The Black Dahlia Murder has unveiled details of their 10th album, “Servitude,” marking their first release since the heartbreaking death of frontman Trevor Strnad in 2022.
With founding guitarist Brian Eschbach stepping into the role of vocalist, the band is set to release “Servitude” on September 27 through Metal Blade Records. Brian expressed that the overwhelming response following Trevor’s passing highlighted the significance of the band’s music to many fans and underscored the importance of continuing in Trevor’s honor.
“We poured everything we had into this album, and it felt like the right one to make,” Brian shared. “I’m proud of it and proud of the five of us. While we can’t please everyone, I believe this music will be a healing and positive force for those who embrace it.”
The Black Dahlia Murder has also given fans a taste of this new chapter with the lead single “Aftermath.”
“We wanted ‘Aftermath’ to be heard first because it’s one of the fastest songs on the album, if not the fastest,” Brian revealed. “We aimed for that aggressive Black Dahlia melodic death metal feel. Lyrically, it’s about a meteor that devastates the planet, but some people survive. It’s like ‘The Walking Dead’ without zombies, focusing on how people cope. By the end, they’re eating each other.”
As promised, The Black Dahlia Murder returned to the concert stage on October 28, playing their first show since Trevor Strnad’s death earlier this year. Trevor passed away in May at the age of 41, and the band spent the following months contemplating the best way to honor their late frontman.
In September, the band announced a memorial show at Detroit’s St. Andrew’s Hall, with co-founding guitarist Brian Eschbach taking on the role of frontman and guitarist Bryan Knight rejoining the group to handle guitar duties.
“We spent many days wondering, ‘Is this the end?’ None of us wanted it to be over. We still feel there’s a lot left to do,” Eschbach told Decibel earlier this year. “I know Trevor would keep this band going if I went down a dark path and weren’t here. It’s bigger than us.”
“When we finally started discussing it, we thought, ‘Let’s rebuild from within and see if Ryan wants to return. I’ll give the vocals a shot and see how it goes.’ I can’t replicate Trevor’s voice or try to be him. I can only perform The Black Dahlia Murder’s music with respect and do it justice. I’ve heard Trevor perform more than anyone else alive,” he added.
According to Setlist.fm, The Black Dahlia Murder played a 15-song set during their return to the stage. Fan-shot footage of the entire show is available online.
The Black Dahlia Murder’s setlist at Detroit’s St. Andrew’s Hall on October 28, 2022, included:
1. “A Shrine to Madness”
2. “Verminous”
3. “Nightbringers”
4. “Miasma”
5. “Kings of the Nightworld”
6. “Sunless Empire”
7. “Statutory Ape”
8. “On Stirring Seas of Salted Blood”
9. “Child of Night”
10. “Everything Went Black”
11. “Unhallowed”
12. “Funeral Thirst”
13. “What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse”
14. “I Will Return”
15. “Deathmask Divine”
