams, who also produced Everblack, with the sole intent to get away from the overt sonic sterility affecting far too many contemporary metal albums.
The world's first look into Abysmal is via the track, "Vlad, Son of The Dragon," which is streaming now in its entirety at metalblade.com/tbdm.
Saturday, June 13, 2015
NEWS: The Black Dahlia Murder prepare for release of Abysmal
OUR death/black metal correspondent, Zakk, went the north side of ape shit in anticipation of the new release from The Black Dahlia Murder on September 18th...and we can't blame him if their last release is anything to go by.
'Abysmal' is the name of what the band and their PR promise to be a "vicious slab of unrelenting aggression'. Well it's The Black Dahlia Murder, we expect nothing less!
Pre-orders for 'Abysmal' open on June 24th at the band's new official website.
"The new album 'Abysmal' is true to The Black Dahlia Murder formula but further down the evolutionary path we began with our 'Ritual' release," said vocalist Trevor Strnad. "It has a bigger, more dynamic and developed songs.
"It sees the band in a darker, faster and more melancholic place than anything we've done to date. It is an album wrought [with] emotion on a scale that we haven't reached with our previous attempts. It's dripping with an urgency, and an undeniable sincere life and death purpose.
"It has moments of triumph and moments of utter abandon and defeat. It runs the gamut."
Well that sounds good...
As if that wasn't enough Strnad has launched a new column called 'The Obituarist' on one of the other websites...in which he picks what he considers to be the best of the death metal underground.
Well he should make his wee way over to check out some of Northern Ireland's bands!
'Abysmal' is the name of what the band and their PR promise to be a "vicious slab of unrelenting aggression'. Well it's The Black Dahlia Murder, we expect nothing less!Pre-orders for 'Abysmal' open on June 24th at the band's new official website.
"The new album 'Abysmal' is true to The Black Dahlia Murder formula but further down the evolutionary path we began with our 'Ritual' release," said vocalist Trevor Strnad. "It has a bigger, more dynamic and developed songs.
"It sees the band in a darker, faster and more melancholic place than anything we've done to date. It is an album wrought [with] emotion on a scale that we haven't reached with our previous attempts. It's dripping with an urgency, and an undeniable sincere life and death purpose.
"It has moments of triumph and moments of utter abandon and defeat. It runs the gamut."
Well that sounds good...
As if that wasn't enough Strnad has launched a new column called 'The Obituarist' on one of the other websites...in which he picks what he considers to be the best of the death metal underground.
Well he should make his wee way over to check out some of Northern Ireland's bands!
Friday, June 07, 2013
Uncompromising brutality from The Black Dahlia Murder on Everblack
AS The Black Dahlia Murder embarked on recording their ninth album Everblack someone must have slipped the nasty pills in their coffee as it is an album that scores heavily in the brutality stakes, musically and lyrically.
It as an album, that like some of their previous releases could be classed as melodic death metal, but only the lazy would dare attached such a trite label.
Yes, all the elements are ther, none less than track Raped In Hatred by Vines of Thorns, but their previous Scandanvian influences, while there, now have additional flavourings of hardcore and some American bands like Morbid Angel.
That much you can probably glean from the press blurb and Wikipedia, but Everblack is an intense album, primed to be in your face.
At a casual listen it does have all the melodic death metal ingredients - strident vocals, blastbeats, harmonising guitars, challenging passages in tracks and at times stupidly violent lyrical themes.
But dig a little deeper and you'll find that The Black Dahlia Murder have grown up a bit. Whether it is as a result of line-up changes, or just putting in more years on the road and in the studio they have achieved more depth.
Opener In Hell is Where She Waits for Me has the burgeoning sense of atmosphere the band no doubt wanted to achieve, but it is a taster for what is to come.
By the time you get to the breathless Phantom Limb Masturbation there has been a sense that the band have become more familiar to subtle shading and use of full-on sounds when needed and knowing when to back off.
At times there are even nods to classic metal and NWOBHM, whether intentional or not.
Stand-out tracks are the title track Into the Everblack and Their Beloved Absentee. Not necessarily because they are the best on the album, but because they hint at so much more.
The only sour note is the continual use of violence and obscenity in the lyrics. Of course bands want to explore the darker, more depraved of a society happy to keep its darkness behind closed doors, but a different trope may yield better results for The Black Dahlia Murder.
Overall an intense listen, well worthy of a few spins to find what is lurking under the hood. 8 out of 10.
It as an album, that like some of their previous releases could be classed as melodic death metal, but only the lazy would dare attached such a trite label.
Yes, all the elements are ther, none less than track Raped In Hatred by Vines of Thorns, but their previous Scandanvian influences, while there, now have additional flavourings of hardcore and some American bands like Morbid Angel.
That much you can probably glean from the press blurb and Wikipedia, but Everblack is an intense album, primed to be in your face.
At a casual listen it does have all the melodic death metal ingredients - strident vocals, blastbeats, harmonising guitars, challenging passages in tracks and at times stupidly violent lyrical themes.
But dig a little deeper and you'll find that The Black Dahlia Murder have grown up a bit. Whether it is as a result of line-up changes, or just putting in more years on the road and in the studio they have achieved more depth.
Opener In Hell is Where She Waits for Me has the burgeoning sense of atmosphere the band no doubt wanted to achieve, but it is a taster for what is to come.
By the time you get to the breathless Phantom Limb Masturbation there has been a sense that the band have become more familiar to subtle shading and use of full-on sounds when needed and knowing when to back off.
At times there are even nods to classic metal and NWOBHM, whether intentional or not.
Stand-out tracks are the title track Into the Everblack and Their Beloved Absentee. Not necessarily because they are the best on the album, but because they hint at so much more.
The only sour note is the continual use of violence and obscenity in the lyrics. Of course bands want to explore the darker, more depraved of a society happy to keep its darkness behind closed doors, but a different trope may yield better results for The Black Dahlia Murder.
Overall an intense listen, well worthy of a few spins to find what is lurking under the hood. 8 out of 10.
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