Album Type : EP
Date Released : 13/5/2013
Label : Peaceville Records
The Manuscript, EP
tracklising :
1. The Manuscript
2. Var Gud Over Er
3. A Pale Shroud Of Longing
4. Only Tears To Replace Her With
2. Var Gud Over Er
3. A Pale Shroud Of Longing
4. Only Tears To Replace Her With
Bio :
The UK’s own doomlords, My Dying Bride, have been imposing their legacy for
over two decades, since their debut album ‘As the Flower Withers’ surfaced in
1992, & now the Yorkshire titans return with their latest work, ‘The
Manuscript’, set for release on Peaceville Records on May 13th on CD &
vinyl.
‘The Manuscript’ contains 4 new & exclusive songs; a dark voyage spanning over 27 minutes of supreme doom in the unmistakable My Dying Bride style of heaviness mixed with dark tales of foreboding. It was recorded & mixed at Futureworks Studios in Manchester, UK with the band’s long-time producer, Mags.
As the band comments:
"The Manuscript features four monstrous tracks of brilliantly crafted metal that only My Dying Bride can do, with swathes of doom laden melancholy, harmonic beauty and thundering death metal all combined in their trademark sound. Four tales of tragedy, loss and bitter vengeance greet the listener with an added assault on the emotions too, leaving the soul grey and limp. There is beauty here, but it's carrying a dark blade".
2012 saw the release of undoubtedly one the band’s finest, & most epic works of late, ‘A Map of All Our Failures’; capturing the imaginations of metal fans & doom lovers alike with their foreboding journeys through love & death, religion & folklore
‘The Manuscript’ contains 4 new & exclusive songs; a dark voyage spanning over 27 minutes of supreme doom in the unmistakable My Dying Bride style of heaviness mixed with dark tales of foreboding. It was recorded & mixed at Futureworks Studios in Manchester, UK with the band’s long-time producer, Mags.
As the band comments:
"The Manuscript features four monstrous tracks of brilliantly crafted metal that only My Dying Bride can do, with swathes of doom laden melancholy, harmonic beauty and thundering death metal all combined in their trademark sound. Four tales of tragedy, loss and bitter vengeance greet the listener with an added assault on the emotions too, leaving the soul grey and limp. There is beauty here, but it's carrying a dark blade".
2012 saw the release of undoubtedly one the band’s finest, & most epic works of late, ‘A Map of All Our Failures’; capturing the imaginations of metal fans & doom lovers alike with their foreboding journeys through love & death, religion & folklore
Review :
This 4 song EP picks
up where 2012's A Map of All Our Failures leaves off. This EP succeeds in
continuing the traditional My Dying Bride sound and not straying far from it. My
Dying bride has been around for 21 years, so it’s no doubt you hear some seasoned
veterans with ideas and sounds that keep their music feeling like a breath of
fresh air on such a stagnant scene where many bands can end up sounding the
same. They stick to what has always worked for My Dying Bride and what has made
them special over the years. After 11 albums they still manage to put out
something so spectacular and not sound dated.
One of the pioneers
in the Doom genre, their influence is still heard through countless bands today
and this EP really shines through.
The Manuscript is a nice melodic slow dirge, with signature vocals from
Aaron Stainhope making this a spectacular opening track. The violin work is laid
down beautifully against the trademark MDB doom sound for most of the song and
it builds up for a nice powerful ending to this track.
With, Var Gud Over Er they kick it up a notch
with some nice melodic death metal parts and guitar harmonies that have always
been a staple of the MDB sound. Diehard fans and new comers will enjoy this
track equally and it’s the standout track on this EP without a doubt.
Starting off slow and
brooding, A Pale Shroud of Longing
with some lyrical storytelling prepare you for an uplifitng ending. A tight heavy riff holds this song together
and Aaron's vocals are showcased on this track.
The final track seems
more like an outro to bring this album together as a whole and whilst MDB may
not be breaking any new ground on this EP it succeeds in many ways from start
to finish. It feels like a complete EP that was well put together, sounds
fantastic and wasn’t just thrown together to put something out for the sake of
it. Definitely check it out if you're not familiar with My Dying Bride and
longtime fans will be delighted with this effort.
Words by : Tom Rogers
As ever, show your support to the band by checking them out at the various links and buying their merch. This record is available now here. Thanks to Simon @ Ilikepress for hooking us up with the record for review.
As ever, show your support to the band by checking them out at the various links and buying their merch. This record is available now here. Thanks to Simon @ Ilikepress for hooking us up with the record for review.
