THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER
The Black Dahlia Murder is an American Melodic Death/Metalcore band from Waterford , Michigan , formed in 2001. Their name is derived from the 1947 unsolved murder of Elizabeth Sorth, often referred to as Black Dahlia . The band comprises vocalist Trevor Strnad, guitarists Brian Eschbach and Ryan Knight, bassist Ryan "Bart" Williams and drummer Shannon Lucas
. Out of their five studio albums, the latest four of them charted on the US Billboard 200 with 2009's ''Deflorate'' peaking at #43 and their latest album ''Ritual'' reaching #31.
Drawing influence from forefathers such as At the Gates, Dissection and Carcass, The Black Dahlia Murder has upped the speed and intensity of the style into a gore-soaked whirlwind all their own. They seeminglessly twist from destructively fast blast beats to beautiful and dark melodic textures, giving a soundtrack to the horror and insanity surrounding The Black Dahlia legacy. The only thing better than hearing this band on their new Lovelost Records debut EP is to catch them drawing blood in the live element. The stage presence of this band completely transcends the hair-swaying posing that this genre has become accustomed to, bringing an unbridled energy to such a widely sterile musical form. The Black Dahlia Murder are a band that is not to be missed, and once witnessed cannot be denied.
(Reviews Sputnik & angry Metal Guy)
The Black Dahlia Murder - Unhallowed (2003)
A very unique and inspiring record. Many bands have tried to accomplish this kind of sound and style but few have succeeded. Becoming an even bigger band by each tour they headline and co-headline, along with videos being played on MTV2, they are becoming a leader in the new movement for death metal in the mainstream.
This is a great album. At times it can be very heavy and dark, but other times the melodic riffs and solos shine through. In the end, everything pieces together so well. The production value is perfect. Every instrument can be heard (except for the bass, which fits best shadowed by the rhythm guitar, giving it a heavy low end). The double bass is insane on the drums along with relentless blast beats. The tone of the guitar is perfect, enough said. The transition from power chords to tremelo picking is neat. The vocals are well orchestrated alongside the music. There is only one vocalist but he switches between high pitched screaming to the standard death metal growling style of vocals. The lyrics on each song are different. Hard to explain what they mean exactly but once you read the lyrics you can get a feel for what they mean.
Some of the best songs of the album (in my opinion) are as follows:
Unhallowed/Funeral Thirst: While "Unhallowed" is the opening track/intro, it leads right into "Funeral Thirst". "Funeral Thirst" basically introduces you to every aspect the album offers you. Fast, Heavy, Unrelenting and catchy. In the middle of the song you get a nice, beautiful solo. Elder Misanthropy, Personally, this is one of my favorite songs of this album, favorite song of TBDM and one of my favorite songs ever. It is just amazing. The riffs are brutal, the vocals are some of the best on the album and the drumming is destructive. The best part of the song is when it gets to the chorus (which is highly melodic). The followed by some breakdowns then ending by chorus and an outro. I love this song.
Contagion: The opening riff/main riff is unforgetable. You will not be disappointed in this song. It has everything. Thrash style riffs, Hardcore style riffs and amazing solo in the middle of the song.
This album is appealing to anyone who likes death metal, melodic death metal, hardcore or metalcore (as long as you have an open-minded listening experience). Alot of the album is catchy and unforgettable. Very brutal and fun.
The really isn't any negatives. Only that "Elder Misanthropy" and "Contagion" should be longer songs. Other than that, it is a matter of personal decision.
The album is a perfect chance to listen to something new and different whether to trash your room with or relax with a six pack. I highly recommend buying it. Give it a listen first to see if it is in your taste of style of music. It isn't that expensive either. About $10-$12 anywhere you can pick it up. Definitely a worthwhile record.
The Black Dahlia Murder - Miasma (2005)
Immensely dark, brutal and rabid, "Miasma" leaves you feeling like you've been left in a concrete mixer overnight. Although the album has only 10 songs, each of them encase strong structures, melodies and a mountainous amount of insanity that will leave you temporarily blind. With a new album comes a few changes, such as better production quality, and most notably, a new drummer (Zach Gibson replaced Cory Grady). The songs are also tighter than a dolphin's ass. That's a good thing because compared to a lot of other death metal, it's sloppy and all over the place like a kid with ADD, but not here my friend.
