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intothewellsabyss
Jun 12, 20234 min read

SEVEN DAYS OF BEREAVEMENT: A MY DYING BRIDE RETROSPECTIVE, PART THIRTEEN.


The ninth full-length release by My Dying Bride was titled, “A Line of Deathless Kings”. It was released on October 9, 2006 via Peaceville Records.


Background:

The band spent the winter of 2005/2006 writing material for the studio album “A Line of Deathless Kings”.


A limited edition of the album comes in a hard clamshell case with a double-sided poster and five postcards, depicting the full-time members of the band. The drummer on this album (John Bennett from The Prophecy) is not included. This is the only album on which he appears. He replaced previous drummer Shaun Steels, who left the band after a repeated leg injury meant he could not drum full-time for fear of worsening his condition. This echoes how Rick Miah left the band in 1997 after falling ill with Crohn's disease. Bennett filled in for Steels for two years until his commitments to The Prophecy became too great to continue drumming for My Dying Bride.


Following the release of the album, and with an imminent return of Steels looking unlikely, Dan Mullins (previously of Thine, Bal-Sagoth, The Axis of Perdition, Sermon of Hypocrisy, Kryokill and others) was recruited by the band as its permanent drummer. Lena Abé also replaced the departed Adrian Jackson on bass.


The album was preceded by the EP “Deeper Down” on September 18, 2006. The video for "Deeper Down" is featured on the CD version of the album. It was directed by Charlie Granberg, who also directed Katatonia's "My Twin" and "Deliberation" videos.


The album artwork was created by Matthew Vickerstaff.


Overview:

Dark and depressing in an epic, transcendental fashion. They may not have that haunting violin feature anymore, but on “A Line of Deathless Kings” My Dying Bride prove once more that they are still the reigning “Deathless Kings” of Doom Metal.


Without question, the signature trademark of My Dying Bride’s sound is the unique voice of Aaron Stainthorpe. His mildly haunting, yet captivating vocals are instantly mesmerizing, drawing you deeper into this macabre nightmare made flesh (i.e., “Thy Raven Wings”). Once again, the growls have vanished, but some of the harder edged Doom riffs still remain. The songs follow a similar blueprint, and their unforgettable passages are immediately burned into your psyche. The second to last track in this landscape of Doom is “Deeper Down”, which is exemplary of this albums indelible appeal. But the albums “chef-d'oeuvre” is the track “The Blood, the Wine, the Roses”. By the time its Thrash-laden crescendo reaches its apex, the fury with which Stainthorpe spits his incandescent words will inundate you in the white hot heat of his wrath. — E.N. Wells


Critical Reception:

in his review for AllMusic, Alex Henderson wrote; “In 2006, My Dying Bride celebrated their 16th anniversary. Not every album the British Goth Metal outfit recorded along the way was a five-star masterpiece, but even when they came out with an album that wasn't quite up to par, they would eventually bounce back with something impressive -- and A “Line of Deathless Kings” finds My Dying Bride very much on top of their game. This 2006 recording is state-of-the-art Goth Metal -- brooding, gloomy, sorrowful, pessimistic, and darkly poetic. Very few, if any, rays of sunlight find their way to tracks like "The Blood, the Wine, the Roses," "Deeper Down," "Thy Raven Wings," and "Love's Intolerable Pain"; the goth scene has a long history of focusing on darker emotions, and “A Line of Deathless Kings” lives up to that time-honored tradition. True to form, lead singer Aaron Stainthorpe conveys despair masterfully; he is the quintessential goth vocalist. It should be stressed that “A Line of Deathless Kings”, like other My Dying Bride releases, is aggressive without being ferocious. These Brits have always been highly melodic, making it easy for goth rock fans to get into their work even if they aren't necessarily big supporters of Goth Metal. And for that matter, the doom metal crowd should have no problem getting into this 60-minute CD; My Dying Bride, with their passion for slow, plodding, Black Sabbath-influenced riffs, have long had plenty of credibility among Doom Metal enthusiasts. This is a band that clearly sees the parallels between Goth Metal and Doom Metal, and both Goth and Doom enthusiasts will find a great deal to savor on “A Line of Deathless Kings”.”


Links to Arrists, Music & Videos:

Click this link to follow My Dying Bride on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyDyingBrideOfficial


Click this link to listen to “A Line of Deathless Kings” via Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/a-line-of-deathless-kings/199280328


Click this link to watch the official music video for “Deeper Down”: https://youtu.be/rFoA9vcolLI


Click this link to watch the official music video for “I Cannot Be Loved”: https://youtu.be/lK-fx4b5rgU


Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells



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