Double Dagger (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Defunct | October 2011 |
| Headquarters | Baltimore , United States |
| Products | Studio albums, singles, EPs |
| Website | www |
Double Dagger is a post-punk ensemble hailing from Baltimore, Maryland[1], distinguished by its lineup of vocals, drums, and a prominent bass guitar that substitutes the conventional guitar role. Vocalist Nolen Strals and bassist Bruce Willen also collaborated as the graphic design duo Post Typography, catering to prestigious clients such as The New York Times.[2] In their early phase, the group characterized their music as "graphicdesigncore." Although Double Dagger officially ended their activities in October 2011 following a farewell tour, they have occasionally reunited for special performances.
History
Nolen Strals and Bruce Willen crossed paths while studying at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. Their initial collaboration was with League of Death, a band that evolved from heavy metal to hardcore punk before dissolving in 2002 after a concluding show alongside the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. This transition paved the way for Double Dagger, a band named after the typographic mark ‡ and branded with the term "graphicdesigncore."[3][4] Brian Dubin, previously involved with Stars of the Dogon and Charm City Suicides, served as their drummer during the early recordings including their debut album. In 2005, Dubin departed and was succeeded by Denny Bowen,[1] who had formerly played with Yukon and Economist.[4]
Over nearly a decade, Double Dagger shared stages with influential bands such as Pere Ubu, Lightning Bolt, The Ex, The Buzzcocks, The Jesus Lizard, and Matt & Kim.[5] Their body of work includes multiple EPs, 7" singles, and three full-length albums. The band garnered praise from media outlets including The Washington Post,[1] Punk Planet, Baltimore City Paper[6], and Rolling Stone.[1] Citing personal obligations and limited availability, they declared their dissolution following a final tour across the eastern United States and a concluding hometown concert.[7] After disbanding, Bowen became part of Roomrunner and collaborated with musicians like Dan Deacon and Future Islands, Willen established Peals alongside William Cashion of Future Islands, while Strals participated in projects such as Pure Junk and Second Best Westerns.[8][6]
In 2021, commemorating ten years since their breakup, Double Dagger reunited for two performances in Baltimore at The Ottobar and Current Gallery.[9] Additionally, they issued Sophisticated Urban Living (Contemporary Conveniences Edition),[10] an expanded re-release of their 2008 7" that features previously unreleased alternate takes.
Present Members
- Nolen Strals: lead vocals
- Bruce Willen: bass guitar
- Denny Bowen: percussion
Former, Guest, or Temporary Contributors
- Brian Dubin: drums (active 2002–2004)
- Samuel T. Herring (from Future Islands) appeared on the track "The Lie/The Truth" from the album More (2009) and occasionally joins the band for live performances.
- Lee Ashlin (The Fuses), Sean McGuiness (Pissed Jeans), and Ben Valis (Stars of the Dogon) have participated in various live appearances.
Studio Albums
- Double Dagger (Hit-Dat Records, 2003)
- Ragged Rubble (Stationary Heart Recordings, 2007)
- MORE (Thrill Jockey Records, 2009)
Singles and Extended Plays
- Alt+0135 (Independent release, 2002)
- Art School Girlfriend/Obey the One Trick Pony (Hit-Dat Records, 2003; split release with Economist)
- Luxury (Self-released cassette format only, 2006)
- Luxury (Self-released CDR, 2007; includes four tracks from Ragged Rubble)
- Bored Meeting 7" vinyl (Toxic Pop, 2008)
- Sophisticated Urban Living 7" vinyl (Terra Firma Limited, 2008)
- Masks (Thrill Jockey Records, 2010)
- 333 (Thrill Jockey Records, 2013)
- Sophisticated Urban Living (Contemporary Conveniences Edition) (Thrill Jockey Records, 2021)
External Resources
- Double Dagger on MySpace
- Official Double Dagger Website
- Double Dagger’s BandCamp page
- Double Dagger at Thrill Jockey Records
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedwashingtonpost2011 - ↑ "Download Top-Quality Fonts and Graphics at YouWorkForThem". www.youworkforthem.com. Retrieved 2025-10-24.
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedAuralstates - ↑ "DOUBLE DAGGER | Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos".
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Cite error: Invalid
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedDBK - ↑ Doubledagger.Forever (Aug 25, 2021). "DoubleDagger.Forever Instagram Post". Instagram. Retrieved Nov 5, 2021.
- ↑ "Sophisticated Urban Living (Contemporary Conveniences Edition), by Double Dagger". Double Dagger. Retrieved 2021-11-05.