Metal Storm logo
My Dying Bride - A Line Of Deathless Kings review



Reviewer:
8.0

418 users:
8.11
Band: My Dying Bride
Album: A Line Of Deathless Kings
Release date: October 2006


01. To Remain Tombless
02. L'Amour Détruit
03. I Cannot Be Loved
04. And I Walk With Them
05. Thy Raven Wings
06. Love's Intolerable Pain
07. One Of Beauty's Daughters
08. Deeper Down
09. The Blood, The Wine, The Roses

There are moments when everything becomes servant of utter tranquility and all the deathlike silence suddenly is being seduced by the ominous sound of the bells of the underworld, unleashing the signs of the forthcoming doom. The Gods of doom have risen from their 2-year slumber and the time has come for humanity to drown once again in oblivion, darkness, death, pain, sorrow, despair and mourning, yes, My Dying Bride are back, invading the prosperous kingdom of a world filled with delight and joy, covering the heavens with the heaviest of tears.

If "Songs Of Darkness, Words Of Light" was many steps forward for the sound of the band (at least to me it was), the new work of the UK doom/death combo has for sure a more primary aura. To tell the truth, i really didn't know what to expect after their previous effort and "A Line Of Deathless Kings" was a surprise to me, as for most of you as well i think, since i, and you i suppose, was expecting something more doom/death metal driven in the vein the band has offered throughout the years under their own sound. From what i have noticed around, "A Line Of Deathless Kings" is a love it or hate it album, since half the people i asked enjoyed it a lot and the other half hated it, as for me, to be honest, i liked it a lot, despite the fact it takes the sound of the band steps backwards.

The voice of the wretched, Aaron Stainthorpe, for one more time creates worlds where hope has perished and its condemned shadow mourns for every day of lost euphoria. The vocals are mainly clean, either imposing in their very own way or devout through a more reciting prism (some of the reciting vocals, like on the opus "And I Walk With Them", bring forth memories of "Songs Of Darkness, Words Of Light"), with an Aaron bleeding over a microphone, chanting final lasting breaths, whereas the grunting vocals are just a few, making their appearance when the music becomes more intense and upbeat in the form of an emotional outburst. The guitars have an intense heavy edge, powerful heavy riffing which destroys everything that appears in its way, leaving behind it an amorphous lifeless maze. The acoustic passages lend the album a more melancholic and esoteric tone, whereas, oddly (!!!), the keyboards are not many, in fact they have almost vanished from the sound of My Dying Bride in their new attempt, making their appearance in very few moments of "A Line Of Deathless Kings", being in the background. As for the drumming, it's powerful and imposing, creating walls of sound that surround the listener with their nocturnal groove, though the bass lines are a bit in the background, not an actual problem when it comes to this specific part of the doom metal scene.

All in all, we're talking about a very guitar-and-drumming based work adorned by Aaron's wailing chants, showing a will to express their grandeur through the basic instruments, but also bringing forth a remembrance of "The Angel And The Dark Rives", in terms of feeling mainly as the album flows. I think that "A Line Of Deathless Kings" is one of those albums that flows as one to let you drown in its beauty and totally understand it, so i won't recommend some songs to check, try it as a full journey through inner corridors of emotion.

Another piece of art to let wounds blossom on your weary body (and soul), but for one more time "one of beauty's daughters", this unique duality My Dying Bride always had, of beauty and of doom, is here to haunt your existence. It's so simple, place yourselves by their side, in a line of deathless kings (in fear and respect, like on the beautiful and dreadful black and white cover), and walk with them in beauty and agony.

"We walk as Gods together through a fiery dawn..."





Written on 27.11.2006 by "It is myself I have never met, whose face is pasted on the underside of my mind."


Comments

Comments: 15   Visited by: 137 users
27.11.2006 - 02:44
Talvi

Only rated overall impression? And the other ratings?
----
My account on other musical pages:
http://www.last.fm/user/Pozito/
http://rateyourmusic.com/~Talvi
Loading...
27.11.2006 - 11:42
Rating: 8
KwonVerge
Odysseus
Written by Talvi on 27.11.2006 at 02:44

Only rated overall impression? And the other ratings?

I wanted to give the album an 8, i gave an 8 in the overall impression, it would be something like an 8 in the previous MS version Not a big deal to catch upon, i suppose
----
Dec. 30, 1334.

