The initial formation consisted of vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe, guitarists Andrew Craighan and Calvin Robertshaw plus drummer Rick Miah, who founded the band in 1990. The band released the "Towards the Sinister" demo, noted for its complete absence of bass, recorded over two days in late November at Revolver Studios with Tim Walker manning the production desk. They followed this with the "God Is Alone" 7" single, restricted to 1000 copies, on the French Listenable label, again utilising both Tim Walker and Revolver Studios in May 1991. The band signed to budding Yorkshire label Peaceville Records to release the "Symphonaire Infernus et Spera Empyrum" EP in 1992, debuting new bassist Ade Jackson in the process.
My Dying Bride's first full-length album, "As the Flower Withers" arriving in May 1992, established the band among press and fans alike. Jointly produced by label mentor Hammy and the band, the record stunned many critics, who struggled to find suitable descriptives to capture the radical nature of this work. In the midst of this confusion, few would disagree that My Dying Bride had, in one fell swoop, turned the Doom genre on its head.
The group had driven deep into the core essence of doom, drastically overhauling every aspect of its composition. The album opened somewhat coyly with an orchestral exercise in deceit before the Latin lyricised 'Sear Me' challenged immediately. Songs were drawn out into near unbearable dirges, capped by the twin violin imbued colossi of "The Bitterness and the Bereavement" and "The Return of the Beautiful", Stainthorpe's prose held closer to the great British poets than standard rock n' roll and their deliberately infantile daubed logo logo also challenged convention. "As the Flower Withers" was boldly offered up as a cornerstone of a new approach, undoubtedly spawning the successive drone movement.
"As the Flower Withers" provided the opportunity for their first tour of Europe. The progress gained by another EP, 1993's "The Thrash of Naked Limbs", was marred by drummer Rick badly damaging his hand, thus canceling a projected tour with G.G.F.H. Prior to the groundbreaking 1993 "Turn Loose the Swans" album, which came in three different sleeves, the band added violinist / keyboardist Martin Powell to the band and toured Europe once more. "Turn Loose the Swans", incepting with the piano and violin lament of 'Sear Me MCMXC III' and hinged on the utterly woeful "The Crown of Sympathy", slowed the pace even further and plunged ever deeper into slug like doom. Another set of EPs, "Sexuality of Bereavement" and "I Am the Bloody Earth", kept the momentum going during 1994.
"The Angel and the Dark River" was delivered during May 1995 and, in a rare high profile moment of mainstream activity, My Dying Bride gigged as support to Iron Maiden across Europe. "The Angel and the Dark River", six slabs of morose melancholy, marked a shift in the band's strategy, for the first time dropping the death growl of Stainthorpe in favor of a clean vocal delivery. Fans were quick to hail opener 'Cry Of Mankind' as a classic, even though the mind numbing repeat keyboard mantra of the outro dragged on for a full five minutes. Limited editions of this record included a second disc of live material recorded at the Dynamo in Holland.
My Dying Bride's fourth full-length endeavour, 'Like Gods Of The Sun', hit home in October 1996 in similar bleak fashion to its predecessor. Touring in Europe during March 1997 saw the band forming up a package billing alongside Therion, Sentenced, Orphanage and Dark for the 'Out Of The Dark III' festivals. However, drummer Rick departed and for their 1998 album sessions My Dying Bride pulled in the services of Year Zero and Valle Crusis drummer Mike Unsworth in order to fill the gap. Acquired to handle keyboards would be Yasmin Ahmid of Ebony Lake.
October 1998 saw My Dying Bride issuing the experimental '34.788%... Complete' album with yet another new drummer ex-Dominion man Bill Law. The record witnessed a deliberate break from the expected Gothic imagery associated with the band and provided a challenge for their existing fan base. A sharp division of opinion branded the album either as a somnambulistic, self indulgent failure or a richly rewarding diversion. Stainthorpe's vocals on '34.788%... Complete' took on a heavily distorted air, keyboards and samples usurped guitars and song structures ebbed and flowed without formal structure. Undoubtedly the most adventurous assay of the band's entire catalogue came with 'Heroin Chic', a mechanical, expletive infested industrial male / history telling duet with a guesting Michelle Richfield of Dominion.
The band remained strangely inactive on the touring front though as guitarist Calvin Robertshaw departed. He would swiftly be replaced by erstwhile Solstice, Serenity and Khang member Lee Baines. The 'Light At The End Of The World' album would be viewed not just as a welcome return to form, including a reprise for Stainthorpe's early growling, after the side step braved by '34.788%... Complete' but even as being one of the finests outings of the genre. For touring commitments in 1999 the band pulled in Bal-Sagoth's Jonny Maudling for live keyboards. The band's more permanent line up was completed with the addition of erstwhile Anathema and Solstice drummer Shaun Taylor-Steels and former Solstice guitarist Hamish Glencross.
The 2002 offering 'The Dreadful Hours' included a re-make of 'The Return Of The Beautiful' from the debut record, re-billed as 'Return To The Beautiful'. My Dying Bride themselves witnessed a change of keyboard players in April 2002 when Sarah Stanton took over from Yasmin Ahmed. My Dying Bride also announced the release of their first live album, 'Voice Of The Wretched', the same month. Hamish Glencross and Andrew Craighan launched their BlackDoom Record label in 2003. My Dying Bride put in a short burst of European dates in October of 2003, supported by UK act The Prophecy, the first signing to the BlackDoom label.
