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ON THE COUCH WITH: My Dying Bride

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ARTIST INTERVIEW

Access All Areas.net.au: Hey Andrew, how are you today?
MDB – Andrew: I’m doing really well thanks, its a nice evening here & i’m just sitting down to do a bunch of interviews.

Access All Areas.net.au: Firstly, your new record “For Lies I Sire” was just recently released, how do you feel it has been doing?
MDB – Andrew: It actually has done unexpectedly well for us, being that it has been well exposed & we seem to be getting a lot more exposure in media sources. I say that as personally i feel MDB is still an underground band & usually when we do a record & when it comes out, we get the usual press who look at the metal bands, but this time we have had a bunch of mainstream media take notice of us, which is strange to be honest. In the end its all good for the band as we do want to be successful with each release, so things are looking good.

Access All Areas.net.au: Have you heard at all from the label where the unexpected exposure may be coming from you are experiencing?
MDB – Andrew: Well as the record only came out Monday over here its really hard to tell, as we won’t get an indication of sales for a while yet. I think as our last record seemed to do well for us it exposed us to a media that we haven’t had before & so with this we have now on this record been exposed to this mainstream of media & as we haven’t had it before being usually more underground, its the surprise. Hopefully, we’ve done something good with the record which is why we have the interest, but i guess we’ll just wait & see.

Access All Areas.net.au: The 9 songs on the record seem very complex in themselves, let alone in the set, was it a long writing schedule for the band to write these 9 songs for the record?
MDB – Andrew: Well no, we actually had more time to write then we’ve ever had on a record before, so it was rather easy for us. We originally started to write some material in the second half of 2007 when we were still on tour for the previous record, so we didn’t do too much as we had to focus on rehearsals for the shows as we wanted to do the best performances we could. So after the touring was finished, we took time out in early 2008 & just sat down & wrote out our songs. We were unable to get the studio times & schedule we had originally planned on, so as this wasn’t happening our 2008 release plan wasn’t happening so we ended up with more time to polish up the material we had written, so for the first time ever we had proper made material to go into the studio with. Personally its not how i work, as i like to take in skeletons of songs & work from there, but as we had the time, we made the best of it & i feel with this we actually got a better record then what we would have if it was rushed with the original schedule, so these things have a way of working out.

Access All Areas.net.au: With the music on the record, the instrumentation seems very technical, was it a long process to arrange & compose the music to accompany the material written?
MDB – Andrew: Well with our band, we look to create a sound for our songs which will make the record once we are together & all have our ideas of what we’d like to do musically on the songs. We take the material & make what we feel is the sound of the theme or mood of the song & we work very hard to make something appropriate. The music takes a little longer, but we are able to bring it together & arrange the compositions we are happy with as a band for the material of the record.

Access All Areas.net.au: Now for the record, 3 of the musicians in the band were recording with the band for the first time in Dan, Lian & Katie, was it difficult for them to slide into the group & play with the band on the record?
MDB – Andrew: Well this wasn’t the difficult part of the process, as they all fit in really well with us & we all got along really well. The 3 are all extremely talented musicians, with Dan being from previous bands he slotted in well & with Lian & Katie they had recordings but nothing major. The biggest thing with them coming in was the realisation for them of what they were actually doing, as in their previous roles they never had the full proper band & when it came to recording they hadn’t been to the full on studio with the major name producer, so it was a fear for them, but once they got over this things went extremely well.

Access All Areas.net.au: With Katie, besides her keyboard duties, she also plays the violin, did this instrumentational ability bring much dynamic to the sound of the new record?
MDB – Andrew: I would definitely say it would, its main role in the record was to fill the gaps other instruments or vocals weren’t able to do so. With the songs, we took them & built them around the instruments & along the way we found gaps where maybe a guitar may go or a vocal or something else & found the violin could fit in very well, so we used it. The issue with the violin, was knowing the history of MDB and the sound with the violin, we had to be careful not to make it sort of like a gimmick as it was kind of the second coming of the bands sound. We felt it worked well in the parts we put it in, however we took more violin parts out then what was left on, to be careful not to overdo the record with it & ruin the legacy of the sound, which may be offensive to long time fans of the band. However, saying that i haven’t heard one thing about the violin to date so maybe we could’ve done more with it, but there’s always the next MDB record.

