My Dying Bride

My Dying Bride

Four members of My Dying Bride live. Left to right, then clockwise: Aaron Stainthorpe, Andrew Craighan, Lena Abé, Hamish Glencross.
Background information
Origin Bradford, West Yorkshire, England
Genres Doom metal, death/doom, gothic metal
Years active 1990–present
Labels Peaceville Records
Website www.mydyingbride.net
Members

Aaron Stainthorpe
Calvin Robertshaw
Andrew Craighan
Lena Abé


Shaun MacGowan
Past members Martin Powell
Yasmin Ahmed
Bill Law
Rick Miah
Shaun Steels
Adrian Jackson
Sarah Stanton
Katie Stone
Dan Mullins
Hamish Glencross

My Dying Bride are an English doom metal band formed in Bradford, England in 1990. To date, My Dying Bride have released eleven full-length studio albums, three EPs, one demo, one box set, four compilation albums, one live album, and one live CD/DVD release.

Along with Anathema and Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride is a forerunner of the death/doom metal genre and considered part of the "Peaceville Three" as all three bands were signed to Peaceville Records at the time.

Biography

Early years (1990–1992)

My Dying Bride were formed in Bradford in the north of England in June 1990 after guitarist Andrew Craighan and drummer Rick Miah co-formed the band after they had split from Abiosis, joining vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe and guitarist Calvin Robertshaw while ending Abiosis. After six months of rehearsing, the band recorded and released their demo, Towards the Sinister, which was produced by Tim Walker of Voltage Records. Its title was taken from a line in the song "Symphonaire Infernus et Spera Empyrium". The band would soon release their first single, "God Is Alone", on a small French label called Listenable. After the single had sold out almost immediately, they were picked up by Peaceville Records, and they could release their first EP, Symphonaire Infernus Et Spera Empyrium, which also featured their latest recruit, bassist Adrian Jackson. The EP was soon followed by their first full-length album, As the Flower Withers.

Turn Loose the Swans (1992–1994)

As the Flower Withers was followed by a big tour in the UK and the mainland Europe, and in 1992 they recorded their next EP, The Thrash of Naked Limbs. Another tour was planned, but cancelled when their current drummer had a bad fall while shooting the accompanying video. In 1993, Martin Powell joined as My Dying Bride's keyboardist and violinist, and they started the recording of their second studio album, Turn Loose the Swans. With the joining of Martin Powell, the usage of violin increased even more since their As the Flower Withers album. The album was followed by a tour and the release of another EP, I Am the Bloody Earth, in 1994.

The Angel and the Dark River (1995)

1995 saw the release of My Dying Bride's next album, The Angel and the Dark River. The album was followed with a successful tour with some of their first festival gigs, and soon after the fans saw the release of their first compilation album, Trinity, a collection of songs from their first three EPs. In the end of 1995, My Dying Bride travelled on a three-month tour with metal band Iron Maiden.

Like Gods of the Sun (1996–1997)

Like Gods of the Sun continued in the direction of The Angel and the Dark River, in that it did not contain any growling vocals by Aaron Stainthorpe. This was the fourth, full length album of My Dying Bride featuring songs like "A Kiss to Remember", "For You" and "For My Fallen Angel". "For My Fallen Angel" is strictly an orchestral composition with sections of violin and synth. It is also the last MDB album to feature a violin, until For Lies I Sire.

"34.788%...Complete" and hiatus (1998–2001)

The somewhat experimental 34.788%...Complete was next, followed by The Light at the End of the World. My Dying Bride entered a hiatus after this, releasing two retrospective albums Meisterwerk 1 and Meisterwerk 2. The Meisterwerk albums are compilations that contain previously released and rare material from My Dying Bride. At the end of the hiatus Calvin Robertshaw left the band to become their tour manager and was replaced by Hamish Glencross.

The Dreadful Hours (2001–2004)

Originally released in 2001, The Dreadful Hours featured new material with the seventh release. The album was again engineered by Mags and co-produced by guitarist Andrew Craighan. Between 2003 and 2004, the band's label, Peaceville, re-released their entire back-catalogue in digipak format, with bonus tracks consisting of demos, remixes, and live performances added to each release (except "The Light at the End of the World").

