My Dying Bride are an English doom metal band formed in Bradford. Since their inception in 1990, they have released 15 studio albums, five EPs, one demo, one box set, four compilation albums, one live album, and one live CD/DVD release.

Along with Anathema and Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride were a forerunner of the death doom metal and gothic metal genres during the early 1990s. These bands comprise "The Peaceville Three" as all were signed to Peaceville Records at the time.

History

Early years (1990–1992)

My Dying Bride was formed in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, in June 1990, by guitarist Andrew Craighan, drummer Rick Miah, vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe, and guitarist Calvin Robertshaw. Craighan and Miah were previously members of the band Abiosis. After six months of rehearsing, the band recorded and released their demo, Towards the Sinister, which was produced by Tim Walker of Voltage Records. Its title was taken from a line in the song "Symphonaire Infernus et Spera Empyrium". The band then released their first single, "God Is Alone", on a small French label called Listenable. and Dan Mullins on drums.

For Lies I Sire, Evinta, The Barghest O' Whitby (2009–2011)

right|thumb|My Dying Bride playing at [[Tuska Open Air Metal Festival|Tuska 2009]]

In November 2008, My Dying Bride began work on their tenth studio album, entitled For Lies I Sire, which was released on 23 March 2009. Due to Sarah Stanton's pregnancy, she had been replaced on keyboards by Katie Stone, who also performed violin on For Lies I Sire. Soon after the album's release, Stone was replaced by Shaun MacGowan.

On 26 October 2009, My Dying Bride released an EP/DVD titled Bring Me Victory. Except for the title track and its video, it also includes a doom metal cover of the traditional song Scarborough Fair, a cover of "Failure" by Swans and a live version of "Vast Choirs" (originally from As the Flower Withers), performed at Graspop 2008.

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of My Dying Bride's existence, the album Evinta was released on 30 May 2011. Evinta featured some previous My Dying Bride material re-worked as neo-classical and ambient songs. Afterward, the band announced the release of The Barghest o' Whitby, an EP consisting of a single 27-minute track which was released 7 November 2011.

A Map of All Our Failures and The Manuscript (2012–2014)

A Map of All Our Failures was released on 15 October 2012.

On 13 May 2013, the band released a four-track EP, The Manuscript. Three of the four tracks from the EP were recorded at the same time as A Map of All Our Failures. A year later on 26 May 2014 the songs of this EP were re-released together with The Barghest O' Whitby as The Vaulted Shadows compilation.

Guitarist Hamish Glencross had been fired upon returning from their U.S. 2014 Maryland Deathfest appearance, and original guitarist Calvin Robertshaw returned to the band.

Feel the Misery and move to Nuclear Blast (2015–2019)

upright|thumb|Calvin Robertshaw, 2015

On 18 September 2015, Feel the Misery was released, with eight tracks. In March 2017, the band signed with Nuclear Blast Records. The same year, drummer Dan Mullins left the band, and was replaced with Shaun Steels, who had been in the band from 1999 to 2006, and had played on A Map of All Our Failures in 2012 as a session member.

In 2017, after cancelling four festival appearances, Aaron Stainthorpe explained that the band was working on a new album, and had therefore not disbanded. In fact, My Dying Bride signed a new contract with Nuclear Blast. In a My Dying Bride Facebook post on 18 September 2018, Aaron Stainthorpe explained that the band cancelled those shows due to the cancer of his 5-year-old daughter, who is presently in remission.

On 4 December 2018, the band announced that Shaun Steels had been replaced by Jeff Singer due to "unresolvable drumming issues" and that the drum tracks for the new album had been completed by Singer.

On 24 May 2019, the band released A Harvest of Dread, a deluxe 12-inch 92-page hardback book five-disc set of rarities, early works, previously unheard pre-production demos, band favorites, and live audio. Also in 2019, Calvin Robertshaw had left My Dying Bride for a second time, and was replaced by Neil Blanchett on guitars.

The Ghost of Orion (2020–2023)

My Dying Bride's 13th album, The Ghost of Orion, was released on 6 March 2020. It was released five years after their previous effort, Feel the Misery, which is the band's longest gap between studio albums to date.

Beforehand, the album's first single, "Your Broken Shore", was released on 20 January, followed by a second single, "Tired of Tears", on 7 February.

Later in 2020, the band released their 7th EP, Macabre Cabaret.

A Mortal Binding and departure of Stainthorpe (2024–present)

My Dying Bride announced in February their 14th studio album, A Mortal Binding, which was released on 19 April 2024. Preceding the release were singles "Thornwyck Hymn" in February and "The 2nd of Three Bells" in March.

However, just two weeks before the album launch, the band canceled all live shows, citing internal tensions among members. In an interview with Devolution magazine, vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe revealed that he and guitarist Andrew Craighan had been managing the band without a formal manager for years, which had led to creative disagreements and stress. Stainthorpe emphasised the need for a break to avoid a "massive bust-up", acknowledging that while it was not an ideal time to pause given their album release and scheduled gigs the decision was necessary for the band's well-being.

On 6 December 2024, the band announced that they will continue performing live shows in 2025, but due to Stainthorpe having been absent from the band since their short break, they will tour with Swallow the Sun vocalist Mikko Kotamäki. This absence was confirmed as permanent on October 9, 2025, when My Dying Bride stated on social media that they and Stainthorpe were officially separating.

Band members

thumb|upright|Former vocalist Stainthorpe in 2015

Current members

  • Andrew Craighan – lead guitar , bass
  • Lena Abé – bass
  • Dan Mullins – drums
  • Shaun MacGowan – keyboards, violin
  • Neil Blanchett – rhythm guitar

Current live members

  • Mikko Kotamäki – vocals

Former members

  • Aaron Stainthorpe – vocals
  • Calvin Robertshaw – rhythm guitar
  • Rick Miah – drums
  • Adrian Jackson – bass
  • Martin Powell – keyboards, violin
  • Bill Law – drums
  • Yasmin Ahmed – keyboards
  • Shaun Taylor-Steels – drums
  • Hamish Glencross – rhythm guitar
  • Sarah Stanton – keyboards
  • Katie Stone – keyboards, violin
  • Jeff Singer – drums

Former live members

  • John Bennett – drums
  • David Gray – drums
  • Robb Philpotts – rhythm guitar

Timeline

<div class="left">

</div>

Discography

  • As the Flower Withers (1992)
  • Turn Loose the Swans (1993)
  • The Angel and the Dark River (1995)
  • Like Gods of the Sun (1996)
  • 34.788%...Complete (1998)
  • The Light at the End of the World (1999)
  • The Dreadful Hours (2001)
  • Songs of Darkness, Words of Light (2004)
  • A Line of Deathless Kings (2006)
  • For Lies I Sire (2009)
  • Evinta (2011) <small>– also categorised as a remix album</small><!-- Please do not remove Evinta. Many reports and reviews categorized it as a studio album, although its ambiguous nature deserves a mention. -->
  • A Map of All Our Failures (2012)
  • Feel the Misery (2015)
  • The Ghost of Orion (2020)
  • A Mortal Binding (2024)

References

  • Official website