:''For other uses, see Incarnation (Christianity) or Incarnate (disambiguation)'' Incarnation literally means ''embodied in flesh'' or ''taking on flesh''. It refers to the conception and birth of a sentient creature (generally a human) who is the material manifestation of an entity, god or force whose original nature is immaterial.

In its religious context the word is used to mean the descent from Heaven of a god, or divine being in human form on Earth.

Ancient Egypt

The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt were sometimes said to be incarnations of the gods Horus and Ra.

Bahá'í

In the Bahá'í Faith, God is described as a single, imperishable God, the creator of all things, including all the creatures and forces in the universe. The connection between God and the world is that of the creator to his creation. God is understood to be independent of his creation, and that creation is dependent and contingent on God. God, however, is not seen to be incarnated into this world and is not seen to be part of creation as he cannot be divided and does not descend to the condition of his creatures. Instead, in the Bahá'í understanding, the world of creation emanates from God, in that all things have been realized by him and have attained to existence. The Bahá'í concept of the intermediary between God and humanity is expressed in the term Manifestation of God, which are a series of personages, such as Jesus and Bahá'u'lláh, who reflect the attributes of the divine into the human world for the progress and advancement of human morals and civilization. In expressing God's intent, these Manifestations are seen to establish religion in the world. The Manifestations of God are also not seen as an incarnation of God, but are instead understood to be like a perfect mirror reflecting the attributes of God onto this material world.

Buddhism

In the teaching of the Buddha sentient beings incarnate due to the psychological factors of ignorance, craving and clinging which results in the phenomenon of becoming and rebirth. To be born human is considered a great privilege because unlike other mammals even a person of average intelligence with sufficient effort and proper guidance can walk the path of dharma and become liberated from the cycle of rebirth. The motive force in the process of material incarnation and becoming (popularly known as 'life') is attachment to and identification with matter. This ignorance gives rise to the volitional factors which are called sankharas. These sankharas through the infinite possibilities of worldly desires propel the human being through the pattern of repeated birth and death until the dawning of wisdom (awakening) brings about the desire for liberation.

According to Buddha's teaching the soul (as that structure of sankharas that gives rise to incarnation and animates the body during 'life') is not a fixed entity but in a state of constant flux - being modified over time by actions of body, speech and mind. The constant transmutation and interdependence of phenomena mean that nothing can be said in terms of ultimate truth to have a fixed identity. This is the doctrine of ''anatta'', the no-self doctrine applying to all phenomena (''see'' ''Three marks of existence'').

Liberation in Buddhism is achieved when the stock of accumulated sankharas buried in the unconscious have been dissolved through the practise of the Noble Eightfold Path, a path leading to the experience called enlightenment (''Bodhi'' in Sanskrit and Pali). At enlightenment all the causes for future rebirth have been deleted and the sage abides in a state of being called ''deathlessnes'' (Amaravati or Amrta). Such a one - called an arahant or Buddha is no longer destined for reincarnation after death.

In Tibetan Buddhism, an enlightened spiritual teacher (lama) may choose to reincarnate after death in order to continue to help people. Such a teacher is called a ''tulku''.

Christianity

The Incarnation of Christ is a central Christian doctrine that God became flesh, assumed a human nature, and became a man in the form of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the second person of the Trinity. This foundational Christian position holds that the divine nature of the Son of God was perfectly united with human nature in one divine Person, Jesus, making him both truly God and truly man. The theological term for this is hypostatic union: the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, God the Son, became flesh when he was miraculously conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Biblical passages traditionally referenced in connection with the doctrine of the Incarnation include , Colossians 2:9, and .

Hinduism

In Hinduism, incarnation generally refers to an Avatar of Vishnu, the preserver in the Trimurti. Collectively, the 10 avatars of Vishnu are known as the dashavatara. Ganesha and Shiva also have avatars.

Islam

Mainstream Islam

Mainstream Islam completely rejects the doctrine of the incarnation of God in any form, as the concept is defined as Shirk. In mainstream Islam God is one and "neither begets nor is begotten". Islam specifically rejects the Christian idea of Jesus as a divine incarnation, but rather Jesus is seen as a prophet (''nabī'') and messenger (''rasūl'') of God. The Qur'anic text itself seems to fully reject this concept according to mainstream interpretations. Sunnism is the most prominent sect to hold this belief.

