Few bands in death metal have built a legacy as enduring as The Black Dahlia Murder. Through lineup changes, triumphs, and tragedies, they’ve remained a pillar of the genre. But what was the most rewarding moment in their career?
For guitarist-turned-vocalist Brian Eschbach, one era stands out. Speaking with Full Metal Jackiehe reflected on the band’s history, the transition to fronting the group, and the reception of their latest album, Servitude.
While proud of the band’s entire catalog, Eschbach pointed to 2007’s Nocturnal as a particularly special time. “We’re super proud of everything that we’ve ever put out. But I have to say, a moment or a period in time that was just super special was putting out our third album, Nocturnal, and the way that album was embraced by the metal community. It’s still mind blowing,” he shared (as transcribed by Loudwire).
“We were young kids that just wanted to write songs and be able to play them for people that are interested. That was kind of a turning point for the band when Nocturnal came out because of its huge success. It just put us out there in the world in a way that we had never really imagined we could be. I think I was 25 when that album came out. Your mid-20s are already kind of like a special time. You’re saying goodbye to your youth, pretty much. We were friends out there, just doing it, living a dream,” he recalled.
Now, nearly two decades later, The Black Dahlia Murder are moving forward with Servitude, their first album since the passing of Trevor Strnad. Eschbach, who stepped into the vocalist role, has been humbled by the response. “We’re just thankful. We were gonna keep on doing what we do no matter what. But it’s been awesome to have people embrace the album the way they have, and really cool.”
Adapting to his new role hasn’t been without its challenges. Though he previously handled backing vocals, leading the band from the front is a different experience, especially when it comes to the lyrics department. “Trevor and I had rapped about song ideas before in the past a lot of times, but I’d never actually written a collection of full songs before,” Eschbach explained. While his lyrical approach remains unchanged, he’s embracing the creative process. “Lyric wise, I don’t know that I’ll do anything differently. As time goes on, I’ll just kind of run with my perspective on topics, but I’m excited to see what pans out in the future.”
“A lot of times I’ll just hear a collection of music or riffs or a song and almost immediately have a feeling of something like this would be cool if this is about this, or this sounds like a row in a boat song, stuff like that. So I don’t know where it’ll go, but I’m looking forward to all of it,” he added.
While he was no stranger to engaging with crowds as a guitarist, leading the band from center stage required a new level of presence. “As someone who’s always enjoyed going to live shows sometimes more than listening to certain records, I’d say there’s tons of vocalists that I love and especially Trevor, that formulate this idea in my mind of what a frontperson should be,” he explained. Even after performing over 100 shows in his new role, he continues refining his approach. “There’s aspects of it that are new, and even now, after having done over 100 shows, there’s things I like to tighten up as far as addressing the crowd and interacting with them, but I feel confident and positive about it so far.”
One unexpected influence on Servitude was none other than Frank Sinatra. The track Panic Hysteric was inspired by Sinatra’s disdain for rock and roll. ” I’ve kind of always been the basic white bitch when it comes to Frank Sinatra. I dig the dude’s voice and music, but I was just sitting and kind of reading excerpts from an interview, and the stuff he had to say about rock and roll when it was kind of the newer thing. It just made me think of his disdain for it. It made me think of the religious reaction to rock and roll throughout the years, whether it be rock and roll or the satanic panic of the 80s,” Eschbach said. This is kind of funny to me, so it seemed like something to pursue.”
A key factor in the band’s ability to continue was the return of Ryan Knight. I feel good about the future. If Ryan wasn’t going to come back, there’s no way I could play guitar and sing. I don’t have that in me. It’s just a little too much multitasking. But when we were talking about it, we all knew right then and there we didn’t want anyone coming into the band that hadn’t been a part of the band before,” Eschbach admitted. ” We were just really thankful when we approached Ryan that he was down to do it. And it’s been great having him back. I can play some riffs and stuff, but I’ve never been a lead player.”
Want More Metal? Subscribe To Our Daily Newsletter
Enter your information below to get a daily update with all of our headlines and receive The Orchard Metal newsletter.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings