Dirge Within
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
| Products | Metal music |
Dirge Within—which operated under the name The Bloodline between 2013 and 2017—was a metal band originating from Chicago, established in 2007.
Origins
The band came together in January 2007, originally called Dirge, spearheaded by Shaun Glass, who had previously played guitar for Broken Hope and SOiL. By March 2007, the group recorded a three-track demo featuring “Forever the Martyr,” “Complacency Strain,” and “Ties that Bind.” This initial recording session at Mercenary Studios in Zion, Illinois involved Glass on guitars and bass, Jerms handling vocals, and Jimmy Knight on drums, with production by Scott Creekmore. The demo’s mixing and mastering were completed by James Murphy, known for his work with Testament and Death. Later that month, bassist Paz joined the lineup, followed by lead guitarist Matt Szlachta in July 2007 as they prepared material for their debut album Force Fed Lies, which was released through Eone.
Initial Touring and Recognition
Dirge Within debuted live at The Rave in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in July 2007. By November of the same year, they had attracted sponsorships from notable companies such as ESP Guitars, Line 6, EMG Electronics, Dunlop, and Jagermeister music, reflecting early industry endorsement. Their live shows were well-received and often considered superior to many peers performing at the time.
In early 2008, the band recorded the track “The Last Goodbye” with engineer Chris Wisco in Racine, Wisconsin; this was subsequently mixed and mastered by James Murphy at Safehouse Productions. On July 28, 2008, they unveiled a demo version of “Confession,” co-produced by Edsel Dope of Dope, with Murphy again handling mixing and mastering duties.
Force Fed Lies, rebranding phases, and dissolution (2009–2018)
In May 2009, Dirge Within secured a contract with E1 Entertainment. On July 26 of that year, they were featured as the Jägermeister-sponsored act during the Chicago stop of the Rockstar Mayhem Festival, sharing the lineup with bands like God Forbid, All That Remains, and Trivium.
Their debut full-length album Force Fed Lies was released on September 1, 2009. It had been recorded at Belle City Sound with Chris "Wisco" Djuricic and co-produced by Edsel Dope. The mixing was done by Jeff and Ginge from Bullet for My Valentine at Not In Pill Studios in Wales.
The group embarked on extensive tours alongside prominent metal acts such as Trivium, DevilDriver, Whitechapel, Chimaira, Static-X, and Darkest Hour. Supporting their debut album, they toured with Fear Factory between March and May 2010 and with GWAR in June of that year. Additionally, they opened for Korn during the Ballroom Blitz tour stop in Minneapolis on May 17, 2010. Later that year, their performances included Green Bay’s Savage Fest and a special Milwaukee show featuring Five Finger Death Punch. In 2011, Dirge Within supported Kittie on tour to promote their digital EP Absolution, released through Big Time Records.
After signing with Rocket Science Ventures, they issued their second studio album There Will be Blood on April 10, 2012. That summer, they performed at major events including the 95.1 FM Will Rock Fest in August. Following original vocalist "Jerms" departing due to personal commitments in October 2012, Travis Neal of Divine Heresy was brought on as lead singer. The band then released a re-recorded version of "Without You" featuring Neal via SoundCloud and YouTube; despite minimal radio promotion, the track received considerable airplay on active rock stations. Writing for new material began in 2013.
In September 2013, the band changed its name to The Bloodline and released We Are One on March 24, 2015. They reverted to Dirge Within in April 2017.
By January 2018, it was confirmed that Dirge Within had officially disbanded.
Last roster
- Shaun Glass – rhythm guitar (2007–2018)
- Frankie Harchut – drums (2010–2018)
- Chuck Wepfer – lead guitar (2012–2018)
- Mike Sylvester – bass guitar (2015–2018)
- Jerms Genske – vocals (2007–2012, 2017–2018)
Previous members
- Jimmy Knight – drums (2007–2010)
- Brian Paz – bass guitar (2007–2010)
- Matt Szlachta – lead guitar (2007–2011)
- James Pezanoski – bass guitar (2010–2011)
- Jeff Paulick – bass guitar (2011–2012)
- Travis Neal – vocals (2012–2017)
- AJ Cappellano – bass guitar (2013–2015)
Studio albums
- Under the name Dirge Within
- Force Fed Lies (2009)
- There Will Be Blood (2012)
- Released as The Bloodline
- We Are One (2015)
Extended plays
| Year | Title | Record Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Absolution | Big Time Records |
Music videos
- "Forever the Martyr"
- "Confession"
- "Memories"
- "Poisonous"