The Black Dahlia Murder

The Black Dahlia Murder have always been a consistent group. However, in the past, that consistency was their downfall, as the uniform nature of the material wasn't just in its quality, but also its sound. Listening to their albums changed from a vicious experience to a viscous one, forcing one to plod through a record of similar-sounding songs to find the gems. The band began moving away from their Sweden-by-way-of-America sound with 2011's Ritual and continue that departure with Everblack, although not as much as anticipated, or hoped. Unfortunately, there are still "classic" (i.e., boring) Black Dahlia numbers, such as "Raped in Hatred by Vines of Thorn" and "Control," which do little to excite and likely took even less effort to write. This is in stark contrast to "In Hell is Where She Waits For Me," which takes the group's formula and refines it, resulting in one of their best offerings yet. While the half-tempo sections and increasingly unique guitar solos differentiate this material from that of the past, Everblack ultimately falls under the shadow of its predecessor.