Carrying us to the river Styx is the instrumental "Built for Sin". It's a little over a minute in length and near the end, you think you have a second to get that last breath of air in before the *** hits the fan, but you don't. "I'm Charming" rams its fists through your burning flesh and rips your skull out. Oh yeah, if that weren't enough, there's also a nice little guitar solo to take your mind away from the pain. With "Statutory Ape", I would say the band has aligned themselves with PETA (people for the ethical treatment of animals). I'm just kidding! Judging by the lyrics, I'd say the gorilla talked about in this song is really a metaphor for human beings and the more you *** with us and ruin the world we live in, the bigger the consequence, downfall, and eventually the plague of doom catches up to you and brings upon morbid death.
The lyrics to "A Vulgar Picture" are lyrics that horror rock fans wet themselves over. It talks about going and prying open a casket and having necromantic tendencies. The lyrics are must deeper and meaningful than that, but you get the point. The lyrics are some of the best I've run across in a long time and it's a fantastic song as well. My favorite song "Miscarriage" is a dominant and melodic track that engulfs the emotions all the while continuing to rock on. The final track, the albums self titled "Miasma" is certainly the most melodic offering and shows that the album itself is miasmic.
The lyrics are dark, the music is brutal and the band is still very young which means only bigger and better things are foreseeable for these guys. From what I can tell, the band will continue to be one of the top American death metal bands around for many, many years. If you're unfamiliar with them. Anyway you cut it, The Black Dahlia Murder will wreak havoc on you.
The Black Dahlia Murder - Nocturnal (2007)
A band's third album can be a difficult one. Their first may have been the one that garnered them all that lovely attention and positive acclaim. Then, their sophomore effort may have been the slump that many had predicted - or maybe it would have signaled a move away from their roots, causing the inevitable label of 'sell-out' to come about. Luckily for The Black Dahlia Murder, neither of these scenarios need apply. Both their debut and sophomore albums were very good, displaying their signature blend of frenetic melodic death metal aptly well. Nocturnal certainly is a worthy addition to the band's discography, even if it doesn't seemingly do anything to steer them into any new progressions.
Not to say the band have regressed however. And it would also be a lie to say that they have remained completely stagnant. What has to be said is that all the trademarks of the band are here in full force; Trevor Strnad's schizophrenic vocal style is as prominent as ever, with his banshee-esque howling and shrieking almost blood curdling this time around. His lows have also improved, sounding more guttural under the better production. The fast breakneck speed of the band is also evident in pretty much all ten of the tracks on offer here; new drummer Shannon Lucas is more than capable of pulling off all the double bass, blastbeats and quick fills and rolls that made their previous outings enjoyable from a drumming perspective. The guitar riffs are quick and melodic when they need to be and heavy, chugging and menacing at other times. Where there would be some form of breakdown (say in a song like A Vulgar Picture), on Nocturnal, things just got a whole lot faster. In general, what can be said about the album is that the tempo has definitely been upped as a whole. In my opinion, this is a good thing, as the band function well at these high speeds. 
I Worship Only What I Bleed also gives a small insight into some clearly audible bass. Which is nice for once. The breaks are only small and the instrumentation is relatively simplistic but it is a step forward (especially when almost all new American metal bands decide to mix out all bass from their recording). However, with all that has been said already about the album, a whole lot more has to come it, with the latter parts being mostly negative. Trevor's vocal style is bound to get on a lot of people's tits after a while; he is a competent vocalist and that cannot be taken away from him, but his high shrieking in particular can become overwhelming at times as it does bleed the ears after a while. Another negative is that songs don't really do anything to help them stand out from the pack. I see Nocturnal as a set of ten songs by The Black Dahlia Murder, whereas when I think of Unhallowed I'd say that Funeral Thirst sticks out. That's not to say Nocturnal doesn't have it's highlights. What I am saying is that you'll probably have to listen through the album a few times before they begin to show through.