Shia

There are some hadiths which tell that Muhammad and his successors carry a divine succession from God. Although not all Shiites claim this view, a rare few think that Imam Ali, believed to be the real caliph after Muhammad, was an incarnation of God and also God itself (see ''Ghulat''). This view is vigorously rejected by Sunnis and non-Ghulati shias. The major conflict source between Sunnis and Shias is the Shias' believing Imam Ali to be the real caliph after Muhammad and accepting 12 "imans" as heirs of his "''welayah''" (rule). However, the Wahabi Muslims defend that some tales about shias incarnation create division between Shias and sunnis (both of whom they call brothers in the Quran). They also accuse the Shias of worshiping metals and woods (in fact the Shias only use them as "''tabarrok''" ("blesseds"/"blessed things"), just like "Hazrate Zahra" had used "tabarrok" first. In Shia philosophy, tabarrok is for showing your love to "''ahle beit''" ("household", the community of the devotees of Ali and Fatima) and requesting "''shafa'at''" (healing) from them because they believe that ''ahle beyt'' where the best God created and they use this method to have a better connection to Allah or to request "''maghferat''" (forgiveness) from God when they want to atone for sins and believe its an easier approach.

Ismailism

The Aga Khan is the leader of the Ismailis and is believed that only he can fully understand and interpret the Quran. The Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims take the Aga Khan as an Imam (spiritual leader). In the Shia ''tariqah'', the Light Of God (''Noor'') has always been present. The Islamic prophet Muhammed had this 'Noor'. There is a Hadith stating that Muhammad said "Ali and I are from the same ''Noor''". As the Aga Khan is the direct descendant of Muhammad through Imam Ali and Bibi Fatima, the Noor has been passed down through them to him, since there needs to be a guide of the Ismailis present throughout history to interpret the Quran and give guidance to his followers as time goes by.

Nation of Islam

The founder of the US-based black nationalist Nation of Islam, Wallace Fard Muhammad, is believed by followers to be an incarnation of God, also considered to be the Messiah of Christianity and Mahdi of Islam.

Judaism

Mainstream Judaism totally rejects any doctrine of an incarnation of God and absolutely rejects any concept of an incarnation of God in any form. Jews especially rejected vehemently - even under penalty of death or threats of torture - the Christian idea of Jesus as a divine incarnation of God, and neither see Jesus as a Prophet nor Messiah.

However, some Hasidim believe in a somewhat similar concept. Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, a prominent Hasidic leader, said that the Rebbe is God's essence itself put into a body of a Tzaddik. While many other Jews find this idea highly controversial, panentheism, i.e. considering everything and everyone as manifestations of God, is the accepted mainstream Hasidic and Kabbalistic doctrine.

The Kabbalah has an idea of ''gilgul'' (reincarnation) as part of the soul's journey to achieve perfection.

Rastafari

The Rastafari movement views Haile Selassie I as God incarnate, who has come the second time as a deliverer.

Serer religion

Serer religion rejects any notion of an incarnation or manifestation of ''Rog'' (the Supreme Deity in Serer religion). Rog is everywhere and nowhere and has no descendants or ancestors. The Serer people who adhere to Serer religion do not make direct sacrifices to Rog, and is considered blasphemous to speak of a Rog incarnate. However, the reincarnation (''"ciiɗ"'' in Serer language) of the ancient Serer saints and ancestral spirits, known as ''Pangool'', is a well held principle in Serer religion. These Pangool (singular : ''Fangool'') act as intermediaries between the living world and the Devine. When the Serers speak of incarnation, it is these Pangool they refer to, who are themselves holy by virtue of their intercession with the Devine

References

External links

Category:Ayyavazhi philosophical concepts Category:Buddhist philosophical concepts Category:Christian philosophy Category:Hindu philosophical concepts Category:Rastafari movement Category:Spirituality Category:Trinitarianism

ar:تجسد bg:Инкарнация ca:Encarnació cs:Vtělení da:Inkarnation de:Menschwerdung Gottes el:Ενσάρκωση es:Encarnación eo:Enkarniĝo ko:화신 id:Inkarnasi ia:Incarnation sw:Umwilisho nl:Incarnatie no:Inkarnasjon nn:Inkarnasjon pl:Inkarnacja pt:Encarnação (religião) ru:Воплощение simple:Incarnation fi:Inkarnaatio sv:Inkarnation

name	Elizabeth Short''"Black Dahlia"''
birth date	July 29, 1924
birth place	Hyde Park, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
death date	January 15, 1947
occupation	Waitress
parents	Cleo Short (father)Phoebe Mae Sawyer (mother)
resting place	Mountain View Cemetery }}

