Short, brave and unforgettable – review of “Servitude” by The Black Dahlia Murder

Bands all over the world create art in different and unique ways, and that's what I like best about reviewing records. Some records last longer than an hour, some less. Some create long and challenging tracks, some don't. There is no right or wrong way – art is expression and we welcome it all. Now it's time for The murder of the black dahlia to show us what they can do with their latest release “Servitude”, out September 27th.

They have chosen a very good approach, if I may say so. The pieces are no longer than 4 minutes, with a single instrumental piece (“A break“), just like in “Verminous”. Who needs long songs when you can get straight to the point in 3 minutes? The Murder of the Black Dahlia does not have to go in circles; they keep it short and direct. Whether it is about denouncing something as wrong, as in “Cursed Creator”, or perhaps a description of a situation, as in “Transcomic Draft”, When it comes to creativity, there are no limits for this band.

The raw intensity of their music, especially the vocals, makes it easy to distinguish when The Murder of the Black Dahlia is the order of the day. The production, mix and mastering are very good, although I would have given the bass a bit more space in the mix for my taste. However, this does not detract from the overall effect and impression of the album, which sounds very smooth and moves quite quickly. The songs are mostly structured in a very similar way, which gives the record a harmonious vibe.

A nice detail about Servitude is that the last seconds of the last track and the first seconds of the first track are connected, so you can listen to it on a loop infinitely. To really appreciate this record, you have to listen to it more than once, and this quality makes me appreciate it even more.

Finally, The Murder of the Black Dahlia have not lost their flair and with “Servitude” are ready to return as a melodic death metal force recognized worldwide.”Let us begin our holy march again”, they sing in “Mammoth hand“ and that is exactly what we should do.

Tracklist:

1. Evening Ephemeral
2. Panic Hysteria
3. aftermath
4. Cursed Creator
5. A break
6. Asserting dominance
7. bondage
8. Mammoth hand
9. Transcosmic blueprint
10. Utopia Black