Considering the circumstances, it is a real shame that The Dogtooth Stage is less than half full for what should be an emotional return from one of the most beloved and consistent death metal bands of the New Millennium. That, though, is out of the control of The Black Dahlia Murder, and as a band that have faced far more adversity than a less-than full tent in the last few years, it clearly doesn’t faze them one iota.
Sprinting onstage and immediately bursting into the title track of 2020’s Verminous album, it immediately becomes clear that this new line up of TBDM are as tight, scabrous and savage as they have ever been. It’s also just as clear that, as small in number they may be, everyone in this tent absolutely adores this band, the circle pits, banging heads and roars of approval seeming far more intense than any other band have received this weekend. Settling in as his new role as frontman, former guitarist Brian Eschbach introduces the debut of new song Aftermath, which has the venomous, swerving death metal grooves of The Black Dahlia Murder at their absolute best.
