My Dying Bride are an English doom metal band formed in Bradford. Since their inception in 1990, they have released 15 studio albums, five EPs, one demo, one box set, four compilation albums, one live album, and one live CD/DVD release.
My Dying Bride formed in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, in June 1990,[1] 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 then released their first single, "God Is Alone", on a small French label called Listenable.[1] 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,[1] which also featured their latest recruit, bassist Adrian Jackson. The EP was soon followed by their first album, As the Flower Withers.[1]
Turn Loose the Swans (1992–1994)
As the Flower Withers was followed by a large tour in the UK and the mainland Europe, and in 1992 they recorded their next EP, The Thrash of Naked Limbs.[1] 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.[1] With the joining of Martin Powell, the usage of violin increased even more since their As the Flower Withers album. The album was released that year followed by a tour and another EP, I Am the Bloody Earth.[1]
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 traveled on a three-month tour with 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.[1] This was the fourth 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").
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 18 September. 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.[2]
For Lies I Sire, Evinta, The Barghest O' Whitby (2009–2011)
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, My Dying Bride released an EP/DVD titled 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.[3]
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.[4] 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.[5][6]
A Map of All Our Failures and The Manuscript (2012–2014)
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.[7] 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 compilation.
Guitarist Hamish Glencross had been fired upon returning from their U.S. 2014 Maryland Deathfest appearance, and original guitarist Calvin Robertshaw returned to the band.[8]
Feel the Misery and move to Nuclear Blast (2015–2019)
Calvin Robertshaw, 2015
On 18 September 2015, Feel the Misery was released, with eight tracks. In March 2017, the band signed with Nuclear Blast Records. The same year, drummer Dan Mullins left the band, and was replaced with Shaun Steels, who had been in the band from 1999 to 2006, and had played on A Map of All Our Failures in 2012 as a session member.
In 2017, after cancelling four festival appearances, Aaron Stainthorpe explained that the band was working on a new album, and had therefore not disbanded.[9] In fact, My Dying Bride signed a new contract with Nuclear Blast. [10] In a My Dying Bride Facebook post on 18 September 2018, Aaron Stainthorpe explained that the band cancelled those shows due to the cancer of his 5-year-old daughter, who is presently in remission.[11]
On 4 December 2018, the band announced that Shaun Steels had been replaced by Jeff Singer due to "unresolvable drumming issues" and that the drum tracks for the new album had been completed by Singer.[12]
On 24 May 2019, the band released A Harvest of Dread, a deluxe 12-inch 92-page hardback book five-disc set of rarities, early works, previously unheard pre-production demos, band favorites, and live audio. Also in 2019, Calvin Robertshaw had left My Dying Bride for a second time, and was replaced by Neil Blanchett on guitars.[13]
The Ghost of Orion (2020–2023)
My Dying Bride's 13th album, The Ghost of Orion, was released on 6 March 2020. It was released five years after their previous effort, Feel the Misery, which is the band's longest gap between studio albums to date.
Beforehand, the album's first single, "Your Broken Shore", was released on 20 January,[14] followed by a second single, "Tired of Tears", on 7 February.
My Dying Bride announced in February their 14th studio album, A Mortal Binding, which was released on 19 April 2024. Preceding the release were singles "Thornwyck Hymn" in February and "The 2nd of Three Bells" in March.
However, just two weeks before the album launch, the band canceled all live shows, citing internal tensions among members. In an interview with Devolution magazine, vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe revealed that he and guitarist Andrew Craighan had been managing the band without a formal manager for years, which had led to creative disagreements and stress. Stainthorpe emphasised the need for a break to avoid a "massive bust-up", acknowledging that while it was not an ideal time to pause given their album release and scheduled gigs the decision was necessary for the band's well-being.[16]
On 6 December 2024, the band announced that they will continue performing live shows in 2025, but due to Stainthorpe having been absent from the band since their short break, they will tour with Swallow the Sun vocalist Mikko Kotamäki.[17]
As the Flower Withers is the debut studio album by English doom metal band My Dying Bride. The artwork was designed by Dave McKean. This is the only full-length My Dying Bride album on which lead vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe utilizes his death growl as the sole vocal style.
The Dreadful Hours is the seventh studio album by English doom metal band 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 studio album by English doom metal band 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 My Dying Bride album to feature the drumming of Shaun Steels, who would remain with the band until 2006.
The Angel and the Dark River is the third studio album by English doom 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.
Like Gods of the Sun is the fourth studio album by English doom metal band My Dying Bride released in 1996, and the last album by the band to feature Rick Miah, who left the band in 1997, on drums and Martin Powell on keyboards and violins.
Meisterwerk 2 is the fourth compilation album by English doom metal band 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 the third compilation album by English doom metal band 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 the fifth compilation album by English doom metal band 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.
Symphonaire Infernus et Spera Empyrium is the first EP by English doom metal band My Dying Bride. "Symphonaire" was made only a few months after signing to the Peaceville Records label. The song was also released as a vinyl record and an audio tape. The artwork was designed and created by Dave McKean, who also designed some of the band's other sleeves including "As the Flower Withers".
"The Sexuality of Bereavement" is a song by English doom metal band My Dying Bride. The single was only available to the Peaceville Collectors Club Series members. The Collectors Club was eventually disbanded because it had too few members. After this point, the band discontinued production of EPs, up until 2006.
A Line of Deathless Kings is the ninth studio album by English doom metal band My Dying Bride. It was released on 9 October 2006.
"Deeper Down" is a song by English doom metal band My Dying Bride, released on 18 September 2006. It is an edited version of the song which appears on the album A Line of Deathless Kings.
For Lies I Sire is the tenth studio album by English doom metal band My Dying Bride, released on 23 March 2009 via Peaceville Records and 21 April 2009 in the United States. 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.
Bring Me Victory is the fourth EP by English 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.
The Barghest O' Whitby is the fifth EP by English 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 eleventh studio album by English doom metal band My Dying Bride, released on 15 October 2012 via Peaceville Records. Limited editions include a bonus track and a DVD featuring a 70-minute documentary, An Evening With the Bride. The cover artwork is by Rhett Podersoo.
The Manuscript is the sixth EP by English doom metal band My Dying Bride, 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.
This article lists the comprehensive discography for English doom metal band My Dying Bride.
Feel the Misery is the twelfth studio album by English 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 English doom metal band My Dying Bride. It was released on 6 March 2020 through Nuclear Blast.
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