Guitar solos are usually something that helps to add an extra dimension to a band's sound. Heck, some band's even rely on solos a bit too much I feel (Children of Bodom, I'm looking in your direction). But when The Black Dahlia Murder do a solo, it feels like the solo that was on the track just before it. They all sound the same; the minor arpeggios, quick runs and eerie passages that help make it into a more morbid listening experience perhaps. For me, the solo on Funeral Thirst back on Unhallowed was perfect, mostly because it was memorable as well melodic and technically proficient. But of all the solos on Nocturnal (and there are plenty of them throughout), none of them will particularly stick in your mind. The same goes for the riffs, yet this is slightly less of a negative point. All the riffs are good, it is just that the band choose to write every riff in a similar style. Which leaves you wondering what's what in each song. That said, songs like Of Darkness Spawned and the title track bear witness to some juicy guitar moments in the riff department.
Overall, whilst the band haven't really progressed in their sound, they've capitalized on what they do well and made ten songs worthy to be placed on the record. Nocturnal is a solid effort from a band that have realized their trademarks well and put them to good use. Buy it just because of Strnad's vocal performance - he truly does sound ever so manic and spits outs more syllables and complex lyrical lines than you could shake a stick at.
The Black Dahlia Murder - Deflorate (2009)
The Black Dahlia Murder is becoming a veteran band among this new wave of melodic American death metal/metalcore or whatever the hell you want to call it. To get this out of the way right away: I think that The Black Dahlia Murder has been treated unfairly by a metal community sad to see the disappearance of the old school metal guy anywhere except brutal death metal. Modern American metal has come to be dominated by short-haired, tattooed hardcore lookin’ kids who often have super diverse taste in music and have never donned a leather jacket or a goatee in their lives. These hardcore lookin’ dudes put on shows that have an energy that often times metal dudes lack in their own live performances, and they’re gaining notoriety with their blending of brutal death metal and stupid core breakdowns. The Black Dahlia Murder has been lumped in with these guys because of tattoos and plugs, but they are certainly not akin to these bands. No, The Black Dahlia Murder is easily one of the best melodic death metal bands the United States has ever produced and despite them sounding a lot like At The Gates plus blast beats, I think they do it very, very well and very consistently. And consistency definitely describes Deflorate. This album is consistent in two ways: first, every track on it is of the same quality, which is saying a lot. The tracks are solid, groovy, highly melodic but not hyper-technical and definitely not unpredictable. They are heavy, fun to listen to and energetic. The drums are pretty much blasting or on the verge of blasting 95% of the time, the guitars are heavy, trem-picked and the vocals are characteristically The Black Dahlia Murder; a blend of death growls and black metal sounding shrieks. So the album is definitely consistent and worth a listen.
But Deflorate is not only consistent in terms of song-writing and production, it’s also consistent in the terms of The Black Dahlia Murder‘s discography. This is where the controversy could be about the band: any song from Deflorate could be interchanged with Nocturnal or Miasma and I don’t know that anyone would notice. The production, at least with Nocturnal is almost exactly the same and the song writing hasn’t really changed or progressed that much. I think the solos might be better, but that’s hard to judge. This is unfortunate, because while one wants a band to be consistent, there is a desire for variation and pushing the limits of a band’s sound that, at least some people, want. If you’re looking for The Black Dahlia Murder to progress, soften or change.. well, at all, then you’re going to be sorely disappointed. On the other hand, if you’ve been a big fan of The Black Dahlia Murder‘s last records and you’re in for more of the same: congratulations, you’ve got yourself a great CD to buy!
Personally, I’m torn. Deflorate is an excellent record. Tracks like “A Selection Unnatural,” “Eyes of Thousand” and “I Will Return” (which I will admit is probably my favorite on the record: fucking excellent intro) stand out and, of course, rule. The album is paced well, short and sweet and the energy is amazing. I know, having seen these guys live a couple times, that these tracks will always be amazing live. But when does it become unnecessary to buy new albums from these guys? When do they fade into the obscurity of a band like Cannibal Corpse or Slayer that produced excellent records, but many people are of the opinion that all you really need to own is a Butchered at Birth or Reign in Blood and South of Heaven and you’ve pretty much heard their entire discography. As of now, I think these guys are on the top of their game. Line-up changes haven’t stopped them, I doubt that they’re going to sit around worrying about stagnation either: but they might want to think about it in the future.
