The problem of dropping a record as career-defining as 2013’s Everblack is that the bar is set so high following it up is a galling task. That The Black Dahlia Murder’s response to such a challenge comes in the form of the devastating Abysmal serves to once again demonstrate why they are considered one of the most vital bands in contemporary death metal. “Once the record started to come together we knew it was going to be something special,” states vocalist Trevor Strnad. “It’s more urgent, it has more dynamics, it’s a more emotive record, and it has a more raw, angry sound to it. It’s still million mile-per-hour death metal, but when you invest so much thought and emotion into what you’re creating you end up with a record that does stand out, and we can hold our heads up high and say yeah, this is our best work.”
Stream it now in its entirety now exclusively at metalblade.com/tbdm leading to its release. You have been warned.
The Black Dahlia Murder will return to North America this fall to headline the IndieMerch Tour with Iron Reagan, Harm’s Way and Maruta. The trek will start Oct 3rd and run through Oct 30th and it marks the group’s first official Canadian/US tour supporting their highly anticipated new album. Be sure to either see below or head over to facebook.com/theblackdahliamurderofficial for all tour dates.
Abysmal is a vicious slab of unrelenting aggression showcases TBDM at their very finest with a meticulous, pin-point precise rhythmic assault mixed with ferocious speed and dynamic hooks. The band also re-enlisted the services of renowned producer Mark Lewis (Cannibal Corpse, Whitechapel) and former bass player Ryan Williams, who also produced Everblack, with the sole intent to get away from the overt sonic sterility affecting far too many contemporary metal albums.
THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER
IndieMerch Tour
w/ Iron Reagan, Harms Way, Maruta
09/30 Erie, PA Basement Transmissions
10/01 Syracuse, NY The Lost Horizon
10/02 Montreal, QC Foufounes Electriques
10/03 Ottawa, ON Mavericks
10/04 Toronto, ON Opera House
10/05 London, ON London Music Hall
10/07 Thunder Bay, ON Crocks
10/08 Winnipeg, MB The Pyramid
10/09 Saskatoon, SK Louis’ Pub
10/10 Edmonton, AB Union Hall
10/11 Calgary, AB MacEwan
10/13 Vancouver, BC Rickshaw
10/14 Portland, OR Hawthorne
10/15 Seattle, WA El Corazon
10/16 Boise, ID Knitting Factory
10/17 Salt Lake City, UT The Complex
10/18 Colorado Springs, CO The Black Sheep
10/20 Lincoln, NE Bourbon Street
10/21 Des Moines, IA Wooly’s
10/22 Bloomington, IL Castle Theatre
10/23 Indianapolis, IN Emerson Theatre
10/24 Detroit, MI The Loving Touch