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The Angel and the Dark River

My Dying Bride - The Angel and the Dark River Audio CD

A fair review of the My Dying Bride "The Angel and the Dark River" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all My Dying Bride reviews here, or go back to the My Dying Bride tabs.

Band: My Dying Bride
Title: The Angel and the Dark River
Rating:

Release Date: 1996-02-06
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Cry of Mankind 2: From Darkest Skies 3: Black Voyage 4: Sea to Suffer In 5: Two Winters Only 6: Your Shameful Heaven

Makes me want to throw up
I purchased this album as an import when it was first released and I was very, very disapointed. I cant stand this album. After such an amazing album like Turn Loose The Swans, they release this crap.

WHERE THE HELL ARE THE DEATH METAL VOCALS ?? They are gone, all gone. Instead we are presented with whiny vocals that totally destroy the music. The music is pretty good, but I just cant get past the horrid vocals. One of the best things about Turn Loose The Swans was the interplay between clean vocals and death-metal vocals. Thats all gone and it has been replaced by whining.

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Majestic sorrowful DOOM
It makes you turn on the Repeat mode on your CD-player and never stop the music. This is one of those rare albums that sucks you inside its sound texture and holds you there. This is a work of genious, no doubt.

By 1995 My Dying Bride have already established themselves as one of the titans of British doom-metal along with such notable bands as Paradise Lost and Anathema. Their previous offering, "Turn Loose the Swans", was a breakthrough album, one of the best in the genre. And "The Angel and the Dark River" successfully keeps up this tradition of highest quality from MDB.

I'd say that this record is the second best in MDB's discography so far. It further develops the style first shown up on "Turn Loose the Swans", and takes it to the level of perfection. One biggest change is that Aaron Stainthorpe never uses his usual growl on this album. Instead, he sings with clear voice in a very gloomy, depressed, sorrowful moan. He pictures the emotions of helplessness and loss excellently. His vocals is one of the highlights of this album. The lyrics are on par with vocal style, telling tales of lost hope, despair and dying.

Another highlight is the album's incredible melodism. This record is built on interwoven melodic passages from dual guitars and violin, played by Martin Powell. I don't know words to describe this experience. The guitar plays slow melodic riff, and then violin comes in, with unearthly melody, weeping, dying of lost hope. In some parts of the album this experience is further enhanced by piano or synthesized organ background.

I can't but mention the drumming here. This is a template for what means to be a great doom-metal drummer. Very creative fills and patterns, though never getting in the way of emotional experience of music.

The general sound of this album is heavy crushing depression. It's skillfully interchanged with softer, more ballad-like or more ambient parts, so the listener never feels bored. This record is perfect in all aspects, and I fail to see the reason for not liking it. I'd say this is a MUST-HAVE record for anyone interested in emotionally deep music. The strength of experience delivered by "The Angel and the Dark River" is hard to surpass.

P. S. Future showed, that Martin Powell was a crucial element for My Dying Bride's majesty. When he left, it took the band full 5 years to make a record, that is close in quality to this one. I'm talking about "The Dreadful Hour". And still my hopes are high for the upcoming new offering from the depressed Britts.

Simply the best!
However, it is hard for me to get in to anything they have done since this album. Most of My Dying Bride's material is very, very good. The reason-this album is so good. I haven't heard any of their earlier albums, but what I have heard of the albums after this (I do own two of them) is a band trying to fit in with their peers. On this album, however, they seemed to be playing from the soul. Call it the `Dark Side of the Moon` of gothic metal and you would probably not be far off. Furthermore, I don't mind death metal vocals. After hearing this album, however, it just pisses me off that he used them in other albums. His voice is a perfect mixture of gloom and schizophrenia, and it mixes perfectly with the violins and pianos that glide beautifully over the crunching guitar licks. For anyone who loves dark, heavy music, this is an album you must have. One warning though; the music is very creative and well written, but the tracks can get pretty long. It may seem to drag at first, but give it time. Once you see the whole picture, it will grow on you untill it becomes one of your favorite metal albums.