...And the whiskey and wine entered our veins when blood was too weak to carry on.
Loading...
27.11.2006 - 13:03
Rating: 9
lordz
IzZo
totally agree with you on "one of beauty's daughters"

about the rateing, an 8 would be fair for this album, although When compared to other releases this year I would give it a 10

nice review DerRozzengarten, it seems that you worked hard on it
Loading...
27.11.2006 - 13:10
Rating: 6
Damned-In-Black

I'm one of those that hasn't enjoyed this one. In fact I find it painful to listen to at times. I still have to give it more of a chance to grow on me I think, but at this point I'd give it a 4/10 or so. Nothing to do with the bands' progression or anything else either - I just think the songs are poor, individually.
Loading...
27.11.2006 - 13:50
Rating: 8
KwonVerge
Odysseus
Written by lordz on 27.11.2006 at 13:03

totally agree with you on "one of beauty's daughters"

about the rateing, an 8 would be fair for this album, although When compared to other releases this year I would give it a 10

nice review DerRozzengarten, it seems that you worked hard on it


I'm glad you agree on that As for the rating, i found some doom metal releases more interesting and also, when the time comes to compare MDB's latest album with some previous ones like the dreadful hours, the light at the end of the world, turn loose the swans etc, it isn't as magnificent as them, but still a wonderful album! that's why i gave it an 8, but still loving the album Thanks a lot for your positive feedback mate!
----
Dec. 30, 1334.

...And the whiskey and wine entered our veins when blood was too weak to carry on.
Loading...
27.11.2006 - 13:59
Rating: 9
lordz
IzZo
@Nemesis-NZ - I see where you coming from especially for you as a fan which expects alot from the band... but come on this album is good... try giving it one more shot and you might change your mind... dont think of it as a MDB album just try to think of it as a release from a new band insted..

@DerRozzengarten - just stating my opinon and saying what I see is the truth... so no need to thank me!
Loading...
27.11.2006 - 14:22
Rating: 7
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
one more good album of them I realy love this album specely probobly you all know witch song
''The Blood, The Wine, The Roses'' Good sont and seems in ewery album has simmilar title slike this also ''Thy Raven Wings'' hahah and ''L'Amour Détruit'' remaind em something from early MDB era :0
Great album indeed, seems thay wont chaged thay sound only Death/Doom legend who still play like in beggining

Only new drummer shood grow hair
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
27.11.2006 - 15:11
Rating: 10
Passenger
Lost To Apathy
Really liked this new album, it's probably less gloomy and atmospheric than "SOD, WOL", which I think is superior, but I don't mind this more old-fashioned MDB. Granted there are a few fillers, but there are also some really good songs. A good album in a weak year, but still a fair rating. Great review.

Favourite songs: I Cannot Be Loved, Thy Raven Wings, Love's Intolerable Pain. The ending of the last song really surprised me though, wasn't expecting that great raw Death Metal closing.
----
You don't make up for your sins in church. You do it in the streets. You do it at home. The rest is bullshit and you know it ~ Mean Streets
Loading...
27.11.2006 - 18:02
jadawal

Very good and well written review, I'm going to have to check this release out, My Dying Bride rules.
Loading...
27.11.2006 - 18:45
gid

I was a little disappointed in this album. It's not to say I didn't enjoy it - it just seems to lack 'flavour'.

A lot of fans don't like My Dying Bride's progression, which I think is a shame because they're definitely doing something interesting. Songs of Darkness, Words of Light was by no means my favourite album, but it had elements which surprised me. Perhaps I haven't listened to A Line of Deathless Kings enough, but I just didn't feel that with this album. Nearly all the songs passed me by without stirring much interest (apart from the ending of The Blood, the Wine, the Roses... that was beautiful).

It's a nice album in itself, but it feels like it's missing something.
Loading...
22.12.2006 - 03:37
Danzig666

When Peaceville initially put up samples i must admit i was dissapointed but it was just poor selection on their part of what parts of the songs to use. Start to finish I LOVE this album. Thy raven wings, Loves intolerable pain, one of beauty's daughters are probably my favorites but I cant find anything wrong with any of the songs. I think aaron displays some of his best vocal abilities as well. I was a little confused by the lack of "death metal" screaming, but overall I agree with the band it didn't need it. Truly another masterpiece by one of my all time favorite bands. I like all their stuff, but for me Light at the end of the world on are my favs.
----
Open your Mouth to my Bloody Reign!
Loading...
05.06.2009 - 00:27
Uirapuru
Liver Failure
One of MDB best releases. I especially liked ''L'amour Detruit'' and ''To remain tombless''. Good stuff.
----

----
member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
Loading...
27.09.2009 - 19:17
Rating: 10
lord artan

To Remain Tombless is best song in album i loved
Loading...
27.09.2009 - 21:34
Rating: 9
InnerSelf
proofread free
I might be insain but this album is one of my all-time favorites
----
He who is not bold enough
to be stared at from across the abyss
is not bold enough
to stare into it himself.
Loading...
07.06.2016 - 20:29
Rating: 7
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
DerRoz review make this album better a sit is, somehow I think we need audio reviews, it would sound better IMO
Good was drumming on this, song writing was bad
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...

Hits total: 7636 | This month: 9