The Black Dahlia Murder will play an Oct. 28 show in Detroit, Michigan to celebrate the life and legacy of late vocalist Trevor Scott Strnad. Co-founding guitarist Brian Eschbach will now occupy the role of frontman and vacating the guitar role has afforded the death metal icons the ability to bring back guitarist Ryan Knight.
The show will be held at Saint Andrew's Hall and will feature special guests Darkest Hour and Plague Years.
Strnad died on May 11 earlier this year and his passing was mourned heavily by his countless peers, who not only remembered him as an all-time frontman and lyricist, but for his charming, fun-loving personality and his warm social presence.
In an exclusive interview with Decibel, each of the band's members spoke about the tragic loss and guide fans through the internal debate on if or how The Black Dahlia Murder can continue.
"We spent many days thinking things like, 'Is this over?' None of us wanted it to be over. We still feel like there is a lot left to do," says Eschbach, "I know Trevor would keep this band going if I went down a deep, dark path and weren't here. It's bigger than us."
Regarding the lineup and Knight's return after his four-album tenure from 2008 through 2016, Eschbach continues, "When we finally started talking about it, we thought, 'Let's remake it from within and see if Ryan wants to return. And I'll take a crack on the vocals and see how it goes.' 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."
"The time I've spent with this band is the best time I've ever had," Knight begins, "Being away has given me a lot of time to reflect, and it always occurred to me that being in BDM is the best use of my time. I've thought a lot about the band while I was away and realized how much value this band has. I almost feel like I let some opportunities slip, being away from the band. So, it feels great to be back and like everything has come full circle. I've realized how much I love being in this band."
The new Black Dahlia Murder lineup is as follows:
Brian Eschbach - vocals
Brandon Ellis - guitar
Ryan Knight - guitar
Max Lavelle - bass
Alan Cassidy - drums
Tickets for the Oct. 28 show will go on sale on Sept. 16 at 10AM ET and can be purchased here. To read the complete interview with the members of The Black Dahlia Murder, head to Decibel's website.