A TRIUMPH!!!
Their other albums have many magnificent moments, but this album carries the greatness through to the very end. This is simply My Dying Bride's finest hour. If I were to recommend a place for newcomers to start this would be it. The very first track, "The Cry of Mankind," takes the listener on a haunting journey of cold sadness. That may sound depressing, but My Dying Bride at its best is deeply emotional and musically transcendant. Excuse me while I wax rhapsodic, but this album deserves praise. "The Angel and the Dark River" is a triumph!!!.

A Staple of the Doom/Goth Metal Style
The thought of a violinest in a metal band realy got my attention. When I first found out about My Dying Bride I was immeadiatly intreagued. The only thing remotly similar to "violin metal" that I had heard was some of King Crimson's mid 70's material which is absolutly amazing. Anyways I had to hear this band. So I went out and picked up "The Angel & the Dark River". I was blown away to say the least. The album was as close to perfect as any metal album I'd ever had the privledge of hearing before or sience.
My Dying Bride is made up of many enticing elements. First of all there are Aaron Stainthorpe's powerful vocals. Ranging from deep gothic vocals to whiny wailing moans (and going into the realms of death and black metal vocals on other albums) Aaron's vocals are able to meet any neccicary style needed for this album. His lyrics focus on the loss of faith, the loss of love and deep, dark, lust. Then theres Martin Powell's beutiful violin work. This is the X factor that brings the album from great to all time classic. He also plays some very haunting piano and keyboards. Then theres the unforgettable drumming of Rick Miah. No simple fills here, Rick fills the album with great drum fills and mad beats without ever overusing them (unlike his replacment Shaun Steels). Add in amazing riff after amazing riff and an indescrible atmosphere and you get "The Angel and the Dark River".
The album kicks off with "The Cry of Man Kind". With one riff repeated over and over for the entire song one might imagine that the song would wear out its welcome, but by covering it with doomy rhythems, classical piano and short guitar solos the first six minutes fly right by. Aaron's lyrics about Jesus looking down at the destroied Earth and regreting his sacrafice give the song an apocoliptic ambiance. The next six minutes contains a bunch of gothic sounds such as a choir, an old whispering woman, crickets and a. . . tugboat? This gives you some time to think back on what you've just heard. "From the Darkest Skies" is probably the best song here. Switching between sorowful violin, crunchy guitar riffs, and powerful organs, the song never stops twisting and turning from start to finish. Aaron's vocals are good enough to bring you to tears as he cries "I'll breathe in you, I'm a fool, just for you". Then theres the nine and a half minute epic "The Black Voyage". After a lenghthy violin led intro, the song moves along a doomy path until it hits the middle. At this point the music softens into a slow, dark, pulsing, funeral-doomish style as Aaron groans about entering hell. "A Sea to Suffer In" starts with some great gothic pianio before an unforgettable violins solo. At the 1:35 mark there is the best drum fill I have ever heard. Anyone who appricates drums must hear this masterful drumming. The rest of the song conatains an onslaught of great riffs and deep gothic vocals. This song competes with "From the Darkest Skies" for the title of best song on the album. The next song is a complete change. "Two Winters Only" is very ballaidesque. After a lenghthy classical guitar led verse the drums kick in the violin and metal into a dramatic chorus. After the second verse theres a real cool thirty second metal part and then the song ends with one more dramatic chorus. "Your Shameful Heaven" starts out with a lone violin playing a heartbreaking solo that is unforgetable. The rest of the song is a lustful conclusion to the album as Aaron snarles "The only real ache is between your legs". The song is dark and filt with spite.
Some versions of the album (though this one doesn't) contain a bonus track "The Sexuality of Beverment", which although a great song is not meant for this album. My Dying Bride did not choose to put this song on the album. The record company added it and to be quite honest, it just doesn't fit in. The songs at least three years older then the other material here and is therefore written in a very different style. Also the song contains death metal vocals, and although I adore Aaron's growls, they're not meant for "The Angel & the Dark River".
With "The Angel & the Dark River" My Dying Bride has created an album that will be look at as a staple of the goth/doom metal scene for a long time. The album is essentail for any fan of My Dying Bride, dark metal, or anyone who simply loves different and creative music.

You can see a complete list of all My Dying Bride discography, or go back to the My Dying Bride tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.