My Dying Bride

My Dying Bride is an English doom metal band formed in 1990. To date, My Dying Bride has released one demo, three EPs, several singles, ten full-length studio albums, one box set, four compilation albums, one live album, one live CD/DVD release, and several video releases. The band released its tenth studio album, For Lies I Sire, on March 23, 2009. My Dying Bride, along with bands such as Anathema and Paradise Lost, are one of the forerunners of the death/doom metal genre.

Biography

 * Band website: http://mydyingbride.org

Early years (1990 - 1992)
My Dying Bride was formed in Halifax in the north of England in June 1990 after lead guitarist Andrew Craighan and drummer Rick Miah left their former band Abiosis to join Aaron Stainthorpe, vocalist and Calvin Robertshaw, guitarist. After six months of rehearsing, the band recorded and released their demo, Towards the Sinister. Its title was taken from a line in the song "Symphonaire Infernus et Spera Empyrium". The band could soon release their first single, God Is Alone, on a small French label called Listenable. 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, which also featured their latest recruit, bassist Adrian Jackson. The EP was soon followed by their first full-length album, As the Flower Withers.

Turn Loose the Swans (1992 - 1994)
"As the Flower Withers" was followed by a big tour in the UK and the mainland Europe, and in 1992 they recorded their next EP, "The Thrash of Naked Limbs". 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. With the joining of Martin Powell, the usage of violin increased even more since their As the Flower Withers album. The album was followed by a tour and the release of another EP, "I Am the Bloody Earth", in 1994.

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 travelled on a three month tour with fellow metal band Iron Maiden, winning over thousands of new fans.

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. This was the fourth, full length 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.

"34.788%...Complete" and hiatus (1998 - 2001)
The somewhat experimental 34.788%...Complete was next, which, along with the following The Light at the End of the World, polarized fans over the band's new direction. 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 material and rare material from My Dying Bride.

The Dreadful Hours (2001 - 2004)
Between 2003 and 2004, the band's label, Peaceville, re-released their entire back-catalogue in digipak format, with rare bonus tracks (demos, remixes, live performances etc.) added to each release.

Songs of Darkness, Words of Light (2004 - 2005)
2004's follow-up Songs of Darkness, Words of Light showed a band continuing to expand and refine their sound and purpose. A substantial increase in live performances — once an unheard-of rarity — has led to much greater recognition by a new generation of fans.

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 October 9, 2006. It was preceded by the EP Deeper Down on September 18. 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

For Lies I Sire (2009 - present)
In November 2008, pre-production for My Dying Bride's tenth studio album was announced, entitled "For Lies I Sire, had begun, released March 23,Due to Sarah Stanton's pregnancy she has been replaced on keyboards by Katie Stone, who was announced on June 27, 2008 as an official member of the band. She performed violin on For Lies I Sire as well.

For Lies I Sire was released on March 23, 2009. The band announced through their official website a series of live shows taking place May through August 2009 to promote the album. However, on June 9, 2009, an announcement was made that Katie Stone is no longer part of the band. She was replaced by Shaun Macgowan.

October 26, 2009 saw the release of My Dying Bride's new EP/DVD, 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.

Current members

 * Aaron Stainthorpe - Vocals (1990-)
 * Andrew Craighan - Guitar (1990-)
 * Hamish Glencross - Guitar (1999-)
 * Lena Abé - Bass (2007-)
 * Dan Mullins - Drums (2007-)
 * Shaun Macgowan - Keyboards/Violin (2009-)

Former members

 * Martin Powell - Keyboards, Violins (1991-1998) (ex-Anathema, ex-Cradle of Filth, ex-Cryptal Darkness)
 * Calvin Robertshaw - Guitar (1990-1999)
 * Bill Law — Drums (1998-1999) (ex-Dominion)
 * Rick Miah - Drums (1990-1997) (ex-Abiosis, ex-Khang, ex-Lazarus Blackstar)
 * Shaun Taylor-Steels - Drums (1998-2006) (ex-Solstice, ex-Anathema, ex-Ironside)
 * Adrian Jackson - Bass (1991-2007)
 * Sarah Stanton - Keyboards (2002-2008)
 * Katie Stone — Violin, Keyboards (2008- 2009)

Session members

 * Jonny Maudling - Session Keyboards (Bal-Sagoth)
 * Michelle Richfield — Guest Female Vocals in "34.788%... Complete" album (Dominion, Sear, ex-Anathema, Antimatter)
 * Yasmin Ahmed — Keyboards (1999-2002) (ex-Ebonylake)
 * John Bennett - Session Drums (The Prophecy)

Albums

 * (1992) As the Flower Withers
 * (1993) Turn Loose the Swans
 * (1995) The Angel and the Dark River
 * (1996) Like Gods of the Sun
 * (1998) 34.788%...Complete
 * (1999) The Light at the End of the World
 * (2001) The Dreadful Hours
 * (2004) Songs of Darkness, Words of Light
 * (2006) A Line of Deathless Kings
 * (2009) For Lies I Sire

Demos, singles and EPs

 * (1990) Towards the Sinister (demo)
 * (1991) God Is Alone (7")
 * (1991) Symphonaire Infernus et Spera Empyrium (EP)
 * (1992) The Thrash of Naked Limbs (Single)
 * (1993) Unreleased Bitterness (7")
 * (1994) I Am the Bloody Earth (Single)
 * (1994) The Sexuality of Bereavement (7")
 * (2006) Deeper Down (Single)
 * (2009) Bring Me Victory

Compilations

 * (1994) The Stories (box set)
 * (1995) Trinity
 * (2000) Meisterwerk 1
 * (2001) Meisterwerk 2
 * (2002) The Voice of the Wretched (live)
 * (2005) Anti-Diluvian Chronicles
 * (2008) An Ode to Woe (live, also contains DVD version)

Video releases

 * (1997) For Darkest Eyes
 * (2005) Sinamorata
 * (2008) An Ode to Woe