Download Deflorate : http://www.mediafire.com/?nmnnokhzjkj
The Black Dahlia Murder - Ritual (2011)
Ah, it’s that time again. A new The Black Dahlia Murder
record, full of At The Gates
riffs and Trevor Strnad’s dynamic and characteristic vocals! Right? RIGHT!?!? Well, Fucking yeah !!!!!
The obvious outrage ensued from both sides. From the one side there was the claim that the band hadn’t stagnated and from the other side was the claim that no one thinks that Cannibal Corpse or Slayer have stagnated. Yeah, well, the first is arguably defensible—the second, less so. In any case, it appears that Ritual is the rebuttal to my critique. A powerful rebuttal.
By a powerful rebuttal I mean, of course, that Ritual is The Black Dahlia Murder‘s best and most experimental record. The riffing has taken a turn for the more technical at times, in tracks like “On Stirring Seas of Salted Blood” there’s almost an Ulcerate kind of vibe. “Conspiring with the Damned” has a great techy riff as a lead in before moving into more traditional TBDM territory with At The Gates-inspired guitar harmonies and thrashy feel. “Malenchantments of the Necrosphere” is another groovy, downtuned tech piece that may be my favorite track on the whole album and that sounds nothing like what the band has done previously, instead placing them more in Abysmal Dawn territory.
The other big change is the use of strings, which shows up on “A Shrine to Madness” as an intro, but on “Blood in the Ink” more broadly and to excellent effect. The use of acoustic strings creates a unique feeling that almost borders on Septic Flesh‘s new material without going to the same lengths. “Carbonized in Cruciform” also uses a piano and acoustics to create a creepy horror movie kind of vibe before ripping your face off with some trem-picked riffing and blast beats. These changes are welcome and they break open a lot of new possibilities for the band.
But the songwriting hasn’t just changed and improved, what stands out here is the guitar work that has been taken to a whole new level. Ritual starts with the tracks “A Shrine to Madness” and “Moonlight Equilibrium,” which don’t exactly break the mold of earlier records, but what stands out to me on both of these tracks are the retarded guitar solos. And by retarded I actually mean fantastic, in case you were wondering. The guitar solos on this whole record are just fucking silly. “Moonlight Equilibrium” has a solo that borders on jazzy at times, where as “A Shrine to Madness” is like 80s thrash-shred done just right. And the solos stand out on almost every track on this record, including my favorites: “Carbonized in Cruciform” again showing off almost jazz-influenced melodic structures; “Malenchantments of the Necrosphere” shows the excellent knowledge of when to shred and when not to; “The Graverobber’s Work” has a legato solo with some silly tapping that just rips your face off; and to top it all off on closing track “Blood in the Ink” the solo segues perfectly into the string laden verse. This record is special just for this because these aren’t just “fill in the gaps” solos, these are genuinely interesting, musically substantive solos that serve a purpose in the song. Fantastic.
Even when the record isn’t breaking open new ground for The Black Dahlia Murder, the more traditional tracks are really just some of the best they’ve ever written. “The Window,” for example, has some of the coolest melodic work under the verses. “The Graverobber’s Work” sounds like it could have been on Unhallowed, but it’s just a kick ass song. And by now you get the picture.
So here are some final thoughts. First, congratulations to TBDM for nailing it as hard as they have. There’s nothing bad I can say about this record (except the drum sound—SUUEEECOOOOOF!!! *shakes fist*—and the bong hit over the solo on “The Burning Nullifier”. Cheesy.). It’s 45 minutes, so it’s not too long, the cover art is really great (and it reminds me of the artwork for Dragon Age) and they’ve upped the ante for melodic death metal in the new decade, as well as raising the bar for themselves. Second, if you’ve previously written off TBDM for any reason, this is the record to give them another chance on. By breaking the mold, I think they’re going to appeal to people who may have had mixed feelings about them in the past. It’s true that “haters gonna hate,” but I think the move into more techy death metal is going to maybe hook a different crowd. Also, the addition of Ryan Knight may well have been the best thing that ever happened to this band. Total fucking win.
Download Rtual :
http://www.easy-share.com/1917403078/The_Black_Dahlia_Murder_-_Ritual_%282011%29_%5BMP3%5D_ES_3605382.rar
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