The Black Dahlia Murder – “Everblack”

Horror-metal titans The Black Dahlia Murder sit uncomfortably in that area where traditional metalheads turn their nose up at them for their “deathcore” tendencies while some “scene kids” dismiss them for lack of breakdowns and swept fringes. Thankfully, to the more open-minded metal fan out there, The Black Dahlia Murder are a group who perfectly blend horror-inspired sledgehammer death metal with scintillating musicianship, an art demonstrated perfectly on their new album, Everblack.

From the moment vocalist Strnad unleashes his high-pitched scream during the early seconds of opener “In Hell Is Where She Waits For Me”, the tone is set for the rest of this uncompromising set of songs. Delivered with the force of a sledgehammer blow, the first three tracks fly by and, by the time the album reaches “Raped In Hatred By Vines Of Thorn”, their black metal-inspired death metal is almost unstoppable such is the fury the band deliver it with.

Now, having watched their DVD, the band do come across as drunken fools, Everblack shows that there is no such tomfoolery when they put their serious head on as the likes of the brilliant “Blood Mine”, the relentless “Every Rope A Noose”, and the epic, almost black metal “Map Of Scars” demonstrate. From crushing blast beats to the all too familiar BDM chuggery to the haunting atmospherics, every moment of Everblack is filled with something to keep you hooked in from start to finish.

Pristine sounding and technically flawless, there can be no doubting that The Black Dahlia Murder have hit their A-Game on Everblack; ensuring that those fans who’ve been a little disappointed with some of their recent output will be more than satisfied with this nasty little piece of work which, after just a few listens, proves itself to be their most explosive, grimiest offering to date.

Track Listing:

01. In Hell Is Where She Waits For Me
02. Goat of Departure
03. Into The Everblack
04. Raped In Hatred By Vines Of Thornes
05. Phantom Limb Masturbation
06. Control
07. Blood Mine
08. Every Rope A Noose
09. Their Beloved Absentee
10. Map Of Scars

Run Time: 44:38
Release Date: June 10, 2013

Check out the song “Goat of Departure”