THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER - USA

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER - UNHALLOWED - METAL BLADE
The Black Dahlia Murder is a testament to the advanced nature of the modern underground metal scene. For a band with only a MCD under its belt, the Detroit quintet raises the temperature quite effectively with its deathrash metal cacophony. The songs are fast, tight and pointed, the dual-vocal system effective and the instruments hell-bent on rip 'n tear. Influences are as diverse as The Gates, Carcass, The Forsaken and The Crown. Three out of four of those bands is Swedish and that is where much of the band's allegiance lies. The lyrics are long and involved and elegantly terrifying. The Black Dhalia Murder is not attempting to re-write the book, but does drop enough blood to smear it further with the stench of death and suffering. That, fellow metal hounds, is a good thing. - Ali "The Metallian"

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER - MIASMA - METAL BLADE
Alright dude, it's got to be said... The Black Dahlia Murder is, like, the most over-rated band in metal right now. Sure, this Detroit collective puts really savage Gothencore to tape but, when it comes to the band's sum total, the samey nature of the group's attack is really a major hindrance. Aside from amazing standout track A Vulgar Picture, Miasma is an exercise in redundance. Really, there are way too many unneeded blasts, an excruciatingly large number of redux riffs and, uh, just a few song structures that resemble each other on more than superficial levels. My opinion of Miasma has shifted with each new spin and this record has come to encapsulate the opposite of the old maxim 'It'll grow on you': Miasma has become more generic with each repeated listen.- David Perri

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER - NOCTURNAL - METAL BLADE  
Nocturnal is a little bit of a surprise. It is not that the band has recorded a fast and heavy album full of blasting and fast picking; it is that the metalcore rubbish is gone, solos are and are tasteful and the vocals are now a mix of heavy grunting and evil screaming. Clearly bent on breaking out of the pack and charting a metal course, the trendy five (having undergone the obligatory The Black Dahlia Murder line-up changes) are still showing their Gothenburg influences and have even hired Kristian Wahlin out of Sweden to illustrate their cover, but several songs like the title track, Warborn and What A Horrible Night To Have A Curse show something akin to metallic independence. Incidentally, it is the better songs, which also feature the classier guitar leads. These add the necessary contrast with the razor-sharp guitar rhythm and punishing vocals.
The band still has room to improve and it can do so by having new drummer Shannon Lucas increase the force of his beats instead of solely focusing on light blasting. The last vestiges of kiddie Gothenburgism can be banished as well, although the trend seems firm and established already. - Ali “The Metallian”