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My introduction to The Black Dahlia Murder was in Saints Row 2‘s heavy metal radio station, The Krunch. I was captivated by the breakneck pace of the double bass, the shrill screams of Trevor Strnad, and the insane guitar solo on top of the already shredding riffs throughout the song. Being one of the first true death metal acts I embraced, I was pleased to receive the band’s ninth album, Verminous, ahead of its release this week!

The title track kicks off Verminous, setting the scene with water drips and rat squeaks, placing the listener into a dank, dark well with just ten seconds of sound effects. I always love when a band goes the distance to create a mindscape in their songs. “Godlessly” keeps up the pace, filled with blast beats, syncopated band bits, and guitar solos that fit within the scheme of the song like a puzzle piece.

“Removal of the Oaken Stake” lets the band shine for a minute before Trevor steps in. His gutterals still hold true after almost two decades of unclean vocals, a testament to him maintaining his vocal health through ravenous touring schedules and release after release. “Child of Night” sees him flex his range with diverse verse/chorus fluctuations in his tone, all the while the band plugs away with peak death metal composition benefiting from varied sections.

“Sunless Empire” does things a bit differently with an ambient lead-up to the brutality. My favorite solo on the album takes place here; it spends its early-goings in melody, then unleashes the fretwork to close it out. Next is “The Leather Apron’s Scorn,” with noteworthy moments being a catchy bass hook getting the spotlight, and a tempo change putting things into high gear in two separate spots.

What stuck out to me in “How Very Dead” is Trevor masterfully and delicately transitioning from a growl to a scream throughout the first verse. The guitar solo streak continues, as a Black Dahlia Murder song would feel empty without one. “The Wereworm’s Feast” brings into question just what a “Wereworm” would look like; surely, the soundtrack of this beast would be set to this slamming piece.

Leading up to Verminous‘ closure, “A Womb in Dark Chysalis” serves as the interlude to the madness with a gorgeous acoustic arrangement on top of the aforementioned atmospheric sound effects, leading up to the aptly-named “Dawn of Rats.” This final track cements the “power in numbers” mentality that one could fathom from countless rats dominating their aggressors. The outro paints the portrait of the rats succeeding.

Verminous shows that a band can stay consistent over the course of nine albums and not lose any of its luster. There’s a lot to take in during a listen of The Black Dahlia Murder, which will demand multiple listens from fans, but this is a welcome proposition to anyone who values a good headbang or air guitar run. Check out The Black Dahlia Murder’s Verminous when it releases on April 17th on Metal Blade Records!

A review copy of Verminous was provided by Metal Blade Records for this review

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