Access All Areas.net.au: On the record, while recording in Manchester you worked with producer Mags, who you have a previous history of working with. Did you feel this working relationship between the band & producer influenced the choice in producers?
MDB – Andrew: It was actually the only choice as we don’t record with anyone else. We could have gotten the record done elsewhere & a lot quicker with another producer, but with Mags he really fits in as like the seventh member of our band, as he just knows us to extremes i can’t describe. The way he works with us is incredible, i’ll be in the studio & before i can make a point about what i think could be done, he already has mentioned exactly what i thought, so he knows what we want as a band, which can be annoying sometimes, but we love working with him. The record would honestly not be what it is without Mags production, so the time spent with him was worth it & also we were able to introduce the new members into our recording processes which was fun, so it was good all round.

Access All Areas.net.au: With the record, it is being released on Peaceville Records, who you have recently resigned to, do you feel this will be good for the band?
MDB – Andrew: Well its too early to tell i think, once again as earlier the record only came out a few days ago, so to see how the label handles this record will be interesting. Peaceville have been with us since record one to now record 10 so we have a good relationship with the people at the label, which is great for a band as you get to know the people who are putting your music out to the people, so you know they really are looking for the best for your band, which is great.

Access All Areas.net.au: With the record, do you have much touring planned in support of the release?
MDB – Andrew: Well we’re doing our usual run of touring, which is mainly Europe as its our backyard & then there’s north America which is always nice to get to. This time we are looking to tour in south America which is something we are hoping to do as we’ve been trying to get there for a while & hopefully being in the southern hemisphere it may open up other touring opportunities.

Access All Areas.net.au: Any chances of the Australian MDB fans finally getting a tour on this record?
MDB – Andrew: I’d really like to say yes right now, but i can’t as i just don’t know. It’s something as a band we are really, really hoping to do as we know we have a heap of loyal fans down there & we will be doing all we can to hopefully come down & tour, we’re still waiting to see what touring opportunities are coming for us & when it is the time we will be there, we promise.

Access All Areas.net.au: Well Andrew, its been a pleasure speaking with you, i’d like to wish you all the best with the new record & hope to maybe see you down here sometime in the near future.
MDB – Andrew: Thankyou Ben, its been great speaking with you, i wish it could be longer... maybe we could do another one sometime as 15 minutes really isn’t long enough for a proper interview i think, but anyway thanks & have a nice day there, bye.

Interview By: Ben Coby.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

My Dying Bride were formed by Aaron, Andy, Calvin and Rick in the summer of 1990, and after only 6 months of writing together released the now legendary demo Towards The Sinister. Progress continued apace with the release of their first 7" single God Is Alone for the small French label Listenable. The single sold out almost immediately causing eager whispers in the underground, bringing them to the attention of Peaceville Records, who offered the band a deal.

The first release from this now infamous pairing was the EP Symphonaire Infernus Et Spera Empyrium (featuring the bands newest recruit Ade on bass), shortly followed by the band's first full-length album As The Flower Withers, avant-garde doom metal was born.

The band followed the release with a series of shows in the UK and mainland Europe. The response was phenomenal, and spurring the band on it wasn't long before they were back in the studio recording their second EP The Thrash Of Naked Limbs. A full length tour of Europe was planned with sickodelic label mates G.G.F.H. but this was pulled at the last minute when MDB's drummer Rick had a bad fall while making the accompanying video. The video was a huge success with the MTV metal hordes and the EP flew high into the Kerrang charts. Fans and critics hailed the band as pioneers of the new doom-gothic metal genre. Pushing these new boundaries even further, MDB recruited long time session musician and classically trained violin and piano player Martin Powell as a full time member. Writing then begun in earnest for their second album Turn Loose The Swans, released in 1993 a huge European tour was planned to coincide with the release, the album received rave reviews and apart from illness, theft and motor breakdown's the tour was a huge success.

