The Black Dahlia Murder will release its 10th studio album, “Servitude,” on Sept. 27, 2024, via Metal Blade Records. It is the band’s first record since the 2022 death of frontman and co-founder Trevor Strnad. Pre-order it here.
“Before the tragedy, no one ever thought this band was going to exist without Trevor,” co-founder Brian Eschbach said.
With Strnad’s passing, 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 past 20 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,” Eschbach said. “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.”
After a period of profound grief and deep soul-searching, Eschbach moved from guitar to vocals, setting aside his lifelong identity as a live guitarist for the survival of the band. Former band member Ryan Knight returned to the fold to take Eschbach’s place on guitar. The new lineup made its debut in the band’s hometown of Detroit in late October 2022 for a tribute show for Strnad.
“I just had to lean into it hard,” Eschbach said of approaching “Servitude” in a completely new role. “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.”
You can hear the results on “Aftermath,” the 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,” Eschbach said. “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.”
The members of The Black Dahlia Murder know that some will be skeptical of an album without Strnad. But many fans already have embraced the band’s decision to move forward.
“More than pressures or expectations from the fanbase, I feel their trust and support,” Ellis said. “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,” he added. “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!”
The guitars, bass, and vocals for “Servitude” were recorded at Ellis’s home studio in New Jersey. The drums were recorded by Mark Lewis in Nashville, Tennessee, where the album was mixed. “Servitude” was mastered by Ted Jensen.
“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)
“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
Tour dates:
6/14/2024 Z! Live Rock Fest – Zamora, ES
6/16/2024 Download Donington – Park, UK
6/17/2024 Limelight – Belfast, UK
6/18/2024 Opium – Dublin, IE
6/20/2024 Arch Club – Athens, GR
6/21/2024 Block 33 – Thessaloniki, GR
6/23/2024 Graspop – Dessel, BE
6/24/2024 Hirsch – Nuremberg, DE w/ Suffocation
6/25/2024 The Black Lab – Lille, FR w/ Suffocation
6/26/2024 Im Wizemann – Stuttgart, DE w/ Shadow Of Intent
6/27/2024 Mergener – Hof Trier, DE
6/28/2024 Club Vaudeville – Lindau, DE w/ Suffocation
6/29/2024 Jera On Air – Ysselsteyn, NL
6/30/2024 Hellfest – Clisson, FR
7/31/2024 Rockstadt Extreme Fest – Brasov, RO
8/02/2024 Dortmund Deathfest – Dortmund, DE
8/03/2024 Wacken Open Air – Wacken, DE
8/04/2024 Full Rewind – Roitzschjora, DE
8/06/2024 Lifestyle Café – Cham, DE
8/07/2024 Brutal Assault – Jaromer, CZ
8/08/2024 Party San Open Air – Schlotheim, DE
8/09/2024 Szene – Wien, AT
8/10/2024 Menza Pri Koritu – Ljubljana, SI
8/11/2024 Slaughter Club – Milano, IT
8/13/2024 Rockhouse – Salzburg, AT
8/14/2024 Kiff – Aarau, CH
8/15/2024 Summer Breeze – Dinkelsbuhl, DE
8/16/2024 Reload Festival – Sulingen, DE
8/17/2024 Chinasstraat – Gent, BE w/ Decapitated
8/18/2024 Motocultor – Carhaix, FR
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