Live Review: The Black Dahlia Murder, Aborted, Anno Domini

Allotted little more than 20 minutes to impress,

's

at times nondescript brand of soundscape-laden blackened death metal

never really had the opportunity to reach any grand heights. It wasn't for lack of effort from the

Sydneysiders, but it just didn't quite resonate.

Having played a slew of support slots for both international outfits and local heavy-hitters, not to mention festival appearances,

were certainly seasoned for the task.

The Melbourne

mob were also evidently revelling in and appreciative of the opportunity afforded them.

Although hampered by some sound issues,

their groove-heavy death metal and sheer enthusiasm surely ensured they left with new converts.

Gore-obsessed Belgian bruisers

have a formidable reputation for crafting some of the most consistently devastating death metal on the planet. True to form, their 40-minute display proved about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the cranium – and just as violent too. That extended to a questionably gruesome gag from frontman

Sven de Caluwe

that he joked might land him in the headlines of high-profile blogs. Rooted in technical proficiency,

as well as de Caluwe’s savage vokill gurgle and never-ending quest to get heads banging, many circle-pits ensued. Although motivated to play material from new record

, the likes of

and

understandably elicited more vociferous reactions. Overall, it sent a message to their long-time friends and headliners – follow that, if you can...

...Which perennial tourists

were certainly capable of doing. Acts airing classic or fan favourite albums in their entirety live has become an oft-tired exercise. That said, the American melodic death metallers' decision to play latest effort

from start to finish (with a couple of other catalogue cuts littered throughout) felt fresh, likely because it's their best LP in a decade.

Trevor Strnad's bowel-loosening growls and animalistic shrieks were the ideal foil for the macabre atmospherics and

brutal, yet memorable riffage of the most recent material,

all executed in taut fashion. Earlier staples like

and

maintained the early momentum and garnered plenty of pit violence.

​There weren't any real surprises in terms of presentation or delivery for those who had caught the band on one of their many previous visits Down Under, but when their sets are this consistently satisfying, who cares? More than 15 years in, The Black Dahlia Murder are death metal lifers and positioned as this generation’s Cannibal Corpse. As this showing reinforced, horrifying extremity will be in suitably blood-stained hands.