Out of the nine studio albums they have released to date, the last eight have charted on the U.S. Billboard 200, with their fifth album Ritual peaking at No. 31 in 2011, marking them as one of the most popular contemporary American extreme metal bands. Their ninth and latest album Verminous was released on April 17, 2020.
Current Line-Up:
Brian Eschbach – lead vocals (2022–present), rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2001–2022)
Ryan Knight – rhythm guitar (2022–present), lead guitar (2009–2016)
Max Lavelle – bass (2012–present)
Alan Cassidy – drums (2012–present)
Brandon Ellis – lead guitar, backing vocals (2016–present)
The Black Dahlia Murder began its inception during late 2000 and gained the final band lineup in January 2001. The group released their demo entitled "What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse", and a four-track EP, "A Cold-Blooded Epitaph", the latter of which the group released on Lovelost Records. After appearing in concerts such as the Milwaukee Metal Fest, The Black Dahlia Murder signed to Metal Blade Records in 2003.
Bassist Ryan "Bart" Williams left his former band, Detroit's Today I Wait, to tour with the Black Dahlia Murder. After touring with the band on their co-headlining gig with Throwdown and their European dates with Liar, he joined the group full-time, replacing former bassist David Lock. Frontman Trevor Strnad said that Lock was fired for incompetency. Williams was one of two engineers (the other being Walls of Jericho's Mike Hasty) on the band's first full-length album, "Unhallowed". The band then went on a tour in late 2004 supporting Unearth alongside with Terror and Remembering Never throughout the United States.
The band's second album "Miasma" was released on July 12, 2005, and peaked at No. 118 on the Billboard 200. After touring for "Miasma", drummer Zach Gibson left the band along with Pierre Langlois. While Gibson went on to join Abigail Williams, Langlois left the band for a more secure lifestyle, and the band finished their search for a replacement drummer when they found former All That Remains drummer, Shannon Lucas.
Their third album, entitled "Nocturnal", was released on September 18, 2007. The album debuted at No. 72 on the Billboard 200. Their longtime lead guitarist, John Kempainen left the band and was replaced by Ryan Knight during the beginning of 2009. In May 2009, The Black Dahlia Murder released their first DVD, "Majesty". The DVD contains a documentary and live footage from the Summer Slaughter tour and their tour supporting Children of Bodom in late 2008. The DVD also contains all of their music videos and behind the scenes footage.
The Black Dahlia Murder released Deflorate on September 15, 2009, via Metal Blade Records. The album sold 12,000 copies in the United States in the first week of the release, debuted at position No. 43 Billboard's Top 200 charts, No. 5 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart, No. 4 on Billboard's Top Hard Music Albums chart, and No. 50 on HITS Top 50 Albums chart. They toured with Children of Bodom and Skeletonwitch in support of the album. After their 2010 headlining tour with Goatwhore and Arkaik, the band began writing and recording their next full-length album.
In February 2011, The Black Dahlia Murder completed the songwriting process for their fifth studio album, entitled "Ritual". It was released on June 21, 2011, in North America.
In April 2012 during the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival on the first night performance, Trevor Strnad officially welcomed new bassist Max Lavelle into the band after former bassist Ryan Williams parted ways. On November 7, Shannon Lucas announced via a YouTube video that he would be stepping down as drummer of The Black Dahlia Murder to pursue other aspirations. Alan Cassidy of Abigail Williams filled in for Shannon's touring duties.
In early 2013, despite the news of the departure of two band members (drummer Shannon Lucas and bassist Bart Williams), plans were announced for an upcoming album release, to be entitled "Everblack". Tentative plans estimated its release to be early summer 2013; likely June. On April 10, 2013, the iTunes Store was updated with official release and availability information, including cover art, a full track listing, and an official U.S. release date of June 11, 2013. The album has 10 tracks in total. On the same day, the band's first single from "Everblack" was made available for purchase and download, titled "Into The Everblack". The album itself was then released on June 11 and peaked at No. 32 on the U.S. Billboard 200.
On November 28, 2014, The Black Dahlia Murder released a 7" EP titled Grind 'Em All featuring 3 short grindcore covers of punk rock songs: a cover of "Ripped Up" by Left for Dead, of "Rebel Without a Car" by Sedition and of "Populous" by Gyga. The covers were originally recorded almost 10 years earlier during the era of "Miasma". The EP was released as part of Record Store Day's Black Friday event via A389 Recordings (rather than the band's label, Metal Blade Records), made available for purchase on the band's online merchandise store and also streamed in its entirety via Exclaim!. The album art for Grind 'Em All was designed by Szymon Siech.
Lead guitarist Ryan Knight confirmed in early 2015 that the band will deliver a seventh studio release that year, followed by extensive touring, and that he is planning to start working on a solo album afterwards. Vocalist Trevor Strnad stated that the band's new album, titled "Abysmal", will be "more raw and natural sounding" and feature "more dynamic and developed songs" than their previous work. "Vlad, Son of the Dragon", the first song from the album, was released online on June 24, followed by "Receipt" on July 22 and "Threat Level No. 3" on August 19. "Abysmal" was produced by Mark Lewis and Ryan Williams and released worldwide through Metal Blade on September 18.In early February 2016, it was announced that Knight had left the band. He was replaced on lead guitar by Brandon Ellis of Arsis.
The band's 8th album "Nightbringers" was released on October 6, 2017, to critical and commercial acclaim, charting at 35 on the Billboard 200.
The Black Dahlia Murder released their ninth studio album, "Verminous", on April 17, 2020.
On May 11, 2022, it was announced that the band's frontman Trevor Strnad had died. While no official cause of death has been given, the phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline was provided at the end of the statement.
On September 14, 2022, The Black Dahlia Murder announced a tribute concert taking place for Trevor Strnad on October 28 at Saint Andrew's Hall in Detroit, Michigan, supported by Darkest Hour and Plague Years. It was also announced that Brian Eschbach will be stepping down from guitar and taking over as lead vocalist as he states in an interview with Decibel Magazine; "I know Trevor would keep this band going if I went down a deep, dark path and weren’t here.". In Brian's place, Ryan Knight will be returning to the band as the rhythm guitarist.
Apex
The Black Dahlia Murder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In shallow graves the shreds of flesh dissolve with time
The stench of burning human flesh, a makeshift cremation
A shriveling fragment of death's grand design
I insist -- the pleasure's all mine
With orgasmic bliss the human body is consumed
With zeal I dine upon the skin, enthralled with elation
Souls of my victims within me, entombed
Palette wet with atrocity
I relish the last look in your eyes
Clutching your intestines, your scream echoes through me
Perfection; a murder divine
I hold the secrets of the dead within my grasp
As I poke and prod, your precious world is painted black I the controlled of
Your fate, a twisted creation
Until I've met my fancy I'll hammer and hack
Palette wet with atrocity
I relish the last look in your eyes
As I'm blissfully showered in blood
I shake with violent rapture as I gaze at my delicious feast
I cannot stop my salivation
My addiction to murder has peaked
Kneel only to my sick fixations
A complete symphony of your screams
Oh the cruelty of death!
I wield infinite
Lured by the cries of your damnation
I collect ornaments of the dead
Skin tingling with anticipation
I sever the last victim's head to be put on display
This mortal coil has born unto me death's secrets
This forensic inquisition, orgasmic
Another trophy of my bloodied psychosis
Another body to mangle; to ravage and explore
Palette wet with atrocity
I relish the last look in your eyes
Clutching your intestines, your scream echoes through me
Perfection; a murder divine..
The lyrics to "Apex" by The Black Dahlia Murder describe the gruesome and sadistic acts of a serial killer who revels in the pain and suffering of his victims. The first stanza talks about how he disposes of the bodies, burying them in shallow graves with heaps of lime, and burning them to ashes. The killer takes pleasure in his actions, relishing in the "orgasmic bliss" that comes with consuming human flesh. He even goes as far as to say that he can feel the souls of his victims within him, entombed.
The second stanza describes how the killer enjoys the act of taking a life. He describes it as a "murder divine," relishing in the power he holds over his victims. He takes pleasure in their screams and savors the moment before he takes their lives. The killer fancies himself a creator, in control of his victim's fates until he's satisfied with his handiwork. The chorus repeats the line "palette wet with atrocity," emphasizing the killer's enjoyment of the act of murder.
Overall, the lyrics to "Apex" are a chilling and graphic portrayal of a serial killer's mind. It's a disturbing glimpse into the twisted mind of someone who takes pleasure in inflicting pain and suffering on others. The song is a reminder that evil can exist in the real world and that we must do everything we can to stop it.
Line by Line Meaning
Bury them all beneath heaping shovel fulls of lime
I dispose of the bodies by digging shallow graves and burying them under heaps of lime.
In shallow graves the shreds of flesh dissolve with time
The flesh of the victims dissolves over time in the shallow graves where I bury them.
The stench of burning human flesh, a makeshift cremation
I burn the flesh of my victims in a makeshift cremation process, which creates a foul odor.
A shriveling fragment of death's grand design
What I do is just a small part of the larger design of death.
I insist -- the pleasure's all mine
I take pleasure in committing these atrocities and insist on doing so.
With orgasmic bliss the human body is consumed
I experience a sense of orgasmic bliss as I consume the human body.
The loins are charred, the slabs of mean cut off and ground
I burn the genitals and cut off slabs of meat and grind them up for consumption.
With zeal I dine upon the skin, enthralled with elation
I am enthusiastic about dining on the skin of my victims and am thrilled to do so.
Souls of my victims within me, entombed
I carry the souls of my victims within me and keep them entombed.
Palette wet with atrocity
My paintbrush is wet with the atrocity of my actions.
I relish the last look in your eyes
I enjoy seeing the look in my victim's eyes before they die.
Clutching your intestines, your scream echoes through me
I feel your scream echo through me as I hold your intestines.
Perfection; a murder divine
My murders are perfect and divine in my mind.
I hold the secrets of the dead within my grasp
I hold the secrets of the dead in my hands as I dissect them.
As I poke and prod, your precious world is painted black I the controlled of
As I manipulate your body, your world becomes darker and I am in control.
Your fate, a twisted creation
I create a twisted fate for my victims.
Until I've met my fancy I'll hammer and hack
I will continue killing and mutilating until I am satisfied.
As I'm blissfully showered in blood
I find joy and pleasure in being covered in my victim's blood.
I shake with violent rapture as I gaze at my delicious feast
I tremble with excitement as I look at my gruesome meal.
I cannot stop my salivation
I can't help but salivate as I prepare to consume my victim's flesh.
My addiction to murder has peaked
My obsession with murdering has reached its pinnacle.
Kneel only to my sick fixations
I demand that others submit to my twisted desires.
A complete symphony of your screams
The screams of my victims are like music to me.
Oh the cruelty of death!
Death can be cruel and I revel in that cruelty.
I wield infinite
I have unlimited power and control over my victims.
Lured by the cries of your damnation
I am attracted to the cries of my victims as they suffer.
I collect ornaments of the dead
I collect 'ornaments' made from the body parts of my victims.
Skin tingling with anticipation
I am feeling excited as I anticipate killing again.
I sever the last victim's head to be put on display
I cut off the head of my last victim so that I can display it as a trophy.
This mortal coil has born unto me death's secrets
I have learned the secrets of death through my actions.
This forensic inquisition, orgasmic
My forensic investigation is like an orgasm to me.
Another trophy of my bloodied psychosis
I see my victims as trophies and my obsession with killing is a sign of my psychosis.
Another body to mangle; to ravage and explore
I am ready to mutilate and explore another body.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRIAN ESCHBACH, CORY GRADY, DAVID LOCK, JOHN KEMPAINEN, TREVOR STRNAD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind