THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER

Country: United States
Genre: MELODIC DEATH METAL

Is there any extreme music fan who doesn't know the melodic death metallers THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER?

One of the most active bands on the scene, named after one of the most notorious unsolved murders, when in 1947 the dismembered body of twenty-two-year-old waitress Elizabeth Short still hasn't found its justice, released the album Verminous in the days before metal, which they haven't managed to present in Europe yet. And when that moment was about to come, with guitarist Brian the only original member, singer Trevor Strnad, took his own life in 2022.

Was the end to come? No one wanted THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER to end. Besides, Trevor would have definitely kept the band going under similar circumstances, so TBDM decided to carry on.

However, replacing Trevor, one of the most respected and immersed in music and underground personalities, who was also known for his collecting and devotion to music, was a tall order. The Americans, however, resolved the situation in a truly philistine manner. Founding member Brian Eschbach put down his guitar and took on the role of vocalist, and guitarist Ryan Knight returned to THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER.

Eschbach told Decibel magazine about THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER's decision to move forward: "I can't go out there and do Trevor's voice or try to be him. I can only execute the music of THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER with respect and try to do it the most justice I can. I've heard Trevor perform more than anyone else alive."

Verminous, which is their ninth album since 2001, Trevor said at the time of its release that it "is their most dynamic, compelling and emotional outing yet, without these qualities in any way compromising the band's typical character." And we have to agree with his opinion, for this is TBDM's biggest evolutionary step between the two albums. Indeed, this is a very colorful and moody album that experiments with new sounds and ideas, but doesn't lose its punch, retaining its melodicism (based on Swedish bands and Heartwork-era Carcass) and thoughtful songwriting that harkens back to more progressive directions.

Verminous is, in short, a living, breathing and ferocious entity that not only holds THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER in well-deserved respect, but certainly pushes them further as musicians and an ensemble and opens up new horizons.