During the 1990s My Dying Bride were part of what was known as the death/doom "Big Three" with Paradise Lost and Anathema. Their music is characterised by romantic, sensual lyrics and an obsessive attention to atmospheric detail. Early demos were death metal in a traditional sense - though much slower than most - However, debut album 'As The Flower Withers' saw the addition of violins and keyboards. Turn Loose The Swans built on that foundation, utilising melodic as well as death vocals and - unusually - lead violin on several tracks. Trinity is a compilation of four early EPs and 7" releases.
The highly experimental 34.788%...Complete was widely regarded as an embarrassing detour, and - with the possible exception of 'Base Level Erotica' - it was musically and stylistically unlike any of the band's other work. The Light At The End Of The World represented a return to the My Dying Bride of old, but was lambasted by some critics as being a complacent exercise of treading water. My Dying Bride entered something of a hiatus after this, releasing two retrospective albums Meisterwerk 1 and Meisterwerk 2. These albums lay halfway between best of albums and rarity compilations and had no clear target audience. Completists of the band - while appreciating the early demos and rare tracks bemoaned the many album tracks included - while those new to the band acquired a peculiar, career-spanning introduction which lacked coherence.
It was not until 2001's The Dreadful Hours that My Dying Bride managed to win round the bulk of their former fans. More innovative than The Light At The End Of The World, yet retaining all the key elements of the My Dying Bride sound, The Dreadful Hours was slightly darker, although a long way off the intense darkness of the first two demos. 2004's follow-up Songs Of Darkness, Words Of Light showed a band continuing to expand and refine their sound and purpose. A substantial increase in live performances (once an unheard of rarity) has lead to much greater recognition by a new generation of fans.
In 2004, the band's label - Peaceville - re-released their entire back-catalogue in digi-pack format, with rare bonus tracks (demos, remixes, live performances etc.) added to each release.
In May 2005, the band released the fancifully-titled The Anti-Diluvian Chronicles, a fully-fledged 'best of' box set featuring three discs and 30 tracks.
My Dying Bride will be touring the UK in mid-late November of 2005.
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