My Dying Bride

34.788% Complete (Peaceville)
by Martin Popoff

What a crock to say these guys have screwed up a nice career. It’s still nice, for this ain’t no Paradise Lost or Moonspell as far as I’m concerned. Mod elements, sure, we’ve had a few, but My Dying Bride is just as daft, fang-dripped, and miserable as ever, despite the slight/slate electronic flourishes and Aaron’s point-blank confessionals. All packed up, this still rocks resoundingly and yes, apocalyptically, all negative advance press really deserving to be stopped dead. There’s color here, followed by sick, decadent violence worthy of the Stranglers, all the claptrap about Heroin Chic being no more than an over-examined focus on something wry, fleeting and ultimately refreshing. Fact be, My Dying Bride, through minor strife, have found new ways to churn quietly the juices of the bowel. Howard Devoto and Pete Hammill rule the sympathies within “Apocalypse Woman,” a track that drives the Bride towards the dynamic punch of Magazine, with recording values that wake up way past anything previous within this drear lot. Hey, you guys rule, despite the overly difficult rekkid title (to do with Calvin’s dream about the death of the world).
(4026 School House Lane Whitemarsh Township, PA 19462)