My Dying Bride Songs of Darkness, Words of Light
Peaceville Records CDVILEF110X 16/02/04
By Paddy Walsh
Songs of Darkness, Words of Light is the eighth studio offering from Britains masters of doom My Dying Bride. The success of The Dreadful Hours (2001) reasserted the band as a powerful musical force once again, following a rather bland sounding The Light at the End of the World. It would appear that My Dying Bride can now ride the crest of the acclaim earned from The Dreadful Hours, and continue crafting magnificent albums in the way they see fit. It is obvious that the band feels it has nothing to prove, and can now concentrate on simply creating essential slabs of doom for us to wallow in, as this release fits the bill perfectly.
Sounding somewhat mellow and laidback in places, yet never afraid to unleash a barrage of fury, the music is varied, dark, sombre and overtly depressing in parts. My Wine in Silence shows the band relaxing somewhat, allowing simple yet beautifully written guitar lines and Aaron Stainthorpes ever haunting voice wash over it. Some have called this song commercial, but I wouldnt entirely agree, its far too depressing! Other highlights are the brilliant Catherine Blake, which climaxes with an excellent death metal riff and demonic growls, while the constantly changing mood of The Prize of Beauty are also excellent. This piece switches several times from eerie to vicious, and ends on a particularly depressing note in which Aaron sounds like hes about to break down into tears. In fact, I feel it must be noted what an excellent a performance he puts in on this record. The distinctive moans and growls sound better than ever before. Unlike previous albums, where it sometimes felt like he attempted to overstretch his range, Aaron sticks to what hes best at, making Songs of Darkness, Words of Light all the better for it.
The other band members all contribute to the high quality as a whole, such as the understated yet always moving keyboard work of Sarah. But it isnt so much about individual performances as it is making all of them fit together as a work of art, and thanks to the many years of refining and perfection, it would appear that My Dying Bride have it mastered. They are able to effortlessly pulls at those emotional strings which we seek to push aside in our every day lives, exposing them in a starkness that - while often frightening - makes for brilliant entertainment wouldnt you agree?
9/10
Official My Dying Bride Website
Official Peaceville Records Website
Peaceville Records CDVILEF110X 16/02/04
By Paddy Walsh
Songs of Darkness, Words of Light is the eighth studio offering from Britains masters of doom My Dying Bride. The success of The Dreadful Hours (2001) reasserted the band as a powerful musical force once again, following a rather bland sounding The Light at the End of the World. It would appear that My Dying Bride can now ride the crest of the acclaim earned from The Dreadful Hours, and continue crafting magnificent albums in the way they see fit. It is obvious that the band feels it has nothing to prove, and can now concentrate on simply creating essential slabs of doom for us to wallow in, as this release fits the bill perfectly.
Sounding somewhat mellow and laidback in places, yet never afraid to unleash a barrage of fury, the music is varied, dark, sombre and overtly depressing in parts. My Wine in Silence shows the band relaxing somewhat, allowing simple yet beautifully written guitar lines and Aaron Stainthorpes ever haunting voice wash over it. Some have called this song commercial, but I wouldnt entirely agree, its far too depressing! Other highlights are the brilliant Catherine Blake, which climaxes with an excellent death metal riff and demonic growls, while the constantly changing mood of The Prize of Beauty are also excellent. This piece switches several times from eerie to vicious, and ends on a particularly depressing note in which Aaron sounds like hes about to break down into tears. In fact, I feel it must be noted what an excellent a performance he puts in on this record. The distinctive moans and growls sound better than ever before. Unlike previous albums, where it sometimes felt like he attempted to overstretch his range, Aaron sticks to what hes best at, making Songs of Darkness, Words of Light all the better for it.
The other band members all contribute to the high quality as a whole, such as the understated yet always moving keyboard work of Sarah. But it isnt so much about individual performances as it is making all of them fit together as a work of art, and thanks to the many years of refining and perfection, it would appear that My Dying Bride have it mastered. They are able to effortlessly pulls at those emotional strings which we seek to push aside in our every day lives, exposing them in a starkness that - while often frightening - makes for brilliant entertainment wouldnt you agree?
9/10
Official My Dying Bride Website
Official Peaceville Records Website
