The Black Dahlia Murder, Verminous | Album Review 💿

Michigan death metal collective The Black Dahlia Murder return ‘turned TF up’ on their thrilling ninth studio album, Verminous.

The Black Dahlia Murder have been going strong since being formed in 2001.  Sure, there have been some lineup changes beyond mainstays Trevor Strnad and Brian Eschbach, but hey, when a band approaches two decades of existence, that’s pretty special.  The album at hand, Verminous, marks the ninth studio album by the death metal collective.  Verminous, the first TBDM album of a new decade, arrives two-and-a-half years after the band’s last LP, Nightbringers (2017).  Verminous proves to be was worth the wait.

“Verminous”

“In death / Commanding / Pandemic / Impending.” Woah! ✓ “Verminous” is a badass opening track, period. What makes it so badass? Pummeling drums, jagged guitars, and unapologetic, hyper energic, shouted vocals by Trevor Strnad.  Literally, “Verminous” sounds like a musical representation of hell at its most infernal.  The lyrics reflect such, with their dark and dramatic, yet poetic nature:

“He who created us did break the mold
A sick evolution’s bastard masterpiece
We are the nightmares everlasting
The threshold of your fear surpassing
Soundlessly slithering servants to our king.”

“Godlessly” is indeed godless and unspiritual in about every way possible. Can Satan’s presence be felt? Perhaps. The tempo is quick as hell, while the intensity is through the roof.  The drums continue in their highly percussive endeavors, the guitars sound as if they are about to penetrate like a knife, while the vocals are nothing short of damning to the nth degree.  Two songs in, and it sounds as if we are part of something incredibly sketch.  The band makes it clear though that there’s “No heaven, no hell / All gods died the moment we fell from grace.” Okay…

“Removal of the Oaken Stake”

✓ “Removal of the Oaken Stake” commences with some more brilliant music.  I can’t emphasize enough how potent the instrumentals are throughout Verminous.  Once more, The Black Dahlia Murder are fully invested, digging in hardcore with no letup.  Sure, “Removal of the Oaken Stake” is loud AF, but there is also ample skill exhibited from a musical standpoint.  The wailing, agile guitar soloing is a blessing, even in such a hopeless, hellish, minor-key cut like “Removal of the Oaken Stake.”

“Incubus / Succubus / Succumb to us / Incubi / Succubi / Undivine / Under the burning sign / O, won’t you burn in hell with me?” Apparently, I’m – we’re – already doing so by partaking of this most unholy album and specifically, this most unholy song. Anytime that an incubus or succubus is referenced, it’s definitely sketchy. That’s the case on the rad ✓ “Child of Night,” which is utterly wicked and rebellious. One of the novel moments of the record occurs just twice, but definitely stands out: “Ea, Ea / So black is this fire / So foul is this desire / In me.”

“Sunless Empire” continues the invigorating ride that is Verminous. Truly, there is no sun to be found.  Also, rare on “Sunless Empire” are major chords.  What isn’t in short supply are the aggressive, in-your-face vibes, particularly courtesy of those all-powerful guitars.  As is the case with the majority of the album, the vocabulary clearly has a negative connotation: “pest-ridden,” “verminous,” “subterranean realm of decay,” and “Fetid stench…,” among many others.

“The Leather Apron’s Scorn”

“Terrorize these foggy London streets / Lock your doors and hide / In the darkest alleyways, they’re where I’ll be.” That’s certainly terrifying. ✓ “The Leather Apron’s Scorn” is born directly out of the serial killer playbook – Jack the Ripper specifically.  It’s not only the lyrics about London that give this away if you’re well versed in serial killers, but also how The Black Dahlia reference the victims that Jack seeks out. “They never hear my footsteps approaching / Their whorish existences my knife is encroaching upon.” Definitely wouldn’t be the first, nor likely the last time that the band sings about a serial killer. 

Honestly, “How Very Dead” reveals its cards with its literal title.  Lyrically, The Black Dahlia are explicit in, well, death.  It’s over the top, but that’s the glory of metal, right? We’re absolutely screwed by the doctor on this record: “My overlooked credentials / A Hippocratic oath I’d sworn in hell.” Those lyrics definitely capture just ‘how very dead’ the victims will be, even if the point is made, “How very dead you were from the start.” Outlandish, but certainly intriguing.

“The Wereworm’s Feast”

From being ‘very dead,’ we move on to ✓ “The Wereworm’s Feast,” which is about as disgusting as you’d expect.  Anytime the word fetid appears more than once on an album, you know that  shit is twisted.  Again, what can’t be overstated is the dynamic and intense nature of the music, with those assertive guitars and hammering drums.  Furthermore, the darkly poetic nature of “The Wereworm’s Feast” is superb, even if it’s hellish to the nth degree, brought fully alive by Strnad:  

“Pearlescent maggots
Dwelling within dead flesh
With carrion I am obsessed
The Wereworm’s feast is
Deceased and so gluttonous
By putrefaction I’m possessed
possessed.”

“The Wereworm’s Feast” may be a wild ride, but it’s a captivating one as well.  Even the ultra-brief penultimate cut, “A Womb in Dark Chrysalis (Interlude)” is ear catching. It contrasts the edgier, ‘pedal to the metal’ extreme metal of Verminous, yet rightfully feels like it’s about to lead to something incredibly wild.  Indeed, “Dawn of Rats” is as energetic, intense, and unholy as anything else gracing Verminous.

“When the silken robes of sodomy
Fell vacant at your feet
Did your God he cough into his sleeve
Did he toast with you
To their innocence
So fleeting and so sweet?
The dawn has come of your defeat
We the rats must have our feast.”

Wow… “Dawn of Rats” is definitely a fitting way to close Verminous. Add to it the disgusting rat sound effects that appear at the end of the song… eww, eww, and more eww!

Final Thoughts

So, how does Verminous, the ninth studio album by The Black Dahlia Murder stack up? While it’s dark and extreme as albeit, from a musical perspective, the band delivers a superb, well-rounded project.  Verminous is consistent from start to finish, comprised of just 10 tracks at 36 minutes – you can’t beat that.  There are no notable miscues, with every song benefitting from replay value. Need an aggressive, angry album? This is it! 

✓ Gems: “Verminous,” “Removal of the Oaken Stake,” “Child of the Night,” “The Leather Apron’s Scorn” & “The Wereworm’s Feast”

The Black Dahlia Murder • Verminous • Metal Blade • Release: 4.17.20

Photo Credit: Metal Blade