"The Black Dahlia" was a nickname given to Elizabeth Short (July 29, 1924 – January 15, 1947), an American woman who was the victim of a gruesome and much-publicized murder. Short acquired the moniker posthumously by newspapers in the habit of nicknaming crimes they found particularly colorful. Short was found mutilated, her body sliced in half at the waist, on January 15, 1947, in Leimert Park, Los Angeles, California. Short's unsolved murder has been the source of widespread speculation, leading to many suspects, along with several books and film adaptations of the story.

Early life

Elizabeth Short was born in greater Boston, Massachusetts; she grew up and lived in Medford. She was the third of five daughters of Cleo Short and Phoebe Mae Sawyer. Her father built miniature golf courses until the 1929 stock market crash, in which he lost much of the family's assets. In 1930, he parked his car on a bridge and vanished, leading some to believe he had committed suicide. Short's mother moved the family to a small apartment in Medford, and found work as a bookkeeper. It was not until later that Short would discover her father was alive and was living in California.

Troubled by asthma and bronchitis, Short was sent to live for the winter in Miami, Florida at the age of 16. She spent the next three years living there during the cold months and in Medford the remainder of the year. At age 19, Short travelled to Vallejo, California to live with her father, who was working nearby at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on San Francisco Bay. The two moved to Los Angeles in early 1943, but an altercation resulted in her leaving there and finding work in the post exchange at Camp Cooke (now Vandenberg Air Force Base), near Lompoc, California. Short next moved to Santa Barbara, where she was arrested on September 23, 1943, for underage drinking. Following her arrest, she was sent back to Medford by the juvenile authorities in Santa Barbara. Short then returned to Florida to live, with occasional visits back to Massachusetts.

In Florida, Short met Major Matthew Michael Gordon Jr., a decorated United States Army Air Forces officer who was assigned to the 2nd Air Commando Group and in training for deployment to China Burma India Theater of Operations. Short told friends that Gordon wrote her a letter from India proposing marriage while he was recovering from injuries sustained from an airplane crash. She accepted his proposal, but Gordon died in a second airplane crash on August 10, 1945 before he could return to the United States. She later exaggerated this story, saying that they were married and had a child who died. Although Gordon's friends in the air commandos confirmed that Gordon and Short were engaged, his family denied any connection after Short's murder.

Elizabeth Short returned to Los Angeles in July 1946 to visit Army Air Corps Lieutenant Joseph Gordon Fickling, an old boyfriend she had met in Florida during the war. At the time Short returned to Los Angeles, Fickling was stationed at NARB, Long Beach. For the six months prior to her death, Short remained in southern California, mainly in the Los Angeles area.

Murder and aftermath

The body of Elizabeth Short was found in the Leimert Park district of Los Angeles on January 15, 1947. Her remains had been left on a vacant lot on the west side of South Norton Avenue midway between Coliseum Street and West 39th Street. (at }}) The body was discovered by local resident Betty Bersinger, who was walking with her three-year-old daughter. Short's severely mutilated body had been found nude and severed at the waist, completely drained of blood. Her face had been slashed from the corners of her mouth toward her ears, creating an effect called the Glasgow smile. The body had been washed and cleaned and she had been "posed" with her hands over her head and elbows bent at right angles.

The autopsy stated Short was tall, weighed , and had light blue eyes, brown hair, and badly decayed teeth. There were marks on her ankles and wrists made by rope, consistent with being tied either spreadeagled or hung upside down. Although the skull was not fractured, Short had bruising on the front and right side of her scalp with a small amount of bleeding in the subarachnoid space on the right side, consistent with blows to the head. The cause of death was blood loss from the lacerations to the face combined with shock due to a concussion of the brain.

William Randolph Hearst's papers, the ''Los Angeles Herald-Express'' and the ''Los Angeles Examiner'', sensationalized the case; the black tailored suit Short was last seen wearing became "a tight skirt and a sheer blouse" and Elizabeth Short became the "Black Dahlia," an "adventuress" who "prowled Hollywood Boulevard". As time passed, the media coverage became more outrageous with claims her lifestyle "made her victim material."

