One has to respect a band driven enough to have their new album nearly ready for release before even publically acknowledging its existence. Such is the mindset of The Black Dahlia Murder in 2011 – focused. A gnarled slab of death metal ferocity mixed with the brutish force of metalcore and symphonic highlights, “Ritual” finds the group offering their most concise opus yet.

Flush with guitar heroics and blackened voracity, these Michigan natives have upped the ante across the board, delivering inspired performances while showcasing a blistering level of technical skill. Despite being the proverbial runt of the death metal hordes, the band take earnest notes from the greats (Carcass, At The Gates, etc.) and polish them enough to remain accessible in a distinctly engaging way.

Some may cry foul with just how commercially applicable moments on this outing come off; but while they have certainly glossed up their material both production wise and through surgically precise songwriting, few could dispute the carnal intent at its core.

“Ritual” is often an album at odds with how death metal is perceived in modern times. An almost surreptitious rallying call against the larger than life stereotypes that affirms creativity and diversity work well within the format if administered in controlled doses. Whether it be the faint traces of piano and orchestral grandeur or the ephemeral nature of the ascendant soloing, the group have given an aura of breathability to a genre often suffocated by its own bitterness.

In this regard, and many others, “Ritual” is not only a welcome gateway to the classics for the New Era sponsored deathcore masses. But also an impressive achievement in just how far the death metal genre has come and what it can encompass while remaining true to its roots. Sure the production is a bit rich for scene standards and the band may step into the sunlight a bit more than their peers; but as it stands “Ritual” proves that even some of the most wretched can eventually become surprisingly refined.

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  ( 28 votes, 4.46 stars )
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