My Dying Bride
We were recently sent through details of the new EP, The Manuscript, from UK doomlords My Dying Bride. Having been imposing their legacy upon the world for over two decades now, My Dying Bride are THE original doom metal band, appealing to the metal masses but retaining their solid underground following. Speaking of the new EP, the band themselves have said ‘The Manuscript features four monstrous tracks of brilliantly crafted metal that only My Dying Bride can do, with swathes of doom laden melancholy, harmonic beauty and thundering death metal all combined in their trademark sound. Four tales of tragedy, loss and bitter vengeance greet the listener with an added assault on the emotions too, leaving the soul grey and limp. There is beauty here, but it’s carrying a dark blade.’ With their 2012 release, A Map of All Our Failures, being hailed as one of the bands finest and most epic works of late, this new EP has a tough act to follow for sure!
Kicking off with title track The Manuscript the dark and heavy sounds of My Dying Bride burst into being, offering up a sound that’s deep, powerful, dark and doom orientate from the word go. From soaring symphonies through to pummelling rhythms, the track grabs you by the hand and begins to lead you along the twisted journey that the guys have got mapped out, reminding you of a sound that’s been long lost, a sound that relies on slower, more powerful riffs to hammer home the message rather than fast paced over the top thrash. Soaring melodies seep out of the mix throughout the track, resulting in something which is certainly within the doom spectrum, but equally balanced with melody and accessibility. Building to a crescendo before fading to a close, the opening track here shows that My Dying Bride are back, and they mean business.
Shifting up a gear for Var Gud Over Er, the soothing darkness gives way to a pummelling power, the guitar work combining with a rolling drum line and growling vocal to get things going, and presenting the listener with a sound leaning far more on the heavy side of things. Accentuating the power of the track with rolling double bass and intricate lead lines, this track comes across as a far cry from the opening moments of the EP, yet still manages to keep the continuity of the EP rolling forwards. Chunky riffs, chanted vocal lines and a rolling rhythm section, this track has power by the bucket load and is sure to keep you coming back for more.
Moving on to A Pale Shroud Of Longing, My Dying Bride once again present us with a slight change in direction, this time returning to their doom metal roots and hammering out a track which is powerful , slow and in your face from the second it kicks off right up until the moment it comes to a close. Once again adding in their own signature take on things through the combined elements, there’s something mystical and enthralling about this track, the sort of thing that’s going to keep you coming back for more time and time again. From soft guitar lines through to soaring string moments and bludgeoning riffery, there’s not a moment here that allows you a rest or a time out, instead keeping you listening for the entire 7 minutes 48 and surprising at every turn. Notably even the quietened section from 4:30 or so manages to pack a punch, the spoken vocal line luring you in whilst the soaring melodies continue behind everything, before once again we’re launched head first into the distorted doom.
It’s only then left to Only Tears To Replace Her With, closing the EP with one final demonstration of the power that the guys have built up over the years, and leaving no doubt that experience counts for everything when it comes to doom orientated metal goodness. Despite being one of the shorter tracks on the EP, the closing moments here are hauntingly beautiful, showing off the beauty spoken about by the band whilst still managing to keep that dark edge running throughout it. Restrained guitars and dark, almost haunting vocals echo out over the mix, finishing the EP for now, but leaving a real sense that this is just the beginning, and that there’s still plenty more where this came from.
The Manuscript is another stepping stone for My Dying Bride, showing that despite being on the scene for over 20 years, they’ve still got just as much power and vision stored within their ranks as when they first started. Hauntingly beautiful from start to finish, this is an EP that’s going to stay with you, come back to you in your dreams, and match moments which occur on a day to day basis. Step forth My Dying Bride, once again showing the new bloods how it works, and how doom should sound.
To find out more about My Dying Bride, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Kicking off with title track The Manuscript the dark and heavy sounds of My Dying Bride burst into being, offering up a sound that’s deep, powerful, dark and doom orientate from the word go. From soaring symphonies through to pummelling rhythms, the track grabs you by the hand and begins to lead you along the twisted journey that the guys have got mapped out, reminding you of a sound that’s been long lost, a sound that relies on slower, more powerful riffs to hammer home the message rather than fast paced over the top thrash. Soaring melodies seep out of the mix throughout the track, resulting in something which is certainly within the doom spectrum, but equally balanced with melody and accessibility. Building to a crescendo before fading to a close, the opening track here shows that My Dying Bride are back, and they mean business.
Shifting up a gear for Var Gud Over Er, the soothing darkness gives way to a pummelling power, the guitar work combining with a rolling drum line and growling vocal to get things going, and presenting the listener with a sound leaning far more on the heavy side of things. Accentuating the power of the track with rolling double bass and intricate lead lines, this track comes across as a far cry from the opening moments of the EP, yet still manages to keep the continuity of the EP rolling forwards. Chunky riffs, chanted vocal lines and a rolling rhythm section, this track has power by the bucket load and is sure to keep you coming back for more.
Moving on to A Pale Shroud Of Longing, My Dying Bride once again present us with a slight change in direction, this time returning to their doom metal roots and hammering out a track which is powerful , slow and in your face from the second it kicks off right up until the moment it comes to a close. Once again adding in their own signature take on things through the combined elements, there’s something mystical and enthralling about this track, the sort of thing that’s going to keep you coming back for more time and time again. From soft guitar lines through to soaring string moments and bludgeoning riffery, there’s not a moment here that allows you a rest or a time out, instead keeping you listening for the entire 7 minutes 48 and surprising at every turn. Notably even the quietened section from 4:30 or so manages to pack a punch, the spoken vocal line luring you in whilst the soaring melodies continue behind everything, before once again we’re launched head first into the distorted doom.
It’s only then left to Only Tears To Replace Her With, closing the EP with one final demonstration of the power that the guys have built up over the years, and leaving no doubt that experience counts for everything when it comes to doom orientated metal goodness. Despite being one of the shorter tracks on the EP, the closing moments here are hauntingly beautiful, showing off the beauty spoken about by the band whilst still managing to keep that dark edge running throughout it. Restrained guitars and dark, almost haunting vocals echo out over the mix, finishing the EP for now, but leaving a real sense that this is just the beginning, and that there’s still plenty more where this came from.
The Manuscript is another stepping stone for My Dying Bride, showing that despite being on the scene for over 20 years, they’ve still got just as much power and vision stored within their ranks as when they first started. Hauntingly beautiful from start to finish, this is an EP that’s going to stay with you, come back to you in your dreams, and match moments which occur on a day to day basis. Step forth My Dying Bride, once again showing the new bloods how it works, and how doom should sound.
To find out more about My Dying Bride, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls