‘Anthology of Sombre Reflections’ is an expansive and comprehensive collection of the early and much-celebrated works of the Doom Gods, from the formative deathly rawness of the revered ‘Towards the Sinister’ demo, ‘God is Alone’ 7″ tracks and subsequent debut album, ‘As the Flower Withers’, through to the gothic-tinged funereal seductive delights of 1996’s highlight, ‘Like Gods of the Sun’.
With the addition of all-time genre classic opuses ‘Turn Loose the Swans’, and ‘The Angel and the Dark River’ also representing My Dying Bride’s much-loved early to mid-90’s period, the band’s three cult EPs are also featured in this deluxe eight-vinyl boxset, with each record presented on 180gm heavyweight black vinyl. The four studio albums themselves have also been treated to new half-speed masters courtesy of Air Studios.
Accompanying the audio is a 48-page book featuring photographs and artwork, plus new interviews with Andrew Craighan and Aaron Stainthorpe conducted in 2025 exploring some of the influences and thought-processes behind the creation of such cherished works of the 90s, as well as reflections of their output over this period.
‘Anthology of Sombre Reflections’ also contains 2 large posters depicting the ‘Turn Loose the Swans’ CD artwork image, plus the original poster included in ‘As the Flower Withers’. A selection of photo prints of the band from this era are also included.
PRE-ORDER ANTHOLOGY OF SOMBRE REFLECTIONS (21st AUGUST)
Disc 1 – The Grief Of Age
Side A
Symphonaire Infernus Et Spera Empyrium (1990 demo) – 08:53
Vast Choirs (1990 demo) – 07:35
The Grief Of Age (1990 demo) – 04:08
Catching Feathers (1990 demo) – 03:42
Side B
5. God Is Alone (1991 7″ version) – 04:57
6. De Sade Soliloquy (1991 7″ version) – 04:39
7. Unreleased Bitterness – 07:44
8. The Sexuality Of Bereavement – 08:04
Disc 2 – Symphonaire Infernus Et Spera Empyrium
Side A
Symphonaire Infernus Et Spera Empyrium – 11:36
Side B
2. God Is Alone – 04:48
3. De Sade Soliloquay – 03:41
Disc 3 – As The Flower Withers (Half-Speed)
Side A
Silent Dance – 02:14
Sear Me – 09:06
The Forever People – 04:09
The Bitterness And The Bereavement – 07:37
Side B
5. Vast Choirs – 08:16
6. The Return Of The Beautiful – 12:50
7. Erotic Literature – 05:14
Disc 4 – The Thrash Of Naked Limbs EP
Side A
The Thrash Of Naked Limbs – 06:10
Side B
2. Le Cerf Malade – 06:28
3. Gather Me Up Forever – 05:17
Disc 5 – Turn Loose The Swans (Half-Speed)
Side A
Sear Me MCMXCIII – 07:25
Your River – 09:18
The Songless Bird – 06:57
The Snow In My Hand – 07:05
Side B
5. The Crown Of Sympathy – 12:13
6. Turn Loose The Swans – 10:06
7. Black God – 04:50
Disc 6 – I Am The Bloody Earth EP
Side A
I Am The Bloody Earth – 06:35
Transcending (Into The Exquisite) – 08:39
Side B
3. The Crown Of Sympathy (remix) – 11:09
Disc 7 – The Angel & The Dark River (Half-Speed)
Side A
The Cry Of Mankind – 12:13
From Darkest Skies – 07:47
A Sea To Suffer In – 06:11
Side B
4. Black Voyage – 09:47
5. Two Winters Only – 09:01
6. Your Shameful Heaven – 06:59
Disc 8 – Like Gods Of The Sun (Half-Speed)
Side A
Like Gods Of The Sun – 05:40
The Dark Caress – 05:59
Grace Unhearing – 07:19
A Kiss To Remember – 07:32
Side B
5. All Swept Away – 04:17
6. For You – 06:37
7. It Will Come – 04:28
8. Here In The Throat – 06:21
9. For My Fallen Angel – 05:55
After a career spanning over thirty-five years, from UK underground upstarts and outliers, to major success on the international stage – including tours with UK icons Iron Maiden and genre legends Dio – My Dying Bride have themselves become a firmly established pillar of metal history with a refined and influential brand of Death/Doom metal. With enduring popularity across subsequent decades, My Dying Bride remains a productive and captivating vessel for tragedy and despair, with their studio output spanning fourteen full-length albums to date.
As part of the “Peaceville Three”, along with fellow countrymen Paradise Lost and Anathema, My Dying Bride truly became a primary force in highlighting Britain as an epicentre of this Doom revolution of the time, creating a highly distinguishable sound assisted by the inclusion of violin & a more poetic approach to the delivery of morbid and salacious topics, lending an additional air of eccentricity and eloquence to the darkness.
Anthology Of Sombre Reflections will be released on Peaceville on 21st August. Pre-order here.
MY DYING BRIDE
