The problem of dropping a record as career-defining as 2013's Everblack is that the bar is set so high following it up is a galling task. That The Black Dahlia Murder's response to such a challenge comes in the form of the devastating Abysmal serves to once again demonstrate why they are considered one of the most vital bands in contemporary death metal. "Once the record started to come together we knew it was going to be something special," states vocalist Trevor Strnad. "It's more urgent, it has more dynamics, it's a more emotive record, and it has a more raw, angry sound to it. It's still million mile-per-hour death metal, but when you invest so much thought and emotion into what you're creating you end up with a record that does stand out, and we can hold our heads up high and say yeah, this is our best work."
