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THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER Release Ninth Studio Album ‘Verminous’
April 17th, 2020

Detroit, Michigan-based melodic death metal group The Black Dahlia Murder issued ninth full-length studio album Verminous on April 17th, 2020 through Metal Blade Records.

The outing can be streamed in its entirety via YouTube below.

“I think this is the biggest evolutionary leap we’ve ever taken from one album to the next. We stoked the creative fires with 2017’s Nightbringers and it’s gone much further now in Verminous,” stated vocalist Trevor Strnad. “It’s a very colourful, moody, and charismatic album that experiments with new sounds and ideas without losing the cutthroat Black Dahlia edge. There is a lot of minutiae to digest. Plenty of delicious little Easter eggs woven into the fabric of each song. Each one is a living, breathing entity that will stand on its own as some of the best music this band has ever created.”

Drums were recorded at The Pipeyard in Plymouth, Michigan by ex-bassist and longtime studio participant Ryan “Bart” Williams, while the bulk of the album was recorded in New Jersey at guitarist Brandon Ellis’ home studio, the Shred Light District. Mixing was handled by Tue Madsen in Denmark, and mastering by Alan Douches in New York.

Production was overseen by Ellis.

“To say we were anal-retentive would be an understatement,” Strnad continued. “Tue did an outstanding job. His mix is organic. Classic sounding. Not too slick. It’s got an old-school ‘real-life’ feel to it rather than being the overly polished quantized-to-hell drek that is coming out these days. We wanted the album’s sound to have its own personality, and he helped us achieve just that. Finally, Alan did a great job of smoothing out the final details with his mastering. He beefed it up into what you hear now.”

Cover artwork duties fell to Juanjo Castellano. “It’s amazing and classically death metal cover artwork,” Strnad said. “I call it an evil underground sewer world, home to the verminous ones. If you look closely you can find all kinds of rats and bugs and critters scattered throughout. The amount of detail Juanjo put in there is second to none.”

The track listing is as follows;

01. ‘Verminous’
02. ‘Godlessly’
03. ‘Removal Of The Oaken Stake’
04. ‘Child Of Night’
05. ‘Sunless Empire’
06. ‘The Leather Apron’s Scorn’
07. ‘How Very Dead’
08. ‘The Wereworm’s Feast’
09. ‘A Womb In Dark Chrysalis (Interlude)’
10. ‘Dawn Of Rats’

Digipak CD bonus tracks

11. ‘Their Thwarted Patience’
12. ‘Go To Hell’ (Megadeth cover)

The Black Dahlia Murder’s line-up is as follows;

Trevor Strnad (vocals)
Brandon Ellis (lead guitar)
Brian Eschbach (rhythm guitar)
Max Lavelle (bass)
Alan Cassidy (drums)

Music videos were released for the songs ‘Child Of Night’ and ‘Removal Of The Oaken Stake’. In addition, an official lyric video was created for the title track. All three clips can be viewed below.

Seventh studio record Nightbringers was released in October 2017 via Metal Blade.

Promotional photograph by David E. Jackson.