In '94 the band kept up the flow by releasing the I Am The Bloody Earth EP, and then settled down to write material for their third album, The Angel And The Dark River. The album was released in 1995 and an opus was born. Six epic tracks, averaging around nine minutes each immersed the listener in MDB's full sinister glory. By now the band were at the very forefront of the advanced metal scene, hailed in the press and with a flurry of like-minded bands following in their shadows, they again launched a successful live assault on Europe, culminating in some high profile festival appearances, including the famous Dynamo metal festival in Holland. 1995 was also the year that the band released Trinity a single CD compilation of the first 3 EP's, if that wasn't enough they where invited on the road by the mighty Iron Maiden. This saw 1995 rounded off nicely, the tour; a 3-month hike around Europe was awesome and saw MDB win over thousands of die-hard Maiden fans every night.

Still happily married to Peaceville, the band, always one step ahead, released their fourth album Like Gods of the Sun in 1996. Again a rich work of art. Experience and careful attention to detail resulted in a much cleaner sound. Sarnies n clean socks packed they toured Europe, this time with Cathedral. Demand being so great they did it all over again in 97 with Sentenced. 97 was also the year that saw MDB hotfoot it to the US, to support Dio. Being well versed in all things MDB the US crowds went loco. Alas, with only a few weeks of the tour left, the band had to pull out when Rick the drummer contracted a debilitating illness, which sadly resulted in the original member having to leave the band altogether. Help came in the form of Bill Law, drummer with label mates Dominion, and work got under way writing the fifth album, enigmatically titled 34.788%... Complete.

At this time Martin also left the band. The album was as different as the title suggests, still full of MDB 'isms' it was daringly experimental, resulting in an overall sound more akin to Tricky than MDB of old. The album had a bit of a mixed response, the critics loved it, and praised the leap of faith, though the fans took a while longer to work things out, despite this the album did manage healthy sales. Bill, a native of Canada saw his visa run out and was gone. The band decided not to tour and instead concentrate on solidifying the line up. Help came in the form of Shaun Steels, ex drummer with Anathema.

After all the changes they'd recently encountered they were surprised at how quickly the new line up gelled, inspiring writing to begin for the sixth album The Light At The End Of The World. The album was released in 1999 and saw a return of the older MDB style, but with a whole new perspective on the sound. Shortly after the album was recorded the band enlisted guitarist Hamish Glencross as a replacement for Calvin, who had left after 34.788% Complete.

Following touring Europe promoting The Light At The End Of The World, 2000 saw MDB working hard on new material, and also working hand in hand with Peaceville on a retrospective of their work with the label to date, the manifestation being two full length CD's, containing rare tracks, live tracks, demo tracks, brand new art work and a video track. The first, entitled Meisterwerk I was released in October, followed hot on the heels in January 2001 with Meisterwerk II.

In August 2001 armed with an arsenal of new material the band hit the new relocated and upgraded Academy Studios to record their seventh studio album, The Dreadful Hours. As ever Mags engineered and also co-produced with guitarist Andrew Craighan. Keyboard duties fell to Bal Sagoth's Jonny Maudlin, with, 'not quite member, not quite session musician' Yasmin Ahmed performing keyboards on A Cruel Taste Of Winter. The Dreadful Hours received stunning reviews from the international metal press, re-affirming My Dying Bride as the godfathers of doom. Asked to describe the album, guitarists Andy explained, "I'm trying to create an atmosphere of angst, of almost relentless misery. So much misery that you just can't take it"

Encouraged by the success of the album the first ever MDB/Peaceville DVD was released in April 2002 - 2.5 hours of material - including a stunning live performance from Krakow Poland - with plenty of extra live footage (more gigs) and a chance to peek at vocalist Aaron's stunning collection of artwork. This was followed by MDB's first ever Live CD - The Voice Of The Wretched, filmed at the now infamous Peacefest finale at the luxurious 013 Club in Tilburg, Holland in March 2001. Again the album received an amazing response from the media - garnering many 10/10-review scores.

