Music / Reviews
Review: The Black Dahlia Murder, Fleece
Naming your latest album Abysmal and dubbing the accompanying promotional trek the Abysmal European Tour presents something of an open goal to detractors. So you need to be pretty confident that punters will have no cause for complaint. Michigan’s Black Dahlia Murder take their name from the grisly unsolved slaying of Elizabeth Short back in 1947 – who said death metal has to be tasteful? – and promise an appropriately brutal assault to silence anyone minded to titter.
Outside, Bristol is firmly in the grip of winter’s icy fingers. Inside, the Fleece is already a packed and sweaty hothouse as we welcome Saint-Etienne’s Benighted. The Frenchmen plough a broadly similar technical death metal furrow to that of the headliners, with somewhat less distinction. Increasingly red-faced bellower Julien Truchan works hard to whip up a headbanging frenzy and by the time Benighted have completed their 45 minute set we’ve been bludgeoned into appreciative submission by the aggressive likes of Let the Blood Spill Between My Broken Teeth.
Minutes into The Black Dahlia Murder’s set, bodies are flying everywhere. One lady stage diver – and there’s no shortage of them in this equal opportunities moshpit – pauses to plant a smacker on frontman Trevor Strnad’s cheek before launching herself elegantly into the seething throng to be borne aloft towards the bar. Not the most likely of sex symbols, bespectacled Strnad seems absolutely delighted and growls with renewed vigour for the rest of the evening. Openly inspired by Carcass, BDM trade in precision melodic death metal infused with old-skool influences as evidenced by the band members’ T-shirts. (Hey, Mr. bass player dude – surely you’re way too young to have seen Angel Witch in their prime?) Ryan Knight’s blistering lead guitar work really gives them an edge over their meat’n’potatoes rivals in this increasingly crowded genre, while affable Strnad enjoys an easy rapport with the crowd. As expected, much of Abysmal gets an airing, but they also delve into the back catalogue for such fan favourites as the splendidly titled, Evil Dead-inspired Raped in Hatred by Vines of Thorn. By the end of their brisk, fat-free set, Strnad is attempting to orchestrate the largest circle pit the Fleece has ever seen, which takes up at least half of the venue. The 2016 Metal Season just got off to a flying start.
is needed now More than ever
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