Album Review: The Black Dahlia Murder - 'Deflorate'

9 September 2009 | 3:33 pm | Staff Writer
Originally Appeared In

Bang your fucking head.

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Black Dahlia Murder, in my mind is one of the few bands in modern metal that are capable of doing no wrong alongside Between the Buried and Me and Misery Signals.  Their latest release Deflorate, while progressing from Nocturnal shares more in common with Miasma then its immediate predecessor.  Not to say that Deflorate is a carbon copy based on previous efforts, but is a more evolved finely tuned Black Dahlia Murder we have not yet seen.   

 

Expect to have your arsehole not only fucked, but completely pulverized by how heavy and unrelenting this album is.  Black Dahlia Murder has truly found their niche in the heavy metal world and as an unfortunate by-product of this is the generation of imitators they have spawned.  The defining feature that separates this band from their would be successors is vocalist Trevor Strnad and his incomparable vocal feats. 

 

As soon as Black Valor kicks in the punishment truly begins.  Clearly a more guitar driven affair, Deflorate has some of the more memorable guitar riffs and groove sections from the band and is sure to impress even the most hardened cross armed metal veteran.  The drumming remains as admirable as ever, and provides suitable sections to froth over throughout the tracks Christ Deformed and Denounced, Disgraced. 

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It was great to see the solos vastly improved upon and don’t sound as run of the mill and forced as they appeared in Nocturnal.  Certain guitar riffs are more melodic in nature (see the intro for I Will Return), but still retain the same vile essence is now associated with the Black Dahlia Murder.   

 

Coming in at a touch under 35 minutes you will feel abused and slightly disorientated while wondering what the hell has just happened.  If you need more of an excuse to buy the record rather than download it, check the fantastic artwork feature some gigantic alien thing turning people into stone.  Fuck!

Heavier than an elephant’s scrotum, Black Dahlia have proven once again why they will remain at the top of the pile for heavy music.

1. Black Valor - 3:09

2. Necropolis - 3:30

3. A Selection Unnatural - 2:50

4. Denounced, Disgraced - 3:43

5. Christ Deformed - 3:30

6. Death Panorama - 1:54

7. Throne Of Lunacy - 3:34

8. Eyes Of Thousand - 3:13

9. That Which Erodes The Most Tender - 3:01

10. I Will Return - 5:34