Nocturnal

Nocturnal is The Black Dahlia Murder's third album and a leap forward, often cited as their masterpiece. To the previous albums' rawness it adds more refined construction and unsettling melody, sharply honing melodic death's violence. With drummer Shannon Lucas and bassist Bart Williams, it is also the last album with guitarist John Kempainen. The cover, by Kristian Wåhlin (Necrolord), visually underscores a world steeped in darkness. "What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse" is a signature song whose title comes from a line in the video game Castlevania II. From the drive of the opener "Everything Went Black" to the drama of "Deathmask Divine" and the ferocity of "I Worship Only What You Bleed," distinct songs continue. Strnad's expressive roars and Kempainen's dizzying guitar solos act as one, lifting the band's constructive power to a new height. It remains highly regarded as a classic representative of the genre.