On January 23, 1947, the killer called the editor of the ''Los Angeles Examiner'', expressing concern that news of the murder was tailing off in the newspapers and offering to mail items belonging to Short to the editor. The following day a packet arrived at the Los Angeles newspaper containing Short's birth certificate, business cards, photographs, names written on pieces of paper and an address book with the name Mark Hansen embossed on the cover. Hansen, the last person known to have seen Short alive (on January 9), became the prime suspect. The killer would later write more letters to the newspaper, calling himself "the Black Dahlia Avenger," after the name given to Short by the newspapers. On January 25, Short's handbag and one shoe were found in a garbage bin a short distance from Norton Avenue. Due to the notoriety of the case, more than 50 men and women have confessed to the murder and police are swamped with tips every time a newspaper mentions the case or a book or movie about it is released. Sergeant John P. St. John, a detective who worked the case until his retirement, stated: "It is amazing how many people offer up a relative as the killer."

Gerry Ramlow, a ''Los Angeles Daily News'' reporter later stated, "If the murder was never solved it was because of the reporters ... They were all over, trampling evidence, withholding information." It took several days for the police to take full control of the investigation during which time reporters roamed freely throughout the department's offices, sat at officers' desks, and answered their phones. Many tips from the public were not passed on to police as the reporters who received them rushed out to get "scoops".

Short was buried at the Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland, California. After Short's sisters had grown up and married, Short's mother moved to Oakland to be near her daughter's grave. Phoebe Short finally returned to the East Coast in the 1970s and lived into her 90s.

Rumors and popular misconceptions

According to newspaper reports shortly after the murder, Elizabeth Short received the nickname "Black Dahlia" at a Long Beach, California drugstore in mid-1946, as a word play on the then-current movie ''The Blue Dahlia''. Los Angeles County district attorney investigators' reports state that the nickname was invented by newspaper reporters covering the murder. ''Los Angeles Herald-Express'' reporter Bevo Means, who interviewed Short's acquaintances at the drug store, is credited with first using the "Black Dahlia" name.

A number of people, none of whom knew Short, contacted police and the newspapers claiming to have seen her during her so-called "missing week"—a time period between the time of her January 9 disappearance and the time her body was found on January 15. Police and district attorney investigators ruled out each of these alleged sightings, wherein in some cases, those interviewed were identifying other women they had mistaken for Short.

Many true crime books claim that Short lived in or visited Los Angeles at various times in the mid 1940s; these claims have never been substantiated and are refuted by the findings of law enforcement officers who investigated the case. A document in the Los Angeles County district attorney's files titled "Movements of Elizabeth Short Prior to June 1, 1946" states that Short was in Florida and Massachusetts from September 1943 through the early months of 1946 and gives a detailed account of her living and working arrangements during this period. Although a popular portrayal amongst her acquaintances and many true crime authors was of Short as a call girl, the Los Angeles district attorney's grand jury proved there was no existing evidence that she was ever a prostitute and the district attorney's office attributes the claim to confusion with a prostitute of the same name. Another widely circulated rumor holds that Short was unable to have sexual intercourse because of a congenital defect that left her with "infantile genitalia." Los Angeles County district attorney's files state that the investigators had questioned three men with whom Short had sex, including a Chicago police officer who was a suspect in the case. The FBI files on the case also contain a statement from one of Short's alleged lovers. Found in the Los Angeles district attorney's files and in the Los Angeles Police Department's summary of the case, Short's autopsy describes her reproductive organs as anatomically normal although the report notes evidence of what it called "female trouble." The autopsy also states that Short was not and had never been pregnant, contrary to what had been claimed prior to and following her death.

Suspects

The Black Dahlia murder investigation was conducted by the LAPD. The case also enlisted the help of hundreds of officers borrowed from other law enforcement agencies. Owing to the nature of the crime, sensational and sometimes inaccurate press coverage focused intense public attention on the case.

