THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER
When I was given this to review I pretty much knew what I was going to be listening to. I have the other three albums by The Black Dahlia Murder and apart from a progression to a more polished production and maybe playing their instruments in a higher octane way they don’t change much. So, if you already know their sound you’ll have already made up your mind, I’m sure. This album kicks in right from the off with a punch into their brand of melodic death metal with twin leads firing from their well oiled (Iron Maiden patented) harmonies. This is a fine album but suffers (as all such albums do) with a slightly generic sound and the uber-slick production certainly makes it sharp but is it too perfect? I think that’s your call on how you like your music produced. The songs themselves are well written and have a maturity that some bands playing this brand of melo-death lack, so (at least for this reviewer) there is something worth listening to here. The band’s usual sci-fi and horror influenced subject matter is intact with such songs as ‘Necropolis’ foretelling of a zombie apocalypse, ‘Throne of Lunacy’ dealing with the madness of Cthulhu and cryogenics being the subject of ‘I Will Return’. Ultimately hard hitting and satisfying, I really enjoyed this album and I found the front cover artwork refreshing in a world of bands trying to outdo each other with black ink. The album seems very short but, then again, a short hard hitting album is much better than an album with loads of filler. If you like The Black Dahlia Murder you will not be disappointed by ‘Deflorate’!
LABEL:
FORMAT:
Metal Blade Records
Album
DEFLORATE
Review by Paul Sims
RUNNING TIME:
33:58
RELEASE DATE:
14th Sept 2009
TRACK LISTING
1) Black Valor
2) Necropolis
3) A Selection Unnatural
4) Denounced, Disgraced
5) Christ Deformed
6) Death Panorama
7) Throne of Lunacy
8) Eyes of Thousand
9) That Which Erodes the Most Tender
10) I Will Return
2) Necropolis
3) A Selection Unnatural
4) Denounced, Disgraced
5) Christ Deformed
6) Death Panorama
7) Throne of Lunacy
8) Eyes of Thousand
9) That Which Erodes the Most Tender
10) I Will Return
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
USA
"If you like The Black Dahlia Murder you will not be disappointed by ‘Deflorate’!"