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My Dying Bride: For Lies I Sire

My Dying Bride: For Lies I Sire

Heavy/Doom Metal
Rating: 2.5/5.0

Peaceville Records
www.mydyingbride.org
www.myspace.com/officialmydyingbride
Added April 5, 2009
Review: Tim Carroll

As innovators of the doom/death movement in the early 90's England's My Dying Bride originally gained its popularity by combining slow-paced methodical doom metal with hardcore death vocals. I personally prefer my doom with clear, mid-range vocals. So even though I found some of the music from their early material somewhat interesting, I didn't have any trouble passing on the opportunity to sample some of their later releases. In recent years I've heard that the band is using clear vocals almost exclusively, so I thought I'd give their newest album 'For Lies I Sire' a try.

The band has gone through numerous lineup changes over the years but the music doesn't sound much different than what I remember from the early 90's. That is slow to mid-paced metal which is tighter and cleaner sounding than typical doom metal. It would make sense that clean vocals would be a great fit for this music. Clear vocals could be that final piece the band has been missing all along. Unfortunately that logic doesn't work here - at least not with these clean vocals. I actually think I'd prefer Aaron Stainthorpe to go back to the death vocals. The guy constantly sounds like he's about to burst into tears at any moment. I'm sure that's the effect the band wants, but to me it's just plain annoying.

Some of vocal-free parts are kind of cool but it isn't enough to make this CD something that you'd look forward to hearing. I really can't recommend it to anyone other than diehard fanatics of the group. I've always thought that My Dying Bride was overrated and their new album 'For Lies I Sire' does nothing to change that opinion.

In Short

Some of vocal-free parts are kind of cool but it isn't enough to make this CD something that you'd look forward to hearing. I really can't recommend it to anyone other than diehard fanatics of the group. I've always thought that My Dying Bride was overrated and their new album 'For Lies I Sire' does nothing to change that opinion.

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