Theories and possibly related murders

Some crime authors have speculated on a link between the Short murder and the Cleveland Torso Murders, which took place in Cleveland between 1934 and 1938. As with a large number of killings that took place before and after the Short murder, the original LAPD investigators looked into the Cleveland murders in 1947 and later discounted any relationship between the two cases. Nevertheless, new evidence implicating a former Cleveland torso murder suspect, Jack Anderson Wilson, with Short's death was investigated by Detective John P. St. John in 1980. St. John claimed he was close to arresting Wilson for the death of Short when Wilson unexpectedly died in a fire on February 4, 1982.

Crime authors such as Steve Hodel and William Rasmussen have suggested a link between the Short murder and the 1946 murder and dismemberment of six-year-old Suzanne Degnan in Chicago. Captain Donahoe of the Los Angeles police also stated publicly that he believed the Black Dahlia and Lipstick murders were "likely connected." Among the evidence cited is the fact that Elizabeth Short's body was found on Norton Avenue three blocks west of Degnan Boulevard, Degnan being the last name of the girl from Chicago and there were striking similarities between the writing of the Degnan ransom note and that of "the Black Dahlia Avenger." For example, both used a combination of capitals and small letters, the Degnan note read in part "BuRN This FoR heR SAfTY" with both notes containing a similar mis-shapen letter P and have one word matching exactly. Convicted serial killer William Heirens served life in prison for Degnan's murder. Initially arrested at age 17 for breaking into a residence close to that of Suzanne Degnan, Heirens claimed he was tortured by police, forced to confess, and made a scapegoat in the Degnan murder.

Depictions in fiction

The radio show ''Somebody Knows!'', a summer replacement for ''Suspense'', ran an episode on the killing in August 1950 on the CBS Radio Network.

James Ellroy's neo-noir novel ''The Black Dahlia'' was published in 1987. It was made into a 2006 movie directed by Brian De Palma. Elizabeth Short was played by actress Mia Kirshner in the film.

Lucie Arnaz played Elizabeth Short in the 1975 TV movie ''Who Is the Black Dahlia?''

An episode of the NBC television series ''Unsolved Mysteries'' (hosted by actor Robert Stack) ran a profile on the murder in 1989, and it has aired on reruns on Lifetime several times, and was even revisited in the more recent iteration of the series.

In the ninth episode of the horror television series ''American Horror Story'', Short is among the people murdered in the show's haunted house setting over the course of a century. Short, played by Mena Suvari, is depicted as having died accidentally from anesthesia while being sexually assaulted by a dentist, her body then being dismembered by a ghost for easier transport. In the same episode, the character Travis is murdered in a similar fashion and his murder case is dubbed the "Boy Dahlia".

See also

Ernest E. Debs, Los Angeles City Council member who sought investigation of J. Paul de River, the Los Angeles Police Department psychiatrist at the time of the Black Dahlia.

References

Further reading

}}

External links

Black Dahlia Killer Profile on America's Most Wanted

truTV entry for Black Dahlia.

The FBI's Black Dahlia files from the FBI's Freedom of Information Act site.

"Somebody Knows" episode a 1950 radio program on the case.

Category:1947 murders in the United States Category:American murder victims Category:Hollywood history and culture Category:People from Boston, Massachusetts Category:People murdered in California Category:1924 births Category:1947 deaths Category:Burials at Mountain View Cemetery (Oakland, California) Category:Unsolved murders in the United States

bg:Черната далия da:The Black Dahlia (mord) de:Elizabeth Short es:Elizabeth Short eu:Elizabeth Short fr:Affaire du Dahlia noir it:Elizabeth Short nl:Moord op Elizabeth Short ja:ブラック・ダリア事件 no:Black Dahlia pl:Elizabeth Short pt:Elizabeth Short ru:Шорт, Элизабет fi:Elizabeth Short sv:Elizabeth Short zh:黑色大理花懸案

name	The Black Dahlia Murder
background	group_or_band
origin	Waterford, Michigan
years active	2001–present
label	Metal Blade
associated acts	Abigail Williams, All That Remains, Anterior, Arsis, Sylosis
current members	Trevor StrnadBrian EschbachRyan KnightMax LavelleShannon Lucas }}

The Black Dahlia Murder is an American heavy metal band from Waterford, Michigan, formed in 2000. Their name is derived from the 1947 unsolved murder of Elizabeth Short, often referred to as Black Dahlia. The band comprises vocalist Trevor Strnad, guitarists Brian Eschbach and Ryan Knight, bassist Max Lavelle and drummer Shannon Lucas. Out of their five studio albums, the latest four of them charted on the US ''Billboard'' 200, with 2009's ''Deflorate'' peaking at #43 and their latest album ''Ritual'' reaching #31.

