15 albums into their career and My Dying Bride aren’t lacking in the melancholy department. A Mortal Binding represents the latest chapter for vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe and crew with a fairly heavy opener in the form of “Her Dominion.”
It features some of the gruffer and more growled vocals and overall anger, especially when compared to the follow-up track “Thornwyck Hymn,” which dials up feelings tenfold especially when you consider the involvement of Shaun MacGowan’s beautiful violin work. The slow and dramatic way in which this song was constructed is a masterwork in both emotional and beautiful songwriting, something that My Dying Bride have always excelled at.
“Unthroned Creed” has Stainthorpe feeling like he is standing alone in a dark room, obscured while crooning the twilight, giving way to heavy and slowly played riffs. Lyrically it delves into the idea that once you leave this mortal coil, there is nothing left for the main character to do here for the living, taking the light from a life and away from those it held most dear.
The anger returns after a few song hiatus on the album’s longest track “The Apocalyptist,” a multi-faceted track that’s a great epic and flowing piece which covers both sides to the My Dying Bride coin, allowing for it be both impassioned and heavy in every sense of those two very weighty words. This is one of the greatest songs that the band has written in a long time.
My Dying Bride’s contributions to extreme metal and particularly to doom are without equal. As an original member of the so called Peaceville Three with Anathema and Paradise Lost, only My Dying Bride have stuck consistently to their guns over the years, releasing continued music of this level of profundity over the 30 plus year career to this point.
A Mortal Binding represents the newest edition, one that shows no signs of rust and no renewed sense of faith in humanity.
(released April 19, 2024 on Nuclear Blast)
Heavy Music HQ Rating:
Watch My Dying Bride – “The 2nd Of Three Bells” Video
