Review by Richard Henry for MPM
How did we get to album 14 already, I remember the first album coming out shockingly, as much as people talk about the misery of the band I always find them hauntingly beautiful in a way, so I am really looking forward to seeing what they have in-store for us on this one!
Her Dominion
A lumbering riff comes in with an off kilter swaying drum part with a haunting vocal synth melody in the back before it changes and Aarons harsh vocals kick in, then the lumbering riff comes to a menacing pushing riff and the song starts to drive forward, then another change as the violin comes in along with the next riff, its proper heavy to be fair, that repeating vocal melody in the back really catches your ear as does the little subtle parts of harmony guitar, nice opener and certainly provides a bit of heft to kick you in to the album!
Thornwyck Hymn
Again that is a heavy riff with nice double kick syncopation, along with a guitar melody that is really slow and I think being doubled by the violin, spoken vocal to the verse with a driving double kick, heavy but really atmospheric, then when it breaks and slows the vocals still stay clean but it just gets so heavy and deliberate, the production by the way is incredible, really clean, then the violin melody that comes in is so beautiful over the crushing guitar chords, this is one of these tracks thats just so mournful in feel and its so what this band does well, there is a part just before 5 mins in with a guitar melody and its just beautiful and so sad at the same point, such a juxtaposition of emotion, this is just such an amazing track!
The 2nd of Three Bells
A swirling opening and then a lovely acoustic section comes in over the top of it, again its that ominous low vocal delivery from Aaron, so vunerable sounding, then the band comes in with a really slow simple riff and its the violin thats the star of the show at this point, there is a subtle orchestral synth part in the background adding lots to the sound, then there is a harmony guitar riff over a really slow drum pattern and its so My Dying Bride soundings they do it all the time and its so signature to them before the melody comes back in and the other guitar goes back to the riff, its in a way an very simple song but really complex in arrangement and then just like that it drops to a crunching riff and the vocals change and some double bass kicks in as well, before It changes again and all the atmosphere comes right back again, that’s an absolute belter of a track!
Unthroned Creed
Back to the heavy with that stab of guitar then a single note riff comes in, again its really ominous, great bass sound in there as well, you can really hear it in the production, the a crunching riff comes in and the vocals follow the melody of the riff climbing and dropping, then when it slows the keys come in and the riff goes slow, its a really interesting arrangement, then a brutally heavy slow riff comes in, proper sledgehammer of a part still loads of atmosphere to it but a big change of feel, its so slow and broodingly heavy, there are elements of Cradle in that synth part, it just keeps reminding me of them, even though these guys where about before them, then a swing and then tempo picks up pace and the vocal changes and goes back to following the riff, another great track!
The Apocalyptist
Change in atmosphere with this one opening with the violin part, long song this one at 11 minutes, the clean guitar weaving underneath the guitar part, then bang it gets heavy and the vocals follow the same with a real growl and menace to them, you don’t have to be fast to be heavy and this track certainly is showing that so far, some burst of slow double bass just drive that riff on, then a burst of light that is the violin part pushing its way between the dark clouds and with it the tempo slows right down as well, then a bass break and another lumbering riff comes at you, vocals changing to clean over it, then it changes again with a violin part and another really melodic riff coming in, like a slow At the Gates it reminds me of and yet again the vocals have changed to a more harsh delivery, its almost like a progressive metal track with the amount of changes in it, and I am only just over halfway through, then back to the previous part, some nice bass fills in there as well, then an arpeggiated riff with a guitar melody in there as well, a nice change of pace and a load of melody as well, then it slows down to a lumbering riff and the harsh vocals return as the song is coming to its conclusion, epic track!
A Starving Heart
Clean almost classical feeling intro to the one, with the ride cymbal playing in the background, then the crushing guitars come in and it is a funeral pace that just makes it so heavy, and the clean vocal over this slow part is eerie, it just seems to drag along at a snails pace, again listen to that synth vocal part just in the background adding to the track, really easy to miss as well if you don’t catch it, then we change again and the riff and drums changes and then the vocals change again to a more harsh part, then again the violin comes in a changes the feel as the vocals and everything shift again as does the tempo and riff, it is really like the sun poking through the clouds, parts like this, I will say it again the production is so crisp on this album, everything shines and has its place in the mix, then again we have a change it slows down again and the guitar and violin duel with each other and its such a lovely part as the song closes out!
Crushed Embers
Boom into the harmony guitar and the violin as well, last track and another long one at 9 mins long, the lurching pace continues with this one, its just so signature a sound and you know who it is straight away, mid sung vocal from Aaron on this sorrowful but still melodic at the same time, melancholic is most definitely the word, then it slows again to a crawl with the violin taking prominence again just a slow melody over the guitar chords and slow beat, you cant help but just listen to this album and have a whirl of emotions, another track that just lumbers on and is haunting and melancholic and it just tugs at the heart strings in a way that only this band can do!
10 out of 10
Its so My Dying Bride, its so signature, if you are a fan of the band you will not be disappointed and if you don’t know the band, please go buy the CD and envelop yourself in the atmosphere of this one, highly recommended !!
You can pre-order A Mortal Binding here: https://mydyingbride.bfan.link/a-mortal-binding
My Dying Bride are:
Aaron Stainthorpe | vocals
Andrew Craighan | guitars
Lena Abé | bass
Shaun MacGowan | keyboards / violin
Neil Blanchett | guitars
Dan Mullins | drums
Follow My Dying Bride:
