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September 7, 2008 |
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THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER - Miasma
Metal Blade (2005) |
8.5/10 |
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01. Built For Sin
02. I'm Charming
03. Flies
04. Statutory Rape
05. A Vulgar Picture
06. Novelty Crosses
07. Dave Goes To Hollywood
08. Miscarriage
09. Spite Suicide
10. Miasma
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This album is both short, and man...oh-so-very-steel-shard-sweet, so in the interests of brevity I'm going to try and write the review in the same blitzkrieg-assault-upon-the-Metal-senses spirit. Ready? Fire up your engines turbo lovers, 'cause here we go!
THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER are probably among the more lower-profile members of what is - for better or worse - termed the Metalcore subgenre these days. Hailing from the snowy lake-country of Michigan, this brutally pummeling five-piece (including Trevor Strnad/vox, Brian Eschbach/guitars, Zach Gibson/drums, Dave Lock/bass, and John Kempainen/guitars) couldn't be more mischaracterized or mislabeled either. Metalcore!?! Puh-leeze! I hear more straight-up, uncompromising Death Metal laced with liberal doses of overt CARCASSisms in what these guys are doing than I do the chugga-chugga Hardcore riffs and half-time breakdowns of true GOD FORBIDish, CHIMAIRAesque Metalcore. That probably explains why Metal Blade picked them up and not Century Media or Roadrunner. This is pure, blue-steel Heavy Metal!
And really that is the stone-cold truth of the matter too. Despite where the media has chosen to slot them, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER are about as far from anything "Core-related" as you can get. This is quite simply some of the better Melodic, Technical Death Metal currently on offer form the U.S. scene. Following up 2003's breakthrough debut "Unhallowed", "Miasma" ups the proverbial ante over the course of ten blistering tracks of high octane, pedal-to-the-METAL Death Metal rife with interesting song structures, fresh, blazing leadwork, and infectiously high energy hook that makes for both a memorable and enjoyable headbanging experience worthy of many repeat plays. It's honestly hard to pick out any standouts as everything tends to blur together into a wildly beautiful maelstrom of black wind that lashes at the psyche in unrelenting fury and drops you to the ground again both bewildered and glad for the experience.
That's what great albums are supposed to do.
In a strange twist of irony, it is the album's inherent strength - ie: it's hit-'em-hard, hit 'em-fast brevity - which is also my one complaint. At just over thirty minutes I need more. I mean sure, there's definitely a place for shorter albums, and they generally beat the hell out of most of the overly-long, overwrought pseudo-epics out there that just end up collapsing under the weight of their own pretentiousness, but man...just another 10-15 minutes would have sufficed. An even 45 minutes of THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, because really, this is some strong and impressive Metal! I'm just left wanting more. So against my better judgement...1.5 points off for clocking out of the office early.
Otherwise though...this is a great album by a great band showcasing miles of potential, as well as an admirable distancing of themselves from the "Core" crowd with whom they have been unfairly lumped and with whom they really share very little indeed. THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER prove that they are still a force to reckon with. "Miasma" flips a firm, middle-fingered double-whammy salute to all trends and proves that at the end of the day, nothing stands the test of time like true Heavy Metal played with conviction and heart. Bombs away!
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