Songs of Darkness Words of Light (2004–2005)

2004's follow-up Songs of Darkness Words of Light showed a band continuing to expand and refine their sound and purpose. A substantial increase in live performances — once an unheard-of rarity — has led to much greater recognition by a new generation of fans.

The band's next release came in May 2005, when they released the fancifully titled Anti-Diluvian Chronicles, a fully-fledged best of box set featuring three discs and thirty tracks.

A Line of Deathless Kings (2006–2007)

The band spent the winter of 2005/2006 writing material for new studio album A Line of Deathless Kings. The album was released on 9 October 2006. It was preceded by the EP Deeper Down on September 18. Shortly before the release of A Line of Deathless Kings, Shaun Taylor-Steels announced his permanent departure from the band due to persistent problems with his ankle.

In early 2007, Jackson announced his departure and session-drummer John Bennett from The Prophecy could no longer stay, citing a lack of time due to work commitments. Replacements were found in Lena Abé on bass and Dan Mullins on drums.[1]

For Lies I Sire, Evinta, The Barghest O' Whitby (2009–2011)

My Dying Bride playing at Tuska 2009.

In November 2008, My Dying Bride began work on their tenth studio album, entitled For Lies I Sire, which was released on 23 March 2009. Due to Sarah Stanton's pregnancy, she had been replaced on keyboards by Katie Stone, she performed violin on For Lies I Sire. Soon after the album's release, she was replaced by Shaun MacGowan.

On 26 October 2009 saw the release of My Dying Bride's new EP/DVD, Bring Me Victory. Except for the title track and its video, it also includes a doom metal cover of the traditional song Scarborough Fair, a cover of Failure by Swans and a live version of Vast Choirs (originally from As the Flower Withers), performed at Graspop 2008.[2]

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of My Dying Bride's existence, the album Evinta was released on 30 May 2011. Evinta featured some previous My Dying Bride material re-worked as neo-classical and ambient songs.[3] Soon after, the band announced the release of the EP The Barghest O' Whitby, which was released 7 November 2011, and consists of a single, 27-minute track.[4][5]

A Map of All Our Failures and The Manuscript (2012-2014)

On 17 April 2012, it was announced that in a one-off show in Leeds, My Dying Bride would headline the Jagermeister stage at Damnation Festival 2012. The report on the festival's official website also stated that new album material would be premiered during the show.[6] In May 2012 a list of European tour dates was announced for December that year.

On 27 July 2012, the title, artwork, and tracklisting of the forthcoming 11th studio album, A Map of All Our Failures, was announced on the band's website. It was stated that the album would be released 15 October in Europe and 16 October in the USA on CD, double vinyl & special edition CD/DVD.

A Map of All Our Failures was released on 15 October 2012. Vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe described the album as being similar to the band's previous effort, For Lies I Sire, but said that the music had evolved. He described the lyrics as being about religion, passion, love, and loss. Bassist Lena Abé described the album as being a "new style of writing, done in an old way", and almost having a "live sound" due to the presence of feedback and "raw and rough" elements.[7] Guitarist Andrew Craighan described the album as, "a controlled demolition of all your hopes."[8]

On 13 May 2013, the band released a four-track EP, The Manuscript. Three of the four tracks from the EP were recorded at the same time as A Map of All Our Failures.[9] A year later on 26 May 2014 the songs of this EP were re-released together with The Barghest O' Whitby as The Vaulted Shadows LP.

On 6 June 2014, My Dying Bride announced via their web site that guitarist Hamish Glencross had been fired upon returning from their U.S. 2014 Maryland Deathfest appearance, and that original guitarist Calvin Robertshaw would be returning to the band.[10]

12th Studio Album

The band are currently working on a new album and have finished 7 songs.[11]

Band members

Current members

Current live members

Former members

  • Rick Miah – drums (1990–1997)
  • Martin Powell – violin, keyboards (1991–1998)
  • Adrian Jackson – bass (1991–2007)
  • Bill Law – drums (1998–1999)
  • Yasmin Mason – keyboards (1998–2002)
  • Shaun Taylor-Steels – drums (1999–2006), studio drums (2011–present)
  • Sarah Stanton – keyboards (2002–2008)
  • Hamish Glencross – guitar (2000–2014)
  • John Bennett – drums (2006–2007)
  • Katie Stone – violin, keyboards (2008–2009)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
FIN
[12]
GER
[13]
UK
[14]
FRA
[15]
NOR
[16]
BEL (FL)
[17]
BEL (WA)
[18]
As the Flower Withers
  • Released: May 22, 1992
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, CS, LP, DL[19]
Turn Loose the Swans
  • Released: October 1993
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, CS, LP, DL[20]
The Angel and the Dark River
  • Released: May 22, 1995
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, CS, LP, DL[21]
61
Like Gods of the Sun
  • Released: October 7, 1996
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, CS, LP, DL[22]
33 131
34.788%...Complete
  • Released: October 6, 1998
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, CS, LP, DL[23]
The Light at the End of the World
  • Released: October 12, 1999
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, CS, LP, DL[24]
The Dreadful Hours
  • Released: November 13, 2001
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, CS, LP, DL[25]
Songs of Darkness Words of Light
  • Released: February 23, 2004
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, DL[26]
A Line of Deathless Kings
  • Released: October 9, 2006
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, LP, DL[27]
For Lies I Sire
  • Released: March 23, 2009
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, LP, DL[28]
24 176 36
Evinta
  • Released: May 30, 2011
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, DL[29]
48
A Map of All Our Failures
  • Released: October 15, 2012
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, CD+DVD, LP, DL[30]
39 82 200 181 137 118
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Compilation albums

Title Album details
The Stories
  • Released: October 20, 1994
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD
Trinity
  • Released: September 25, 1995
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, CS, DL[31]
Meisterwerk 1
  • Released: November 7 2000
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, CS, DL[32]
Meisterwerk 2
  • Released: June 13, 2001
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, CS, DL[33]
Anti-Diluvian Chronicles
  • Released: May 23, 2005
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD
The Vaulted Shadows
  • Released: May 26, 2014
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, DL[34]

Demos

Title Album details
Towards the Sinister
  • Released: 1990
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: CS

EPs

Title Album details
Symphonaire Infernus et Spera Empyrium
  • Released: 1992
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD
The Thrash of Naked Limbs
  • Released: 1993
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: LP
I Am the Bloody Earth
  • Released: January 24, 1994
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD
Bring Me Victory
  • Released: October 26, 2009
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, DL[35]
The Barghest O' Whitby
  • Released: November 7, 2011
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, DL[36]
The Manuscript
  • Released: May 13, 2013
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, DL[37]

Live albums

Title Album details
The Voice of the Wretched
  • Released: May 21, 2002
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, DL[38]
An Ode to Woe[39]
  • Released: April 28, 2008
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: CD, CD+DVD, DL[40]

Singles

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
FIN
[41]
"God Is Alone" 1991 Symphonaire Infernus et Spera Empyrium
"Unreleased Bitterness" 1993 non-album single
"The Sexuality of Bereavement" 1994 non-album single
"Deeper Down" 2006 15 A Line of Deathless Kings
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Video albums

Title Video details Notes
For Darkest Eyes
  • Released: 1997
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: VHS
  • re-released on DVD on April 29, 2002
Sinamorata
  • Released: August 25, 2005
  • Label: Peaceville Records
  • Formats: DVD