The band rounded off the year by playing all the European metal/alternative festivals, including Wacken, Graspop and Bospop with new keyboard player Sarah Stanton added to the ranks. In 2003 MDB settled into work on their follow up to The Dreadful Hours. With plenty of ideas already formulated the band were keen to keep up momentum. In the summer of '03 My Dying Bride found themselves again at Academy with Mags in the production seat. The result of that recording session was the stunning Songs Of Darkness, Words of Light LP, MDB's eighth studio album. The album was released to huge press commendation in March 2004. The band played many live dates and festivals around Europe to promote the album. They also recorded their first promo video since 'For You' for the track Prize Of Beauty.

At the end of 2004, My Dying Bride got together with artist and video director Dave Palser - they originally worked with Dave on the video 'Cry Of Mankind', always hailed as the best My Dying Bride video. Due to the success of the Prize Of Beauty, they decided to make a video with Dave for the Blue Lotus. The video was completed in early 2005 featured heavily on the metal music channels. Also in May 2005, the band released a three-CD box set: Anti - Diluvian Chronicles. This contains new re-workings of three classic My Dying Bride songs - My Wine In Silence, The Raven and The Rose and The Wreckage Of My Flesh; (Academy Studios 2005). This mammoth 29-song box set comes with a poster and a full and exclusive interview with the enigmatic front man Aaron - conducted by one of the UK's most enduring metal journalists, Dom Lawson of Kerrang! A great place to start if you’re just getting into the band. Not to mention highly collectable.

September 2005 saw the release of My Dying Bride's second long-form DVD entitled Sinamorata. Among the goodies on offer on the DVD is a full live concert performance, filmed @ Antwerp's Hof Ter Lo venue in November of 2003. The two new promo videos, along with some videos shot by fans, more live concert footage a much more. The band have been kept busy writing material for the new album, but took time out in November '05 to play The Astoria, and also play their first home town gig in four years at Bradford Rio's.

The band entered Academy Studios in Spring 2006 to record the follow up to Songs Of Darkness, entitled A Line of Deathless Kings. Drums were handled by John Bennett of fellow Yorkshire doomsters, The Prophecy, and as always, long-time collaborator and producer Mags took control of engineering duties. The album was mixed at The Chapel in Lincolnshire and mastered at the famous Abbey Road studios. The first single to be lifted from the album was called Deeper Down and preceded the album as a 4 track release. A promo video was also shot for Deeper Down by Charlie Granberg (who was responsible for the Katatonia videos My Twin and Deliberation).

The start of 2007 saw bassist Adrian Jackson and session drummer John Bennett leave the band, and replacements Lena Abé and Dan Mullins were announced prior to the first concerts of the year. The official statement from the band stated that "MDB has a new fresh focused feel to it and we are looking forward to the shows with a vengeance."

In 2008, as the band composed and prepared to record tracks for their new album, Peaceville Records released An Ode to Woe, a live CD and DVD showing the band on fine form at the world famous Paradiso venue in Amsterdam in April 2007.

Recording of the follow-up to A Line of Deathless Kings began in spring 2008 with work continuing through the Summer. In the meantime My Dying Bride made some extra special festival appearances with the re-introduction of violins, courtesy of new member Katie Stone - an unforeseen highlight for all fans who witnessed the shows, which was then followed by the uniting of the 'Peaceville 3' (MDB, Anathema, Paradise Lost) for 2 special shows to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Paradise Lost. These took place in Paris and London and was an unforgettable occasion for many fans wishing for this line-up for many years.

By this time, work on the album, titled 'For Lies I Sire' was almost fully completed, as the band had spent the previous months at work in Manchester with long-time MDB engineer/producer Mags. The album is set for release March 2009 and is undoubtedly among the band's very best work to date. Featuring some seriously heavy-as-hell sombre doom, 'For Lies I Sire' wades effortlessly and poetically through tales of darkness and gloom, this time textured with the much-anticipated return of the often-missed violin, last featured well over ten years ago.

And the story continues...

www.mydyingbride.org

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Kora
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Have done so many. Really cannot say which one stands out most. I think everytime we get on stage. This is the best job in the world. How many people can say they love their jobs?

Favourite Artist you’ve seen at a Music Festival?
Shapeshifter(NZ) and Karnivool(Auz). Those guys know how to take things to the next level!

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Bring a fresh pair of socks and underwear. haha.