Miasma

Miasma is The Black Dahlia Murder's second album, on which they raised melodic death's lethality another notch while carrying over the debut's direction. Built on sharp guitar harmonies and furious rhythms, it concentrates songs full of edge and drive. It is the only album to feature drummer Zach Gibson and the last with bassist Dave Lock. Within a tight roughly-34-minute shape, it packs lean aggression into a dense record. It reached No. 118 on the US Billboard 200 and counts among their early standouts, with cover art using a photograph of downtown Las Vegas. From the incisive riff and guitar solo of "Statutory Ape" to the dramatic development of "A Vulgar Picture" and "Miasma," signature songs — each of which got a video — line up. Trevor Strnad skillfully alternates high screams and low growls, and the twin guitars of John Kempainen and Brian Eschbach keep drawing incisive melodies. Keeping the debut's momentum while further sharpening the band's musical core, it is an accomplished second album.