The Black Dahlia Murder To Release 10th Studio Album and More
Photo Credit: Marshall Wieczorek
THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER will release their tenth studio album, Servitude, on September 27th via Metal Blade Records as well as a tour around Europe.
“Before the tragedy, no one ever thought this band was going to exist without Trevor.”
THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER’s co-founder Brian Eschbach talking about the tragic passing of the band’s frontman and co-founder Trevor Strnad in 2022, Eschbach, bassist Max Lavelle, drummer Alan Cassidy, and producer/guitarist Brandon Ellis were faced with a decision: Close the door on one of the most beloved death metal bands of the last twenty years, or carry on in their fallen brother’s charismatic spirit?
“Everyone that’s in the band now is someone that Trevor and I searched for. We spent so much time on the road together that everyone understands the mission statement. We don’t really need to talk about it. We just need to make great music and try to make people happy playing it.”
- Eschbach says
After a period of profound grief Eschbach moved from guitar to vocals, setting aside his lifelong identity as a live guitarist for the survival of the band. Former THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER member Ryan Knight returned to the fold to take Eschbach’s place on guitar. The new lineup made their debut in the band's hometown of Detroit in late October 2022 for a tribute show for Strnad.
Fast forward to right about now: THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER’s new album is the one that many would have thought impossible. Servitude marks Eschbach’s recorded debut as THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER’s lead vocalist and lyricist — and their first with Knight on guitar since 2015’s Abysmal.
“I just had to lean into it hard. Honestly, writing the lyrics for this album was easier for me than writing the music for the three songs that I wrote music for. I’d pick a subject, research it, and just kinda dive in. Even though it’s not something I’d really ever done before, there was a natural flow to it once I started.”
- Eschbach says of approaching Servitude in a completely new role
You can hear the results on “Aftermath,” the heavy lead single, which envisions a post-apocalyptic cannibal scenario.
“We wanted that one to be heard first because it’s one of the faster songs on the album, if not the fastest. We wanted that very aggressive BLACK DAHLIA melodic death metal feel coming right at you. Lyrically, it’s about a meteor that fucks up the whole planet, but there’s still people living. Kind of like The Walking Dead, but with no zombies — so you get right to how people deal with it. And by the end, they’re eating each other.”
- Eschbach says
The members of THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER know that some will be skeptical of an album without Trevor’s inimitable presence. But many fans have already embraced the band’s decision to move forward.
“More than pressures or expectations from the fanbase, I feel their trust and support. We've always done what we do for them, and they've appreciated our consistency over the years. The global outcry following Trevor's passing has shown us how important the band's music has been to so many people, and how important it is that we continue in his honor. Under all that weight, I think we all knew what needed to be done.
“We put in everything we had, and this is the album that felt right to make. I'm proud of it and proud of the five of us. You can never please everybody, but I know that this music will be a healing and positive force for those who embrace it!”
- Ellis says
The guitars, bass, and vocals for Servitude were recorded at Ellis’ home studio in New Jersey. The drums were recorded by Mark Lewis in Nashville, Tennessee where the album was also mixed. Servitude was mastered by Ted Jensen making this album a beautiful puzzle solved piece by piece, song by song.
Servitude will be released on digipak CD, cassette, and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants and special editions
180g Black (US/EU)
Electromagnetic (US)
Rising Smoke (US)
Transcosmic Blue (US)
Endless Tide (US)
Utopian Black (US)
Cursed Creation (US – Exclusive Band Tour Variant)
Limited Edition Box Set w/ Ephemeral Vinyl Variant + Bonus LP That Includes 3 Live Tracks (US - Ltd. 400 / EU - Ltd. 600)
Bloody Pulp (EU – Ltd. 1000)
Nature's Grain (Impericon Exclusive – Ltd. 300)
Blood Spray (EMP Exclusive – Ltd. 200)
Stone Cold (EU – Ltd. 200)
Lost Nobility (UK – Ltd. 300)
Find preorders atmetalblade.com/tbdm.
Servitude Track Listing:
1. Evening Ephemeral
2. Panic Hysteric
3. Aftermath
4. Cursed Creator
5. An Intermission
6. Asserting Dominion
7. Servitude
8. Mammoth's Hand
9. Transcosmic Blueprint
10. Utopia Black
In addition to the new album the band is concurring Europe with a full tour with support from Suffocation, Shadow Of Intent, and Decapitated.
