THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER – Nightbringers (Album Review)

Legendary Death Metal Band Bring On The Night

The world is in turmoil.  The beasts have been released on the Earth and the greatest soundtrack to this chaos is The Black Dahlia Murder, who deal in the blackest of Death Metal.

They have been picking over the carcasses of the vanquished since 2001 and Nightbringers is their eight full length release.  The current lineup includes the legend that is Trevor Strnad on vocals and new lead guitarist Brandon Ellis.  The specialist in grinding anthems of terror, a cocktail of horror movies, fantasy and anti-religion.

Nighbringers puts a progressive spin on the tried and trusted formula. Horror stories are liberally spinkled among the grooves and the music is brutal.  There is, however, sophistication in the savagery.  It may sound chaotic, but it all gells together like a beautiful symphony in sickness.  The songs force their way into your tightly closed eyes and make you pay attention, on fear of death.  Trevor‘s vocals are brooding and growls of frustration, but he carries the stories with a conviction that would put many to shame.  His lyrics are likewise more than your average bleeding stumps of brain dead bulletins.

Songs such as “Jars” and “Widowmaker” are first class horror treatments.  The music batters and the aggression is relentless.  However, within the mayhem there is melody.  Brandon Ellis shows what an amazing addition he is to the band.  His leads are consistently excellent and classical sounds, shooting up and down the fretboard, weaving magic in the grooves.

There are two standout tracks for me on here, that show that The Black Dahlia Murder are way above the normal Death Metal militia.  The first is the title track, which has a really great groove and catchy melody.  The second, is the Hair Metal-Death Metal fusion of “As Good As Dead” – like someone had put Slayer and Dokken in a blender!

If you don’t like Death Metal, still give The Black Dahlia Murder a listen and I promise that you will be nodding your head furiously as you battle the armies of darkness.  In addition, with Trevor Strnad you have a genuinely deep thinker, almost akin to Neil Peart of Rush…No sappy love songs for this guy and, for that, I say, thank goodness!

BTW – how many other Death Metal bands can claim #9 spot on Bill Board?…

Buy: Nighbringers

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