Artist: My Dying Bride
Label: Peaceville
Release Date: 3/9/04
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Title: Songs of Darkness, Words of Light Artist: My Dying Bride Label: Peaceville Release Date: 3/9/04 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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3 | ||
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5 | ||
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Abyss's Review:
Note to band: Don't ask Green Carnation for advice on album titles.
"One word review: Understated." My Dying Bride have concocted another album of unending sorrow and infinite darkness. So anyone who was expecting a collection of giddy show tunes might be a little disappointed. My Dying Bride are one of the few bands that mix metal with a solid gothic base, and do so with such conviction and talent that they are truly in a class all their own. While many bands get the gothic tag placed upon them nowadays, most have less to do with goth than they do with new wave, and as a result a band like My Dying Bride gets lumped in with others that they have very little in common with.
My Dying Bride is all about mood. And in that respect, Songs of Darkness, Words of Light is a success right off of the bat. The whole album is a tapestry of forlorn existence and lost chances, wrapped up in a cloak of bitter despair. This is nothing new. What has been altered slightly is the band's technique. This is a very understated album. It features songs that forego any conventions of strict melody with regard to hook, and focuses almost solely on atmosphere. As a result, the album can initially comes across as less than remarkable.
"And, like a virus, once the album enters your bloodstream, you're infected, with the only choice before you being submission." But as you let the record unfold before you, its subtleties reveal themselves and cause a shift in perspective in which we suddenly see the whole picture. I now see the songs as some of the most accessible that they've ever done. And while many are somewhat simplistic, it is a classic simplicity. And, like a virus, once the album enters your bloodstream, you're infected, with the only choice before you being submission.
I can imagine many long time fans being a little perplexed by this album, especially if they were huge fans of The Light at the End of the World and The Dreadful Hours, because this album may initially sound a little uninspired next to those. However, whereas many may disagree about the direction the band takes here, their inspiration is firmly intact. I am a little concerned that this record might fade quickly from my mind after its initial impact wears off, as is always a possibility when a band strips their songwriting down, but as of right now this band continues to do no wrong. One word review: Understated.
Death's Review:
Doomy goth metal isn't really my thing, unless it's old-school like Candlemass or Trouble. Because of this, I've never been a big fan of the My Dying Bride sound. I also just plain do not like the vocals, never have, and probably never will. Thus I gave 3 skulls to The Light at the End of the World in February 2000, and 3 skulls to The Dreadful Hours in November 2001. Well, I guess it is true that the more things change the more they stay the same. I do see the artistry of My Dying Bride and respect the recording quality apparent here. The band is simply master of a craft that is not to my particular sub-genre tastes. But in an effort to be objective I'll tell you that the fact that I again give 3 skulls probably should mean little to the true fan. It is clear that there is something of value here, if you are morose enough to want to listening to the whininess . . . Just kidding. Like past efforts from My Dying Bride, this is a decent effort, with some cool, doomy riffs, but it grates on me after too long and I am usually looking past the album to get to something else. Not a bad record by any means, but there's a lot of other stuff I'd rather be listening to.
"I just plain do not like the vocals, never have, and probably never will."
Hel's Review:
Favorite Track: “And My Fury Stands Ready”A few weeks before this album arrived in the mail, I found myself on a huge My Dying Bride kick. I had dug out every album I owned and was playing every last one of them again and again, particularly the EP, Symphonaire Infernus Et Spera Empyrium, which I had completely forgotten about. In general, I had been craving the doom/death combo, not really any specific band, nearly incessantly for months. And then, lo and behold, here was the new MDB album, Songs of Darkness, Words of Light. Just what the doctor ordered.
"I find the dark beauty of the songs to be utterly compelling and I feel transported every time I listen to this record." MDB is undeniably one of those bands that needs to grow on you, and I suppose a familiarity with their back catalog is useful to fully appreciate what they have given us with this album, but regardless, I think it is an incredible album no matter what type of scrutiny you put it to. The vocals are certainly an acquired taste, but that is the least important factor of their music. More important by far is the epic feel to their compositions and the deft hand that has penned the minimalist passages, conveying volumes of emotion.
I find the dark beauty of the songs to be utterly compelling and I feel transported every time I listen to this record. In my book, this is nothing less than a solid 5 skulls and may very well find its way onto my top ten list for the year. I highly recommend Songs of Darkness, Words of Light.
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