Getting to know the Black Dahlia Murder

The Black Dahlia Murder is an American band that is loved among the death-metal community. They were formed back in 2001 in Waterford, Michigan but have come a long way since. The band will be visiting Cape Town and Pretoria in mid-March as the co-headliners of Ramfest 2020.

The band will share the main stage with the other headlining band, Van Coke Kartel, and several local bands, including Roodepoort’s very own Man As Machine.

Well known by the media for their humble and humorous personalities, the band is always willing to interact with fans. Lead singer, Trevor Strnad, graciously agreed to an interview with the Record/ Northsider.

Named after the 1947 murder of the Black Dahlia, Elizabeth Short, who was an aspiring actress, Trevor said that the band had no personal connection to the case other than immense interest. He explained that the case severely shocked him, not just the cruelty or violence of it, but also the weird circumstances that surrounded it. “The name represented the death of the American dream, so to speak,” said Trevor, elaborating by explaining how a young girl with stars in her eyes was cruelly cut down and denied her dream. In the song, In Hell is Where She Waits for Me, Trevor refers to the murder case, something he had always wanted to do. He said the lyrics are his proudest achievement as a writer, and that the song is one of the band’s most definitive tracks.

With several past members back in the band, Trevor is now confident that his musical family is made up of the best line-up the band has ever had. He explained that the stress of touring can be daunting, so a glass-half-full type of person isn’t really a good fit. All the band members prefer to be surrounded by similarly motivated and like-minded people. “While skill is definitely an important aspect, a good sense of humour and a positive outlook are just as important.”

The band’s main inspirations are just as hardcore as they are, with Megadeth stealing Trevor’s heart and prompting his love for heavy metal. At The Gates and Carcass also heavily influenced the Black Dahlia Murders’ sound. However, even though their music and the music from their inspirations can strike fear into skeptics, Trevor admits that he is a huge fan of all kinds of music; from funk and disco to 80s pop, like ABBA and Wham! He is very interested in the past and present metal scene, hoping to gain inspiration and keep up with the music in the genre he is most passionate about.

The band’s humility comes from the fact that the hardships they go through help keep them grounded. Their tours aren’t always glamorous, with many parallels to camping, and sometimes the stress of their fast-paced lives can get to them. Even though they wouldn’t change their career choices for the world, sometimes they need a break too. Misconceptions of who they are as people can also leave them feeling like an idea rather than human, so their loyal fans keep them grounded.

Trevor expressed his gratitude towards his fans, saying that meeting them is one of the biggest pleasures of his job. “I see myself in a lot of them; young nerds with a real passion for metal music,” he said, adding that he thinks the fans not only know how thankful the band is for them, but also appreciate how real the band tries to be for them.

There is a huge amount of controversy surrounding the various aspects of the metal genre, with a lot more skeptics than fans. What many people may not be aware of is the neoclassical flair that can definitely be appreciated in this type of music; a lot of metal actually ties to classical music. “I think most of the skeptics just see it as noise, but I would tell them to take another look at the amount of musicianship that goes into extreme music. Some of the best players in the world play metal music!”

The band will spend five days in South Africa, two of them for the concert. Trevor said that all the members are excited to experience the culture and meet all the local bands.

The band plans to continue on the same trajectory they have been on since 2003, releasing great music and being the best live band they can be. They are hoping to build on their musicianship and popularity by staying true to their fans.

You can see the Black Dahlia Murder live at Ramfest, which will be happening at the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria on 14 March.

The Trust Us and Early Bird tickets have already been sold out, so grab your Pre-sold tickets now for R300. Tickets will be sold for R350 on the day, depending on availability. Don’t take chances and risk the last of the tickets selling out; buy yours now at www.howler.co.za.

Doors open at 3pm on 14 March and the event ends at 1am on 15 March.