There are is no doubt about it the last few years have been absolutely huge for The Black Dahlia Murder. The band now have a legion of fans following them and that has resulted in sold out shows right around the world. Well on the back of taking a listen to their brand new album Nightbringers I get the feeling that the band are about to win over a lot of new fans because this is a solid album that is one of the finest death metal albums that I have I ever heard.
Opening track ‘Widowmaker’ begins with an intro that conjures up images of impending doom and then the track comes to life with some amazing guitar work from new guitarist Brandon Ellis who really puts his mark on this album with some epic guitar solos that really brings something new to The Black Dahlia Murder’s sound. That same amazing guitar sound is also present on ‘Matriarch’ a track that Ellis also wrote and one that showcases some amazing songwriting skills because if you take a listen to the lyrics it is an absolute gem.
The new ‘sound’ seems to have also awoken something in lead vocalist Brian Eschbach whose vocalists are some of the best death metal vocals you ever likely to hear throughout this album, but really stand out on ‘Of God And Serpent, Of Spectre And Snake.’ It soon becomes very apparent to you as you listen to Nightbringers that this is an album where there are simply no weak tracks, that means as apparent as a sledgehammer to the face when you listen to the title track and realise just how tight it is instrumentally.
The traditional Black Dahlia Murder sound is there for all to hear on tracks like ‘Kings Of The Nightworld’ and ‘As Good As Dead’ which again are stunning tracks. Ellis’ strong guitar work again shines through on ‘Jars’ while the violent sound that Eschbach was aiming for on this album really comes to the front on ‘Catacomb Hectatomb,’ while the album’s finale ‘The Lonely Deceased’ is about as close as the perfect death metal track that you will ever find.
The arrival of Brandon Ellise heralds a brand new dawn for The Black Dahlia Murder and the result is Nightbringers – one of the finest death metal albums of all time. If you’re a fan of Black Dahlia Murder then this album is a must have, if you haven’t discovered them yet then Nightbringers is the album to do it with.
