For Lies I Sire | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 23 March 2009 | |||
Recorded | 2008 – 2009 Futureworks Studios, Manchester, UK | |||
Genre | Doom metal, gothic metal | |||
Length | 59:54 | |||
Producer | Peaceville Records | |||
My Dying Bride chronology | ||||
|
For Lies I Sire is the tenth studio album by British doom metal pioneers My Dying Bride, released on 23 March 2009 via Peaceville Records [1] and 21 April 2009 in the United States. [2] It is the first album without keyboardist Sarah Stanton since she joined My Dying Bride in 2004 for their Songs of Darkness, Words of Light album. Musically, it is their first album since 1996's Like Gods of the Sun to feature a violin, performed by new band member Katie Stone. The album was recorded during September 2008 in Manchester's Futureworks Studio.
Andrew Craighan stated that the feel of the album is, in his words, "heading for empty and bleak with flashes of rage." [3] Vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe stated in an interview that For Lies I Sire is "quite possibly the most depressing thing we've created to date", and that it's an album that unites the past of the band with the future.
The album is the first since 1996's album Like Gods of the Sun to feature a violin, this time performed by new keyboardist and violinist Katie Stone. The idea of using violin again has been described by Stainthorpe as adding "a deep range of feeling". [4] The violin parts were well received by critics.
"A Chapter in Loathing" begins with the same riff that closed the band's last album, A Line of Deathless Kings .
This was the first studio release featuring keyboardist/violinist Katie Stone, drummer Dan Mullins and bassist Lena Abé, although the latter two also featured on the 2008 live CD/DVD An Ode to Woe . Stone resigned from the post to focus on her studies soon after the release of the album, to be replaced by Shaun MacGowan for the upcoming tour and Bring Me Victory EP.
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Blistering | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Sputnikmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The album was well received by critics. Thom Jurek of Allmusic especially praised Aaron Stainthorpe, calling his vocals "better than ever" and his lyrics "beautifully poetic and streamlined". Jurek also pointed out the entire band being on top-notch, with several good hooks in all instruments, and called the album both a good introduction to the band for new fans, and a good follow-up to fans of all the previous albums. [8] David E. Gehlke of Blistering.com called For Lies I Sire to be My Dying Bride's second best album after 1999's The Light at the End of the World , and especially praised the work of new drummer Dan Mullins, noting that he put out an "inspired performance, even getting colossal drum roll treatment on My Body, A Funeral and the death metal-tinged A Chapter in Loathing". [9]
At the same time, several critics have noted the departure of death grunts on the later albums, including For Lies I Sire. Trey Spencer of Sputnik Music feels it has the album lacking important parts and calling it "a shame [...] because musically this is some of the best material they’ve released in over a decade". He also adds that he enjoys the album, but is "constantly waiting for a little extra kick that never comes". [10]
Especially the return of the violin, as performed by Katie Stone, has been praised by critics; the aforementioned Sputnik Music critic noted that Stone often performed in style of past violinist Martin Powell, only using the violin sparsely on certain passages, to surprise the listener. He especially praised the violin usage in the song My Body, a Funeral, noting that it "is used in a way that seems to extend the lyrics despite the lack of any words". [10] David E. Gehlke of Blistering.com especially praised the album's interplay between the guitar riffs of Andrew Craighan's and Hamish Glencross, and Katie Stone's violin. [9]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "My Body, a Funeral" | 6:47 |
2. | "Fall with Me" | 7:15 |
3. | "The Lies I Sire" | 5:29 |
4. | "Bring Me Victory" | 4:08 |
5. | "Echoes from a Hollow Soul" | 7:19 |
6. | "ShadowHaunt" | 4:37 |
7. | "Santuario di Sangue" ("Blood Sanctuary") | 8:27 |
8. | "A Chapter in Loathing" | 4:46 |
9. | "Death Triumphant" (silence after 9:36) | 11:06 |
Total length: | 59:54 |
Charts (2009) | Peak position |
---|---|
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) [11] | 24 |
French Albums (SNEP) [12] | 176 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [13] | 36 |
My Dying Bride are an English doom metal band formed in Bradford. Since their inception in 1990, they have released 13 studio albums, three EPs, one demo, one box set, four compilation albums, one live album, and one live CD/DVD release.
Songs of Darkness, Words of Light is the eighth album from 2004 by the British doom metal band My Dying Bride. This album marks the debut of keyboardist Sarah Stanton. Initial copies of the album came in a hard clamshell case and featured a double sided poster and a fridge magnet as extras. This tradition was continued for the next album, A Line of Deathless Kings.
The Dreadful Hours is the seventh album by My Dying Bride, released on 13 November 2001. It contains a remake of "The Return of the Beautiful" from the band's debut album, As the Flower Withers. The Dreadful Hours was issued in a digipak with a full colour booklet.
The Light at the End of the World is the sixth album by My Dying Bride, released in 1999. After the more experimental 34.788%...Complete, this album marks a return to the more traditional My Dying Bride doom sound and style of lyrics. It was also the first My Dying Bride release since 1994's The Sexuality of Bereavement to feature growling vocals, although Aaron Stainthorpe has noticeably changed his style and broadened his range. All guitar parts on the album were recorded by Andrew Craighan, following the earlier departure of Calvin Robertshaw. Following Robertshaw's departure, only Craighan and Stainthorpe remained as founding members of the band. Hamish Glencross was soon after recruited as permanent guitarist. The keyboard parts were played by Jonny Maudling of Bal-Sagoth. It is also the first MDB album to feature the drumming of Shaun Steels, who would remain with the band until 2006.
Turn Loose the Swans is the second album by the British doom metal band My Dying Bride, released in 1993.
The Angel and the Dark River is the third album by the British doom/death metal band My Dying Bride. The 1996 re-release contains one bonus track "The Sexuality of Bereavement" and a bonus CD titled Live at the Dynamo. The Live CD was recorded during their appearance at the Dynamo Festival in 1995.
34.788%...Complete is the fifth album by My Dying Bride, released on 6 October 1998. The track "Under Your Wings and into Your Arms" appears on both The Voice of the Wretched CD and the Sinamorata DVD, and the opening track, "The Whore, the Cook and the Mother" appeared on their latest live DVD, An Ode to Woe.
Meisterwerk 2 is a compilation album by My Dying Bride, which features both album tracks and rare recordings. Its companion piece - Meisterwerk 1 - was released the previous year. It is the third of five My Dying Bride compilation albums, following 1995's "Trinity" and "Meisterwerk 1", preceding "Anti-Diluvian Chronicles" in 2005 and "Meisterwerk 3" in 2016.
Meisterwerk 1 is a compilation album by My Dying Bride, which features both album tracks and rare recordings. Its companion piece - Meisterwerk 2 - was released the following year. It is the second of four My Dying Bride compilation albums, following 1995's Trinity and followed by Meisterwerk 2 later the same year and "Anti-Diluvian Chronicles" in 2005.
Anti-Diluvian Chronicles is a compilation album by My Dying Bride, which features both album tracks and new remixes. It is the fourth My Dying Bride compilation album, following 1995's Trinity and 2000's Meisterwerk 1 and Meisterwerk 2.
The Thrash of Naked Limbs is the second EP by death/doom metal band My Dying Bride. This EP was also released as a vinyl record. By this time, the band was a 6-piece, having added session violinist and keyboardist Martin Powell as an official band member.
A Line of Deathless Kings is the ninth studio album by My Dying Bride. It was released on 9 October 2006.
An Ode To Woe is a live album by My Dying Bride. The set contains a live show recorded in Amsterdam on CD and DVD during the band's mini-tour for the album A Line of Deathless Kings. The set marks the second live CD release by the band, and the third on DVD. The show was originally broadcast by website Fabchannel where it is still available for viewing. An Ode To Woe is the first My Dying Bride release to feature Lena Abé on bass and Dan Mullins on drums, as well as the first release not to feature bassist Adrian Jackson since Symphonaire Infernus Et Spera Empyrium.
Bring Me Victory is an EP by the doom metal band My Dying Bride. "Bring Me Victory" is a song from My Dying Bride's previous album, For Lies I Sire; a video was made for the song and released on this EP. "Scarborough Fair", an English traditional song, has two additional verses incorporated into it written by Aaron Stainthorpe. "Failure" is a cover of a song written by Swans. The original version had long been a highly respected song among the members of the band. "Vast Choirs" is a live version of a song originally released on My Dying Bride's first album, As The Flower Withers, and since included on several compilation releases.
Shaun MacGowan is a UK-born violinist, keyboardist and guitarist, best known as the keyboardist and violinist of British doom metal band My Dying Bride. He replaced Katie Stone in 2009, and joined the band to tour the album For Lies I Sire. His first studio appearance with the group came on the 2009 EP Bring Me Victory, on which he played two tracks.
The Barghest O' Whitby is an EP by the doom metal band My Dying Bride, released on 7 November 2011. It consists of a single, 27-minute track.
A Map of All Our Failures is the 11th studio album by English doom metal band My Dying Bride, released on 15 October 2012 via Peaceville Records. Limited editions of the album included a bonus track and a DVD featuring a 70-minute documentary, An Evening With the Bride. The album cover artwork was by Rhett Podersoo.
The Manuscript is a My Dying Bride EP released on 13 May 2013 on CD and vinyl. It contains four tracks, three of which were recorded at the same time as the band's previous album, A Map of All Our Failures.
Feel the Misery is the 12th studio album by British doom metal band My Dying Bride. It was released on 18 September 2015 on Peaceville Records.
The Ghost of Orion is the thirteenth studio album by British doom metal band My Dying Bride. It was released on 6 March 2020 through Nuclear Blast.