Band Members:
Vocals:Aaron Stainthorpe
Guitars: Calvin Robertshaw
Guitars: Andrew Craighan
Bass Guitar: Ade Jackson
Drums & Percussion: Bill Law

Discography:

The doom metal band My Dying Bride were formed by Aaron, Calvin, Andrew, and Rick in 1990. The Northern England band released the demo 'Towards the Sinister' that year followed by the 7 " single 'God is Alone' on an independent French label which sold really well. One year after the band had formed, Peaceville records offered them a deal. Their debut Ep titled 'Symphonaire Infernus et Spera Empyrium' was released in 1991, a doom/death metal compositon hinting at slight atmospherics which was unusual at the time. This debut also marked the addition of bassist Adrian(Ade) who had just joined the band.

In 1992, My Dying Bride released their first album 'As the Flower Withers'. The band showed progression through the continuation of the 'Symphonaire' Ep in doom/death fashion. The seven song album contained slow dark passages through keyboards and death-like vocals with a trace of mournful singing ( ex. Sear Me), enriched with a very heavy speed/death pace similar to bands such as Celtic Frost, Sodom, and Bathory who were the bands My Dying Bride were influenced by in the 80's. Later in 92, the band went to Academy Studios in West Yorkshire again where they recorded before and released an Ep called 'The Thrash of the Naked Limbs'. This recording relied on more atmospherics through the use of violins and keyboards which gained further status from Kerrang magazine as well as from the touring in Europe, especially Germany. The band also produced a video for the single 'Thrash of the Naked Limbs' that year. The very unique cover artwork was done by Dave McKean, an abstract artist as well as a comic artist who had done the drawings for their two prior releases. (Dave McKean has done album covers for Paradise Lost, Fear Factory, Machine Head, FloodGate, Cemetary, Kreator, and others)

So as the death metal scene in Europe started to evolve with groups experimenting in their own ways, My Dying Bride were about to experiment even further with the addition of session musician Martin Powell, an acclaimed violinist and piano player in 1993. Their second album 'Turn Loose the Swans', produced by Mags who had also done their previous recordings contained seven epic-like songs, each showing tremendous diversity through the sequence of violin and piano/keyboards played with the unusal dual guitar work by Calvin and Andrew. Songwriter Aaron also displayed an excellent variety of vocal styles which totally defined the album even more, altogether showing stunning musicanship by a band with a potential to break out of the underground. This album clearly showcased My Dying Bride's talent for writing songs and while Paradise Lost were known for changing their doom/death style and separating themselves from the rest, My Dying Bride too carved out their own identity and gave rise to the phenonemon known as DOOM metal eliminating the comments made that My Dying Bride were just copying what Paradise Lost had done before them.

With the successful touring of the album that year as well as the sales, My Dying Bride also experienced some bad times just as Pardise Lost did too in 93. Serious car accidents in bad weather conditions and theft of equipment occured for My Dying Bride. Not much was heard from them in late 93 and most of 94 except for the release of their third Ep 'I Am the Bloody Earth' and the 'Stories Boxset' containing all three of their Ep's together. Most of 94 was spent in preparation for their next album which was sure to define doom metal even further.

In May of 1995, My Dying Bride released the epic 'The Angel and the Dark River', their third album on Peaceville records. The six song compositon was considered to be a concept album which many bands are doing nowadays, but not in the same format as this album. On this release, My Dying Bride changed their overall sound, mainly in the heaviness of the guitars and drums and going for a more hypnotic sound, while maintaining their medievil direction. While many reviewers state the music on this album is too pretentious sounding and overly dramatic, it fits into My Dying Bride's plan in creating a more gothic-like sound since Aaron got rid of the aggressive vocals from past albums and heading into a different direction from the 'Swans' album of 93. The end of 95 saw My Dying Bride touring in support of Iron Maiden in the U.K. and throughout Europe. They also played the Dynamo Festival in Holland in the summer of 95 which was recorded on CD and released in 1996. The band had also made a deal with Fierce recordings in New York to distribute their albums in the U.S. which is affiliated with Peaceville and Music for Nations.

Now that My Dying Bride were gaining more and more attention throughout Europe from their constant touring through the years and from the support of U.S. distribution, it was time for them to release yet another album. Even during their touring in late 95 with Maiden they managed to compile songs ready for production in the summer. As Aaron stated in an article in metal maniacs, he realized they were amateur in comparison to Iron Maiden. "It taught us to be more professional than we already were" O ctober of 1996 saw the anticipated release of ' Like Gods of the Sun'. With the production of Mags again, this time the two guitarists Calvin and Andy were heavily involved explaining the very heavy sound on this album. Like Gods of the Sun had all the traditional aspects of the band involved but with more conviction and aggression done in different ways than on early albums. The album was really guitar oriented as their songwriting improved even more and the emotional output of vocalist Aaron contributed greatly. Though not as dreary and depressive as the last album, this very impressive release still contained these qualities which make My Dying Bride what they are. As in the review of mine, this album was outstanding and superior.

My Dying Bride completed two tours for the album, one in late 96 with Cathedral, and one with Sentenced and Sundown in early 97. My Dying Bride also made it to North America for the first time last April in a tour with Ronnie James Dio and plan on making more dates for the U.S. for 1997.

The touring in early part of 97 with Dio was very successful in spreading their music to U.S. fans for the first time and being supported by a metal legend who liked their music. Their plans on touring further into the U.S. were stopped though when their drummer Rick could not go on anymore because of illness. In fact he could no longer continue to even keep on with the band, it was too much for him according to him and Aaron because of stress so he left in best interest of the band.

In 1998 My Dying Bride put out two cover songs from the 80's by Nick Cave and Portishead early on which ended up on the Peaceville tenth anniversary compilation. The group were in the Academy studio once again in July to begin on the new album when violinist Martin decided to quit and go back to school. This left them with two less members but luckily Dominion drummer Bill Law filled in and has become a permanent member now. Doing what they do best, the Dying Bride produced with Mags again and with more engineering and mixing going on than ever before, they came up with the sound they were looking for. Guitarist Calvin had a huge impact on the sound of the new album which is called 34.788% complete. According to Calvin, this number was in the form of a dream he had in which mankind had used up this precise percent of life so far and therefore only a remaining percentage left on earth for man. Well the new album was released in October of 98 and has seen good reviews and comments like their best one. At the same time stronger doom critics are not in favour of MDB's newly advanced form of doom. There has been controversy involving the sound, ideas, even cover art and in specifics the fourth song 'Heroin Chic'. This song is new and in my opinion fucking excellent, the whole idea of the song and what Aaron is trying to prove here is something which needs to be analyzed completely before understanding. It all makes sense to the careful listener without judging too soon. With the unusual album title and the more urban approach chosen there is bound to be differences of opinion which is right on with this band. My Dying Bride have been this way since their beginning, creating controversy because of their unique way of creating their music. Once outcasts when they introduced violins to death metal. Not much has changed really, the doom element is very much in tact, it's evolved greatly and for the better. My Dying Bride are about creativity and originality and this is clear with 34.788%. (see album review for details 4/4 score)

According to the band, they plan on touring in Europe in 1999 and have not replaced their violinist with anyone. Martin seems to have joined an Austrailian doom metal group Cryptal Darkness instead of with Anathema.

Check out this My Dying Bride Site:MDB

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