Being a big fan of My Dying Bride, it's of course always a party when a new album arrives...especially since they've never dissapointed me (OK, "34..." was a slight dissapointment...).
Their previous album 'The Light at the End of the World' was a suprising, and welcome, return to the band's death metal roots, and this trend continues on 'The Dreadful Hours', which sees the return of the melancholic violin (or is that a synthesizer simulating the instrument?).
Aaron continues to use death/black vocals on this album too, which I guess many fans will appreciate. His clean vocals are still very integral to the songs, and the man gets better at it for each album. His melody lines in the title track, for instance, give the song a sense of torment death vocals wouldn't achieve.
Once again My Dying Bride present a number of catchy, sad melodies mixed with heavier-than-brick riffs, and during some tunes I get the feeling they are repeating themselves - but honestly I don't care, 'cause if it sounds like My Dying Bride I'm happy.
An elegant mixture of old and recent My Dying Bride, then. Songs like "The Dreadful Hours", "A Cruel Taste of Winter" and "The Deepest of Hearts" are as My Dying Bride as you can get it, and will fill in perfectly with older songs in a live set.
The cover artwork, the lyrics and the Cd print are all of high quality as usual.
"The dreadful hours" is IMHO the best doom metal album of 2001, and I doubt the year will see any better.
9.2/10
Their previous album 'The Light at the End of the World' was a suprising, and welcome, return to the band's death metal roots, and this trend continues on 'The Dreadful Hours', which sees the return of the melancholic violin (or is that a synthesizer simulating the instrument?).
Aaron continues to use death/black vocals on this album too, which I guess many fans will appreciate. His clean vocals are still very integral to the songs, and the man gets better at it for each album. His melody lines in the title track, for instance, give the song a sense of torment death vocals wouldn't achieve.
Once again My Dying Bride present a number of catchy, sad melodies mixed with heavier-than-brick riffs, and during some tunes I get the feeling they are repeating themselves - but honestly I don't care, 'cause if it sounds like My Dying Bride I'm happy.
An elegant mixture of old and recent My Dying Bride, then. Songs like "The Dreadful Hours", "A Cruel Taste of Winter" and "The Deepest of Hearts" are as My Dying Bride as you can get it, and will fill in perfectly with older songs in a live set.
The cover artwork, the lyrics and the Cd print are all of high quality as usual.
"The dreadful hours" is IMHO the best doom metal album of 2001, and I doubt the year will see any better.
9.2/10