Description
The Black Dahlia Murder – Nocturnal – Red Green Splatter Vinyl Record
Released on September 18, 2007, The Black Dahlia Murder’s Nocturnal is a blistering, fast-paced melodic death metal album that solidified the Michigan band as one of the leading forces in the modern death metal scene. The album is a critical turning point for the band, balancing intense technicality with melodic elements, creating a sound that is both brutal and accessible. Known for their intricate guitar work, relentless drumming, and frontman Trevor Strnad’s dynamic vocal delivery, Nocturnal blends influences from Swedish melodic death metal and American deathcore, resulting in a ferocious yet polished sound that has had a lasting impact on the genre.
Nocturnal was The Black Dahlia Murder’s third studio album, following the success of Miasma (2005). It was highly praised for its technical precision, tighter songwriting, and improved production quality, all of which elevated the band to new heights within the metal community. The album’s dark themes, combined with its precise musicianship and relentless energy, have made it a standout release in the band’s discography.
Formed in 2001, The Black Dahlia Murder quickly rose to prominence within the death metal scene due to their ability to blend the melodic aspects of Scandinavian death metal with the aggression and technicality of American metal. Nocturnal came at a time when the band was refining their sound, building on the foundation they had laid with their previous albums. The album also marked the first appearance of drummer Shannon Lucas, whose technical prowess and speed would become a defining feature of the band’s sound moving forward.
With Brian Eschbach and John Kempainen handling guitar duties, Nocturnal showcases some of the most intricate and melodic riffing in The Black Dahlia Murder’s catalog. Their blend of fast, tremolo-picked melodies and brutal breakdowns became a signature sound, and Nocturnal is widely regarded as the album where the band truly hit their stride in terms of songwriting and production.
The sound of Nocturnal is defined by its seamless blend of melodic death metal and technical brutality. The album is fast, aggressive, and relentless, but it’s also filled with moments of melody and technical guitar work that set it apart from more straightforward death metal releases. The production, handled by Eric Rachel, is crisp and clear, allowing the intricate guitar work and rapid-fire drumming to shine through without losing any of the raw intensity.
Eschbach and Kempainen’s guitar work is the backbone of Nocturnal, combining melodic tremolo picking, harmonized leads, and punishing breakdowns. Tracks like ‘Everything Went Black’ and ‘What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse’ feature complex, technical riffing that alternates between fast-paced, melodic passages and heavier, groove-oriented sections.
Trevor Strnad’s vocal performance on Nocturnal is one of the standout elements of the album. His ability to switch between high-pitched shrieks and guttural growls adds a dynamic layer to the music. Lyrically, Strnad explores themes of horror, death, and darkness, matching the intensity of the music with vivid, macabre imagery.
Shannon Lucas’s drumming is fast, technical, and relentless, providing the foundation for the album’s intense pace. His use of blast beats, double bass, and intricate fills adds to the album’s sense of urgency, while his precision keeps the chaos under control. Tracks like ‘Deathmask Divine’ and ‘Climactic Degradation’ showcase Lucas’s technical skill and ability to maintain high-speed tempos without losing clarity.
Thematically, Nocturnal is steeped in the macabre, with lyrics that draw inspiration from horror fiction, death, and the supernatural. Trevor Strnad’s fascination with death metal’s traditional themes of darkness and horror is evident in every song, as he explores gruesome imagery and morbid narratives. The album’s title, Nocturnal, reflects its overall dark, ominous atmosphere, and the lyrics often feel like they are pulled from the pages of a gothic horror novel.
Songs like ‘What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse’ take inspiration from horror, using vivid imagery to paint a picture of supernatural events and creatures. This song, in particular, is a reference to the Castlevania video game series and its gothic horror themes, blending Strnad’s love for pop culture with the band’s penchant for the macabre.
Tracks like ‘Deathmask Divine’ and ‘To a Breathless Oblivion’ delve into themes of death, murder, and the afterlife, exploring the darker side of human nature and the inevitability of mortality. Strnad’s lyrics are filled with graphic, unsettling descriptions that enhance the album’s intense, horror-inspired atmosphere.
Strnad’s lyrical approach is often narrative, with songs telling stories of grim and grotesque events. His storytelling adds depth to the album’s overall theme of darkness and horror, turning each track into a mini horror vignette. For example, ‘Deathmask Divine’ is inspired by the real-life story of a man who preserved his lover’s corpse, adding a disturbing layer of storytelling to the album’s already chilling atmosphere.
Notable Tracks
‘Everything Went Black’: The album opener sets the tone for the entire record with its fast-paced, tremolo-picked riffing and Strnad’s piercing vocal attack. The song’s relentless energy and melodic hooks make it one of the most memorable tracks on Nocturnal.
‘What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse’: One of the band’s most iconic songs, this track blends melody and brutality perfectly. The intricate guitar work, driving rhythm, and Strnad’s dynamic vocal delivery make it a standout. The song’s title and lyrics also draw from gothic horror themes, particularly inspired by the Castlevania series.
‘Deathmask Divine’: This track exemplifies the band’s ability to blend melody with technicality. The lyrics, based on a disturbing true crime, add a chilling narrative to the already intense music. Lucas’s drumming and the harmonized guitar leads make this one of the most technical songs on the album.
‘Nocturnal’: The title track closes the album with a haunting, atmospheric intro that transitions into a full-on assault of fast drumming, melodic guitar lines, and Strnad’s varied vocal range. It’s a fitting conclusion that encapsulates the album’s themes of darkness and horror.
Nocturnal was met with widespread acclaim from both critics and fans upon its release, with many praising the album for its tight musicianship, precise production, and ability to balance melody with brutality. It has since become a defining release for The Black Dahlia Murder, often cited as one of the band’s best albums and a high point in modern melodic death metal.
The album’s influence can be seen in the work of many contemporary death metal and metalcore bands that followed, particularly in how Nocturnal bridges the gap between traditional death metal and more melodic, accessible forms of extreme music. Songs like ‘What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse’ have become staples of the band’s live performances and have cemented the album’s place as a modern classic in the genre.
Nocturnal is a high point in The Black Dahlia Murder’s discography and a standout album in the broader melodic death metal genre. Its blend of technical precision, melodic complexity, and brutal intensity showcases the band at their peak, with songs that are as memorable as they are relentless. The album’s dark themes, fast-paced guitar work, and powerful vocal performance make it a must-listen for fans of extreme metal.
For those seeking an album that balances aggression with melody and technicality, Nocturnal is a quintessential release that helped define modern death metal and remains a touchstone in the genre’s evolution.
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Everything Went Black
What a Terrible Night to Have a Curse
Virally Yours
I Worship Only What You Bleed
Nocturnal
Deathmask Divine
Of Darkness Spawned
Climactic Degradation
To A Breathless Oblivion
Warborn
