On September 27th, 2024, the melodic death metal band The Black Dahlia Murder released their tenth studio album, Servitude.When original lead vocalist and frontman Trevor Strnad’s death was announced in 2022, many fans were left curious amidst their grief, wondering if the band would break up or keep going in Strnad’s name. In the following months, the metal community anxiously awaited an announcement regarding the future of the group.
After a few months of waiting, the band announced that Brian Eschbach would be stepping up as the new vocalist, while ex-guitarist Ryan Knight returned on rhythm guitar. In November ‘23, the band began recording Servitude. As with all bands that undergo vocalist changes, many fans, whether they were frequent posters on r/TheBlackDahliaMurder or just casuals, wondered if the new lineup was going to be good without Strnad’s presence. Thankfully, when TBDM released the lead single from the upcoming album, “Aftermath”, we could rest easy knowing one of the preeminent outfits of the melodic death metal scene wouldn’t suffer the same fate as Alice in Chains.
When Servitude finally released, it was a showcase of The Black Dahlia Murder at the top of their game. Coming in with a new lineup, the band had something to prove to the metal community, and that becomes clearer the further you get into the tracklist. Between the classic melodic riffage TBDM is known for and Eschbach’s new feral vocals, it’s never been a better time to call yourself a fan.
Standout tracks like “Servitude”, “Mammoth’s Hand”, and “Cursed Creator” are reminiscent of old TBDM, while still showing the band’s evolution over the decades they’ve been active in the scene. Eschbach’s grimdark-esque lyrics (somewhat of a departure from Strnad’s demonic lyrical tendencies) perfectly align with the band’s ferocious instrumentals, reminding us that The Black Dahlia Murder never left. While not going more than 5 years without releasing an album, the boys have never disappointed longtime fans of the genre, a trend that continues with the release of this album.
The album opens with “Evening Ephemeral.” After the first 45 seconds of ocean sounds, a reference to the cover of the album displaying legions of ships and beasts entering a hole to the world down below through the sea, the band whips into shape to deliver a downtuned assault that feels familiar to fans and electrifying to newcomers of the genre.
The chugging riffs and unrelenting blast beats come to life more than ever before on a Dahlia record, and it’s clear that the driving force behind the greatness of this album comes from a collective effort to do Strnad’s memory justice. The band gives the listener room to breathe with the Opeth-esque acoustic track “An Intermission,” but quickly goes back to rocking out with “Asserting Dominion.”
For those who said that Eschbach and Knight wouldn’t be able to deliver, I hope they’re sitting in their chairs blown away by the release of Servitude. While shifting members around in a band is common in the metal scene, it’s been hard for bands to come back after the passing of a core member, as bands like Acid Bath are just now reuniting from a 20-plus year hiatus. However, for fans like myself that supported the band in their decision to continue despite Strnad’s absence, I feel nothing but gratitude for the members of The Black Dahlia Murder who carry on the legacy of one of melodic death metal’s greatest vocalists.
Since 2003’s Unhallowed, The Black Dahlia Murder has proven time and time again that they’re one of, if not the best, American melodic death metal bands of all time. Across their career, they’ve shared stages with the likes of Cryptopsy, Born of Osiris, Whitechapel, and Children of Bodom, so if you’re into metal, it’s unlikely this is the last time you’ll hear about The Black Dahlia Murder.
Don’t believe me? Take a listen to Servitude for yourself. Even for people who aren’t normally fans of heavy music, you have to at least appreciate the musicality across the album’s 10 engaging tracks. The Black Dahlia murder is currently on tour with Dying Fetus (I know, right?), and if this is your scene, then I definitely recommend stopping by a show as their current tour wraps up and checking them out. So you don’t go to the show not knowing any new material, take a listen to Servitude here, or wherever you get your music: