Dealing with the loss of a close personal friend is, for anyone, a traumatic experience. For Brian Eschbach, Max Lavelle, Alan Cassidy, and Brandon Ellis of The Black Dahlia Murder, however, the tragic death of Trevor Strnad in 2022 was not only traumatic, but it also led to significant soul searching. Faced with the choice of shelving a band that meant a great deal; not only to Trevor and the remaining members, but also to the fans; or continuing down the dark path that they started together; honouring Trevor’s legacy along the way; they decided to continue. It is hard to imagine, as a bystander, the weight of that decision, but it’s possible to argue that they made the right one, maintaining TBM as a living monument to Trevor’s memory.
With Brian taking over vocal duties, Ryan Knight, the band’s lead guitarist from 2009 – 2016, returned on both rhythm guitar and backing vocals to help steady the ship before they entered the studio in late 2023 to begin tracking Servitude, their tenth studio album.
The album opens on an unexpected note, the sound of the sea lapping gently at the shore as a simple motif rings out. Of course, this being The Black Dahlia Murder, it is but a moment’s calm before the storm and, as Evening Ephemeral devolves into a maelstrom of churning riffs before our very eyes, we can feel the band’s raging sense of purpose through every stabbing riff. With Brian doing a solid job behind the mic, the band deliver a multifaceted performance that sets a strong precedent for the album that follows. Offering no similar prelude, Panic Hysteric simply explodes in the listener’s face as Alan Cassidy works his way around his dizzying array of cymbals, creating a propulsive rhythmic backdrop for the song. Somewhat astoundingly, third track Aftermath ups the ante in almost every conceivable way. Harder, faster, and generally nastier, it has a feral punk edge amidst the seething metal riffs that sets the blood racing through the veins. However, despite the ferocity of the delivery, it’s no one-dimensional slog, and the band add both a mid-tempo breakdown and a soaring lead break to the mix, keeping things interesting throughout. In contrast, the churning groove of Cursed Creator simply gets the head swinging with no regard for the unfortunate listener’s neck muscles, Ryan and Brandon gelling perfectly on guitar. The first half concludes with the aptly titled An Intermission – a short, beautifully played piece of music that demonstrates the ability that lies at the core of the band without being flashy. It’s simply a lovely piece of music providing a moment’s respite from the chaos that surrounds it.
Opening the second half, Asserting Dominion segues from An Intermission at a furious pace. Single-minded in its intent, it achieves the stated purpose of its title with devastating efficiency. The album’s title track is up next, and it’s every bit as frantic as you might hope, the band merging fierce technicality with emotion to create an extreme metal anthem of genuine depth. The band slow the pace with the surging, yet doom-laden Mammoth’s Hand, one of the album’s weightiest tracks and another showcase for Alan’s exceptional work behind the kit. Its followed by Transcosmic Blueprint, a masterclass in melodic death metal, offering some of the album’s most impressive lead breaks, before Utopia Black brings the record to its close. Another piece that neatly shifts gears between mid-tempo groove and death metal monster, it brings this immensely satisfying album to an impressive close.
The Black Dahlia Murder are a rightly revered name in the death metal firmament and their return after so significant a bereavement is an emotional one. Clearly the band wanted to land with all guns blazing and, on Servitude, they have absolutely succeeded. With impressive performances across the board, weighty production, and memorable songs, the album stands both as a fitting testament to the band’s fallen brother and a fitting gateway to the future. Long may they reign. 9/10
