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.
Nocturnal
The Black Dahlia Murder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Clutching her carcass, a face frozen in time. A distorted dialect for the draining of veins to the flooding of bedsheets with sick crimson rain. A warped diction of scriptures befouled, traditions steeped within disgraces reviled.
Father, unholy one, to your night realm we bow. Nocturnal majesty, sworn to black we'll always be. Damnation's diction, a deadly disclosure, our poisons in their goblets drip.
(Oh how) How perfectly hideous, so eloquently scribed- each scripture so skillfully sick. Parchment scabbed over with plasmatic prose, prophesize permanent night. The words of sheer blackness paint ebony my soul and bestow me with infernal might.
[Solo]
By the light unspoken, this language of brutality. Enraptured I have become uhonly. Night's arms welcome me.
Nocturnal majesty, sworn to black we'll always be. Hatred and persistance, destined to see a complete eclipse of that hated sphere the sun
The lyrics of "Nocturnal" by The Black Dahlia Murder contain themes of darkness, morbidity, and evil. The first stanza describes a scene of bloodshed and worship of violent acts. The singer conveys a fascination with the sight of blood and the ritualistic nature of murder. He also alludes to the use of dead languages and distorted scriptures as a means of justifying or celebrating these acts. The second stanza continues this theme, with references to a twisted family relationship (addressing a "Father, unholy one") and a violent legacy passed down through generations. The final stanza suggests a powerful transformation, with the singer becoming "enraptured" by the language of brutality and embraced by the "arms" of the night.
Line by Line Meaning
Between the lines of dead language tongues, before the dawn our hearts they shall hunt.
We will hunt and kill before the sunrise using brutal methods described in ancient spiritual language.
The smell of blood excites the nostrils at first cut.
The scent of fresh blood is intoxicating and arousing to the senses.
The sanguinary worship of red spraying punctures a sight so divine.
The violent act of shedding blood is revered as a sacred ritual.
Clutching her carcass, a face frozen in time.
The artist describes holding onto the lifeless body of their victim, forever frozen in the moment of their death.
A distorted dialect for the draining of veins to the flooding of bedsheets with sick crimson rain.
The language used to describe the act of draining their victim's blood and staining the sheets is distorted and dark.
Father, unholy one, to your night realm we bow.
The singer praises a dark lord, giving allegiance to their nocturnal realm.
Nocturnal majesty, sworn to black we'll always be.
The singer pledges to always serve the cause of darkness, no matter what.
Damnation's diction, a deadly disclosure, our poisons in their goblets drip.
The language used to describe their dark deeds reveals their ultimate goal of causing destruction and poisoning those around them.
(Oh how) How perfectly hideous, so eloquently scribed- each scripture so skillfully sick.
The artist revels in the ugliness and brutality of their actions, seeing beauty in the way it is described.
Parchment scabbed over with plasmatic prose, prophesize permanent night.
Their dark writings depict a world of eternal darkness and chaos.
The words of sheer blackness paint ebony my soul and bestow me with infernal might.
Their words have the power to darken their soul and give them supernatural strength.
Hatred and persistence, destined to see a complete eclipse of that hated sphere the sun.
Their unrelenting hatred and perseverance will lead to the destruction of the sun and all it represents.
By the light unspoken, this language of brutality. Enraptured I have become only. Night's arms welcome me.
The singer is drawn in by the unspoken language of violence and brutality, finding comfort in the darkness.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRIAN GARRETT ESCHBACH, JOHN KEMPAINEN, RYAN WILLIAMS, SHANNON MICHAEL LUCAS, TREVOR SCOTT STRNAD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind