Symphoniere Infernus Et Spera Empyrium EP.
Doomy slow death metal with violins that really makes gives a sad and
beautiful mood to their music. The title track is one of my favorite
doom metal songs of all time. This is the album that started the violin
trend in the doom genre, it's faster and deathier then later stuff but
the recording and production is of the same high quality as we M.D.B. fans
are used to and it's really a must album for all doomheads out there,
particularly the My Dying Bride fans. The lyrics on the first track is in
Latin but according to Aaron himself is the words just put together to
sound cool and doesn't really mean anything (since I and most others
don't understand this language, doesn't that really matter). The only
negative about this album is it's short playing time (20 min.), but then
again, it wasn't very expensive either at least when I bought it.
Rated 
As the Flower Withers
Good non-metal intro, the rest of the music sounds a lot like the EP., but
it has better overall material and sometimes its very slow and it has
more violin which I think is good. This is one of the two best doom
albums of 1992 (the other one is Paradise Lost's "Shades of God"). I
believe that this album put M.D.B. at the top of the Doom throne.
Rated
The Trash of naked Limbs EP.
very good new songs in the typical old style and just as them a top
release. The middle track is very unusual. It's very psycho and evil with
dark magical atmosphere, probably the evilest song they've ever composed.
I think this is a very good release from a band who gets better and
better all the time.
Rated
Turn Loose the Swans
Very odd title for one of the best albums ever. I absolutely love this
album, it has everything a doomhead can wish for. It's even slower and
heavier then the earlier stuff and the material is some of the best ever.
The first track is a new version of the classic "Sear Me" from their
first full length album, and it is a non metal version, played only by
piano and violin and with normal vocals. The other tracks is more like
normal but with additional parts with just violin, piano or acoustic
guitar. The vocals is a perfect balance between normal and the usual
death ones. The last track reminds a bit of the first but it has both
Aaron's normal vocals plus a the voice of a very talented female vocalist,
all accompanied by violin, piano and some nice keyboards. I can't find
anything to complain about, it's just to perfect. I know some of you
don't like this album but most people love it, so if you're a bit
thoughtful about this one I recommend that you listen too it first.
Rated
Your River.wav sound file
The Snow in My Hand.wav sound file
Crown of Sympathy.wav sound file
I Am the Bloody Earth EP.
The fist track is a very good one in the great Turn Loose the Swans
spirit. The second is a synth track with samples from the Turn Loose
the Swans songs, it's a bit strange but quite good. Finally the last track
is a remixed version of the great song "Crown of Sympathy". The only real
differences between this one and the original is that this one starts
a bit earlier and it's a minute shorter, there is also a harder mixing
of the drums. This album should be bought mainly for the great title
track, but maybe also for the odd synth track.
Rated
Sample
Transcending.ra
Transcending.wav
The Angel and the Dark River
I guess that the expectations were a bit too high when it came. After
the great albums previous M.D.B. might have had too much pressure to make
an even better album then Turn Loose the Swans. This one is very good
indeed but it not even a tenth as good as that album. The material isn't
as great (don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with it at all) and
the music is perhaps more softer then heavier. But the main reason I don't
think it's as good as the others is the vocals. There's no deathy
vocals at all on this one. On their earlier I guess it could be a bit too
much growling sometimes but here it's none and that destroys the great
balance that Turn Loose the Swans had. The normal vocals used to be better
then this as well, now I think it sounds to damn much like cure, and that
really sucks! So I hope that Aaron and friends don't use that vocal style
on the next one or I will be very disappointed. There's also a special
edition
version out there now with one bonus track (the Sexuality and Bereavement
plus
a whole live MCD (4 songs) recorded at the Donnington festival 1995
Rated
From Darkest Skies.au sound file
Trinity
Don't get fooled! Many record dealers say that this is the new one from
M.D.B. but it isn't. It's merely a re-release of the EP's. There is only
one new song on this album (a very good one taken from an old 7"
I think but which is also featured on the special edition of The
Angel...) but instead they taken away the new version of "Crown of
Sympathy" from "I am the Bloody Earth". It has also got two different
covers: The European (shown left) and the U.S. (shown right). This is a
very good album (if you don't have the EP's and therefore) I'm giving it a
high grade. It is really an unnecessary release since mainly all big fans
already got them...
Rated
Like of the Sun
I must say that I didn't have high expectation for this album since I
didn't like the development with "The Angekl and The Dark River". But did
I get a surprise or what? It's the same style as "The Angel..." but the
material is superb. This time the material fits the musical style better
then before and the riffs are killers. They also use some keyboards here
and there besides the violin. I rate this as M.D.B.'s second best album
after "Turn Loose the Swans", but this album grows rapidly after each
listening. I think this could be the best Doom album of -96.
Rated