Review: My Dying Bride Have a Renewed Energy on A Mortal Binding
It should go without saying, but My Dying Bride don’t need much introduction after 33 years in the game. And while they’ve had the longevity that most bands can only dream of, that doesn’t mean they can do no wrong. Thankfully, their newest record out this Friday, A Mortal Binding, is an impressive new chapter in the band’s discography.
The album follows on the heels of their 2019 record The Ghost of Orion, and the Yorkshire-based doom band have been working on this record since the pandemic. This album features a refreshed lineup with new permanent guitarist Neil Blanchett joining the ranks and drummer Dan Mullins rejoining the band. Like most records from the group, the very genre its a part of means that this record is an exercise in patience, but it’s well worth the reward if you take the time to give it a listen.
“Her Dominion” kicks it off with a raw, sad, and eerie sound that sets the stage for some perfect sad doom. It may be spring, but that doesn’t mean it can’t still be winter/England weather in our hearts all the time. “Thornwyck Hymn” comes next, and that one is heavy as hell, calling up almost death metal-level crushing riff vibes and energy.
Throughout the record there’s this really cool violin work present, though nowhere is it as expertly showcased as it is in the 11-minute epic “The Apocalyptist.” That track just feels like the perfect hymn for a dying race to come out of the pandemic. Almost similarly, “The 2nd of Three Bells” is soft and lilting with piano, guitars, and understated clean vocals — classic My Dying Bride.
As with much of their work before this, My Dying Bride shine the brightest when connecting the dark, heavy, and brooding with the soft and ethereal. That is what sets European doom apart from their rough-and-tumble, rock ‘n’ roll, American counterparts playing sludgier doom. And My Dying Bride have always been at the head of this game, reinventing that sound with each album. Final song “Crushed Embers” communicates that balance beautifully with sad and lilting melodies that will stick with you.
The album was produced, mixed, and mastered by Mark Mynett at his Mynetaur Productions studio in Manchester, England. He was very involved in the process according to the band, even picking the order of tracks. That outside insight explains why this record flows so well, in my opinion.
If this is what My Dying Bride look like 33 years into their career, here’s hoping that there’s even more in store from the prolific band.
My Dying Bride’s A Mortal Binding will be released on April 19 via MNRK Heavy. You can preorder your copy today.