History

Formation, ''Unhallowed'' and ''Miasma'' (2001–2006)

The Black Dahlia Murder began its inception during late 2000 and gained the final band line-up in January 2001. The group released their demo entitled ''What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse'', and a four-track EP, ''A Cold-Blooded Epitaph'', the latter of which the group released on Lovelost Records. After appearing in concerts such as the Milwaukee Metal Fest, The Black Dahlia Murder signed to Metal Blade Records in 2003.

Current bassist Ryan "Bart" Williams left his former band, Detroit's Today I Wait, to tour with the Black Dahlia Murder. After touring with the band on their co-headlining gig with Throwdown and their European dates with Liar, he joined the group full-time, replacing former bassist David Lock. Frontman Trevor Strnad said that Lock was fired for incompetency. Williams was one of two engineers (the other being Walls of Jericho's Mike Hasty) on the band's first full-length album, ''Unhallowed''.

The band's second album ''Miasma'' was released on July 12, 2005 and peaked at #118 on the Billboard 200. After touring for ''Miasma'', drummer Zach Gibson left the band along with Pierre Langlois. While Gibson went on to join Abigail Williams, Langlois left the band for a more secure lifestyle, and the band finished their search for a replacement drummer when they found former All That Remains drummer, Shannon Lucas. The group played at Ozzfest 2005.

''Nocturnal'' and ''Deflorate'' (2006–2010)

Their third album, entitled ''Nocturnal'', was released on September 18, 2007. The album debuted at #72 on the Billboard 200. The Black Dahlia Murder announced via their MySpace profile that they were going on a U.S. tour with Cannibal Corpse to promote their new album ''Nocturnal'' and celebrate the 25 years that Metal Blade Records had been in business. They were joined by label-mates The Red Chord, Aeon, The Absence, and Goatwhore.

In January/February 2008, the band embarked on a U.S. headlining tour with 3 Inches of Blood, Hate Eternal, and Decrepit Birth, followed by another alongside Brain Drill and Animosity. They were on Hot Topic's "Summer Slaughter Tour" with Kataklysm, Cryptopsy, Vader, Whitechapel, and Despised Icon.

Their long-time guitarist, John K has left the band and was replaced by Ryan Knight during the beginning of 2009. In May 2009, The Black Dahlia Murder released their first DVD, "Majesty". The DVD contains a documentary and live footage from the Summer Slaughter tour and their tour supporting Children of Bodom in late 2008. The DVD also contains all of their music videos and behind the scenes footage.

The Black Dahlia Murder released ''Deflorate'' on September 15, 2009 via Metal Blade Records. The album sold 12,000 copies in the United States in the first week of the release, debuted at position #43 Billboard's Top 200 charts, #5 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart, #4 on Billboard's Top Hard Music Albums chart, and #50 on HITS Top 50 Albums chart.

''Ritual'' (2011–present)

In February 2011, The Black Dahlia Murder completed the songwriting process for the their fifth studio album, entitled ''Ritual''. It was released on June 21, 2011 in North America. The band supported Amon Amarth on their May 2011 European tour, as well as headlined the 2011 Summer Slaughter tour, both in support of ''Ritual''. Before the record's release, the track "Moonlight Equilibrium" was posted to the Metal Blade Records website on April 29, 2011 to critical and fan acclaim. A music video for "Moonlight Equilibrium" was released on February 20, 2012. On April 2012 during the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival on the first night performance, Trevor Strnad officially welcomed new bassist Max Lavelle into the band.

Tours

The Black Dahlia Murder headlined the 2008 Summer Slaughter Tour with Kataklysm, Vader, Cryptopsy, The Faceless, Despised Icon, Aborted, Born of Osiris, Psycroptic, and Whitechapel. In late 2008, they joined a US tour with Finland's Children of Bodom and Raleigh, NC's Between the Buried and Me. They were initially announced as "...with special guests" at the start of the tour, though it has since been confirmed by Revolver Magazine that they are on tour. They appeared on the Hot Topic Stage in the 2009 Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival. In late 2009, they embarked on a US tour with Finland's Children of Bodom and Skeletonwitch. The band headlined the Bonecrusher Fest tour of Europe in Spring 2010 alongside 3 Inches of Blood, Necrophobic, Obscura, The Faceless, Carnifex and Ingested. In August 2010 they played at the Hevy Music Festival near Folkestone, UK.

Musical style and influences

The Black Dahlia Murder have been stated to play within the genres of melodic death metal, metalcore, and deathcore. The band's music makes use of the melodic death metal sound, but containing high speeds, blast beats and occasional growled vocals instead of the typical screams usually heard in melodic death metal. Influences for the band include groups such as Carcass, At the Gates, Darkane, Dissection, Darkthrone, Morbid Angel, The Haunted, In Flames, Dimension Zero, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Metallica, Pantera and Megadeth. Vocalist, Trevor Strnad has cited on many occasions that he primarily influenced by Carcass in vocalizing technique.

When asked to describe what kind of music the band plays, Strnad commented: "I've always said that we're melodic death metal. We are mostly influenced by Swedish bands and Carcass. The heavy end of our sound is the American style creeping in, with some Floridian influences like Morbid Angel, Malevolent Creation and that kind of stuff. We've been labeled more often because of our look than our sound, which is dumb, and speaks volumes about what kind of geniuses are out there!" However, in an interview with ''Uranium Magazine'', Strnad also stated, "Some bands that get labeled as metalcore are actually good, like Between the Buried and Me or The Red Chord. Metal is what I grew up with, and then I learned about punk and hardcore. But a lot of our ethics, the way we carry ourselves, is more punk...I like that hardcore has a sense of community without the competition you see in metal."

Members

;Current members

Brian Eschbach – rhythm guitar (since 2001)

Trevor Strnad – vocals (since 2001)

Max Lavelle – bass guitar (since 2012)

Shannon Lucas – drums (since 2007)

Ryan Knight – lead guitar (since 2009)

;Former members

Ryan "Bart" Williams – bass guitar (2005-2012)

John Deering – lead guitar (2001–2002)

John Kempainen – lead guitar (2002–2008)

Mike Schepman – bass guitar (2001)

Sean Gauvreau – bass guitar (2001–2002)

David Lock – bass guitar (2002–2005)

Cory Grady – drums (2001–2004)

Zach Gibson – drums (2005)

Pierre Langlois – drums (2006)

Discography

;Studio albums

Year	Title	Peak chart positions
		U.S.
		! style="text-align:center; width:40px;"	! style="text-align:center; width:40px;"	! style="text-align:center; width:40px;"	! style="text-align:center; width:40px;"
		*Released: June 17, 2003	*Label: Metal Blade	*Format: CD, digital download, vinyl
	align=left	*Released: July 12, 2005	*Label: Metal Blade	*Format: CD, digital download, vinyl
	align=left	*Released: September 18, 2007	*Label: Metal Blade	*Format: CD, digital download
		*Released: September 15, 2009	*Label: Metal Blade	*Format: CD, digital download, vinyl
	align=left	*Released: June 17, 2011	*Label: Metal Blade	*Format: CD, digital download, vinyl

;Demos and EPs

''What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse'' (demo, 2001)

''A Cold-Blooded Epitaph'' (EP, 2002)

''Demo 2002'' (demo, 2002)

;DVDs

''Majesty'' (2009)

References

External links

Category:Musical quintets Category:American melodic death metal musical groups Category:Heavy metal musical groups from Michigan Category:American metalcore musical groups Category:American deathcore musical groups Category:Metal Blade Records artists Category:Musical groups established in 2000

bn:দ্য ব্ল্যাক ডাহলিয়া মার্ডার bs:The Black Dahlia Murder cs:The Black Dahlia Murder (skupina) da:The Black Dahlia Murder de:The Black Dahlia Murder es:The Black Dahlia Murder fr:The Black Dahlia Murder ko:블랙 달리아 머더 hr:The Black Dahlia Murder it:The Black Dahlia Murder nl:The Black Dahlia Murder ja:ザ・ブラック・ダリア・マーダー pl:The Black Dahlia Murder pt:The Black Dahlia Murder ru:The Black Dahlia Murder sk:The Black Dahlia Murder fi:The Black Dahlia Murder sv:The Black Dahlia Murder