Music videos

Year Title Directed Album
1991 "Symphonaire Infernus Et Spera Empyrium"
Symphonaire Infernus Et Spera Empyrium
1992 "The Thrash Of Naked Limbs"
The Thrash Of Naked Limbs
1994 "The Songless Bird"
Turn Loose The Swans
1995 "The Cry Of Mankind"
The Angel And The Dark River
1996 "For You"
Like Gods Of The Sun
1997 "I Am The Bloody Earth"
For Darkest Eyes
2004 "The Prize Of Beauty"
Songs Of Darkness, Words Of Light
"My Wine In Silence"
"The Blue Lotus" David Palzer
2005 "My Hope The Destroyer"
Sinamorata
2006 "Deeper Down" Charlie Granberg Deeper Down
2006 "I Cannot Be Loved"
A Line Of Deathless Kings
2009 "Bring Me Victory" Charlie Granberg[42] Bring Me Victory
2012 "The Poorest Waltz"[43] Ingram Blakelock A Map Of All Our Failures

References

  1. "BLABBERMOUTH.NET — MY DYING BRIDE Parts Ways With Bassist, Drummer; Replacements Announced".
  2. My Dying Bride: More New EP Details Revealed; Video Still Available blabbermouth.net. 2009-08-27. Retrieved on 2009-10-21.
  3. My Dying Bride Announces 20th Anniversary Album "Evinta" metalunderground.com. 2010-08-27. Retrieved on 2010-08-31.
  4. "My Dying Bride's 'The Barghest O' Whitby". Peaceville Records. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  5. "My Dying Bride Announces New EP "The Barghest O' Whitby"". metalunderground.com. 6 September 2011. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  6. My Dying Bride Added to Line Up For Damnation Festival 2012 damnationfestival.co.uk. 17 April 2012. Retrieved on 20 April 2012.
  7. "INTERVIEW WITH MY DYING BRIDE by ROCKNLIVE PRODUCTION". Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  8. "My Dying Bride - A Map of All Our Failures". Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  9. "MY DYING BRIDE: 'The Manuscript' Title Track Available For Streaming - May 10, 2013". Blabbermouth. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  10. "My Dying Bride split with Hamish Glencross". MyDyingBride.net. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  11. http://www.mydyingbride.net/item/12th-full-studio-album
  12. http://finnishcharts.com/search.asp?search=My+Dying+Bride&cat=a
  13. http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/My%20Dying%20Bride/longplay
  14. http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_M.HTM
    http://zobbel.de/cluk/121027cluk.txt
  15. http://lescharts.com/search.asp?search=My+Dying+Bride&cat=a
  16. http://norwegiancharts.com/search.asp?search=My+Dying+Bride&cat=a
  17. http://www.ultratop.be/nl/search.asp?search=my%20dying%20bride&cat=a
  18. http://www.ultratop.be/fr/search.asp?search=My%20Dying%20Bride&cat=a
  19. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/as-the-flowers-withers/id452163577
  20. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/turn-loose-the-swans/id452165229
  21. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-angel-and-the-dark-river/id427893937
  22. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/like-gods-of-the-sun/id427895301
  23. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/34.788-...-complete/id452110722
  24. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/light-at-end-world/id452111949
  25. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-dreadful-hours/id452118286
  26. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/songs-darkness-words-light/id427898625
  27. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/a-line-of-deathless-kings/id428188646
  28. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/for-lies-i-sire/id427915435
  29. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/evinta/id438915758
  30. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/map-all-our-failures-deluxe/id566594450
  31. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/trinity/id452166450
  32. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/meisterwerk-i/id452112460
  33. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/meisterwerk-ii/id452115735
  34. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-vaulted-shadows/id869555812
  35. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/bring-me-victory-ep/id452136313
  36. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-barghest-owhitby-ep/id478363192
  37. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-manuscript-ep/id647378109
  38. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-voice-of-the-wretched/id467768053
  39. "BLABBERMOUTH.NET — MY DYING BRIDE: 'An Ode To Woe' CD/DVD Set Due This Month".
  40. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/an-ode-to-woe/id472442069
  41. http://www.ifpi.fi/tilastot/virallinen-lista/singlet/2006/39
  42. http://www.mtv.com/videos/my-dying-bride/440991/bring-me-victory.jhtml
  43. http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/my-dying-bride-the-poorest-waltz-video-released/

External links

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