With the untimely passing of Trevor Strnad in 2022, The Black Dahlia Murder lost not just a singer, but their co-founder, lyricist and spokesman. Nobody would have been surprised had the remaining members called time on the band; that they chose to continue is testament to their heroic spirit, as well as a fitting tribute to Trevor and his lifelong dedication to metal. Servitude – their 10th album, a worthy achievement under any circumstances – finds them playing to the strengths that have made TBDM one of the 21st century’s most visible death metal success stories. Panic Hysteric and Utopia Black offer vivid examples of their melodic Swedeath sounds; Transcosmic Blueprint and the title-track conjure head-spinning technicality with violent finesse. The ...