The Black Dahlia Murder

Carrion Vael – Slay Utterly Review

By Grin Reaper on January 15, 2026 in Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 65 comments

“Carrion Vael has cultivated an admirably consistent release schedule since dropping Resurrection of the Doomed in 2017. After unleashing follow-up God Killer in 2020, the Richmond, Indiana quintet has delivered big, veiny doses of muscular, technical melodeath every other year. Slay Utterly is Carrion Vael’s fifth load of unfettered aggression, slinging riffs that sparkle and crush in whiplashing frenzies. Though not explicitly billed as a concept album, Slay Utterly delves into tales morbid and macabre.” Carrion, my wayward son.

Burned in Effigy – Tyrannus Aeternum Review

By ClarkKent on November 11, 2025 in Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Neo-Classical Metal, 20 comments

“On their debut, Rex Mortem, the king was dead, but on Burned in Effigy’s sophomore effort, Tyrannus Aeternum, the king is now eternal. Their brand of neo-classical melodeath impressed Holdeneye three years ago—he hailed the debut as a mix of “brutal and beautiful.” However, he showed a rare moment of restraint in scoring Rex Mortem just shy of the vaunted 4.0, and plenty of commenters felt it should have earned that extra notch. Melodeath acts are a dime a dozen, and they don’t always successfully elevate themselves above the generic. So when Burned in Effigy infused their songs with virtuoso-level guitar melodies that emulated classical compositions, they quickly rose above the pack.” Burning up the rankings.

Wretched – Decay Review

By Dear Hollow on October 21, 2025 in Reviews, Deathcore, Melodic Death Metal, 19 comments

“Wretched has always been a strange beast, incorporating the heft of deathcore with the technicality and atmosphere of more progressive acts. While breakout album (and my introduction to the band) Beyond the Gate was an elegantly elegiac deathcore album, swaying between the patient sprawls of “Birthing Sloth” and the bouncy chugs of “My Carrion,” follow-ups Sons of Perdition and Cannibal reflected the changing of the guard at vocals, as Glass Casket frontman Adam Cody injected an unhinged frenetic energy that had the band flirting with grind and thrash. Decay is an important album, released eleven years after its predecessor and existing as a return to form for a band that never had a slump.” Time, decay, and wretchedness.

Vittra – Intense Indifference Review

By Angry Metal Guy on September 19, 2025 in Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 98 comments

“Two months ago, I saw a post on social media announcing Vittra’s sophomore album, Intense Indifference. The name struck me as funny. “A bit like a Radical Neutrality Party or my side-project Exaggerated Understatement,” I quipped quippily while jonesing for that hot rush of dopamine that comes along with them sweet, sweet likes. But once my fix was had, I hastily forgot about them.” Like me and your mom.

Visions Unseen – Echoes Through Time Review

By Killjoy on August 21, 2025 in Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 12 comments

“Visions Unseen resides somewhere between technical and melodic death metal without feeling fully like either. Guitarist Rémi Legresley, who creatively spearheads the group, plays vaguely neoclassical leads and solos, though you won’t hear much of the hyperactive shredding commonly found in modern tech death.” Time and tech.

Eschaton – Techtalitarian Review

By Thus Spoke on June 3, 2025 in Reviews, Death Metal, Deathcore, Technical Death Metal, 25 comments

“Imagine you are trying to get your friend into a genre of music you love. Perhaps that genre has some unfortunate tropes that even an untrained ear can discern as all instances being relegated to the denigrated status of the lowest common denominator. You know first impressions are crucial, and thus desperately want theirs to be of music that goes beyond those trappings so your friend can share your joy. Let’s say that genre is tech-death, and the album that your friend first comes across in their journey Eschaton’s third, Techtalitarian. The band’s discography heretofore has been solid, but unremarkable, and given a prior emphasis on something closer to deathcore, you feel justified unease.” Friends, enemies, wankcore.

Shrine of Denial – I, Moloch Review

By Thus Spoke on March 3, 2025 in Reviews, Black Metal, Blackened Death Metal, Death Metal, 32 comments

“I’m starting to think there might be something in the water over in Turkey. Not two full years after Serpent of Old and their phenomenal debut Ensemble Under the Dark Sun blew my tiny mind, Shrine of Denial threaten to do the same. Sharing a home country and a label and implying a similar sound to Serpent of Old in their one-sheet, it was easy to go in expecting a carbon-copy of the former. While certain quirks suggest the idea of a native style, Shrine of Denial have more than enough personality of their own, forming I, Moloch with blackened death metal channeled through a sound that feels as old and trve as it does fresh and unique.” Denial fiends.

AMG Goes Ranking – Whitechapel

By Dear Hollow on February 28, 2025 in AMG Rankings, Deathcore, Metalcore, 147 comments

Some of the AMG staff go ranking in Whitechapel. Arrest them.

Heavy Moves Heavy 2024 – AMG’s Ultimate Workout Playlist

By Ferox on January 14, 2025 in Blog Posts, 101 comments

“Before I was press-ganged into the Skull Pit, I, Ferox, began curating an exercise playlist named Heavy Moves Heavy. For a decade, I alone reaped the benefits of this creation–many were the hours spent preening aboard my Squat Yacht, mixing oils so that I could marvel at the glistening gainz unlocked by the List. My indentured servitude is your good fortune, because a new and improved version of the Heavy Moves Heavy playlist is now available to all readers of AMG in good standing.”