The band returned in March of 2004 with the album 'Songs Of Darkness, Words Of Light', warning fans in advance that change was in the air and that the track 'My Wine In Silence' was their most commercial effort to date. In late December Shaun Steels injured his ankle in a canoeing accident. The band drafted John Bennett from The Prophecy as stand in whilst Steels recovered.
Releases announced in early 2005 included the retrospective box set 'Anti-Diluvian Chronicles', which included new remixes of 'The Wreckage Of My Flesh', 'My Wine In Silence' and 'The Raven And The Rose', plus the live DVD 'Sinamorata', recorded in Antwerp, Belgium during October 2003. This latter release also featured two video shorts made by My Dying Bride fans, 'My Hope, The Destroyer' and 'My Wine In Silence'.
In September 2005 it was learned that erstwhile keyboard player Martin Powell and his ex-Cradle Of Filth colleague guitarist James McIlroy had united with ex-Himsa guitarist Matt Wicklund in a brand new band project called Prey. Meantime, My Dying Bride returned to live action in the UK during November.
The album 'A Line Of Deathless Kings' was recorded during mid 2006 at Academy Studios in Dewsbury and mixed at Chapel Studios in Lincolnshire. The accompanying single, 'Deeper Down', hitting number 15 on the Finnish charts, was issued as an "Uberdoom" edit with exclusive studio track "The Child of Eternity".
5th January 2007 bassist Adrian Jackson left the band. Long term stand in drummer John Bennet was also reported to have parted ways. New bassist is called Lena Abé and the new drummer is Dan Mullins (formerly of Thine, Bal Sagoth and Sermon Of Hypocrisy).
In April 28th, 2008 My Dying Bride released the live album titled "An Ode to Woe", recorded live at the Paradiso, Amsterdam, Holland, in April 2007. In 2009 My Dying Bride released their tenth studio album, titled "For Lies I Sire".
In 2011 the band released "Evinta". To commemorate two decades of doom and gloom from My Dying Bride, the band embarked upon a special project to re-work familiar melodies and themes from their extensive catalogue into long, flowing symphonic compositions, incorporating new vocals and passages from Aaron Stainthorpe. Sharing vocals is professional opera singer Lucie Roche, a talented soprano from France. These arrangements have been brought to life in co-operation with keyboard maestro Johnny Maudling as well as a clutch of talented classical musicians.
The band's eleventh studio album, "A Map of All Our Failures", was released in October 2012.
Official website: http://www.mydyingbride.net
Blue Lotus
My Dying Bride Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gentle in the nights breeze
I stop and stare, rest a while
With hands upon my knees
Through jaded leaves, bush and scrub
I spy my journeys end
Black it looms, silent gloom
The castle called Avend
Past horrors of the night
Through the dark, I see a sign
A gentle glowing light
Upon reaching the castle I ascend the ivy
Towards the golden window
My heart pounds my breath is rushed
As I fight both brick and branch
The ledge is mine and over I sweep
Silent like the falling snow
Quiet, I slip across the polished floor
Tonight, I will dine with chance
The Blue Lotus, a legend, I thought a myth
Old poems and stories gone
A beauty of unimaginable lust
Both men's hearts, and Gods, were won
Skin like milk, an angels face
Thay say her smile could kill
Her hair the blackest of all black
Stories I thought Though, still
So there she lay spleeping upon the bed
Half covered by fantastic silks
Her breast I see, moves with her dreams
A sight I will always recall
A single candle that showed me the way
Through forest, river and hills
Glows upon that lovely skin
Shadows dancing aroun the walls
Closer I creep, toward my prize
The Blue Lotus lies before me
Her lips are full, red as blood
Moist as they invite me
Stoop I did to kiss those lips
In that glowing room
When suddenly, she did awake,
Her eyes filled with doom
From silks, her hands were round my neck
Escape there was no hope
A brief flash of teeth is all I saw
And gone was my throat
Her bloodlust deep, she swallowed me
Red was all I saw
She drank her fill and watched me fall
Gently to the floor
A league away my death is found
By locals who tens this land
Who lay me down in shallow earth
A single Lotus placed in my hand
The Blue Lotus by My Dying Bride is a haunting tale of a man's encounter with a beautiful and deadly creature. The song starts with the man arriving at the castle called Avend, his journey's end. He had encountered horrors of the night while passing through the forest but was drawn by a glowing light in the dark. The man then climbs up the walls of the castle and sneaks into a room where he finds the legendary Blue Lotus, a woman with skin like milk, hair blacker than black, and an angel's face. She lay sleeping half-covered with fantastic silks, her breasts rising and falling with her dreams. The man is mesmerized by her beauty and stops to kiss her lips. Suddenly, the Blue Lotus awakens and, with her hands around the man's neck, drinks his blood until he collapses to the ground. The song ends with the locals finding the man's dead body with a single lotus placed in his hand.
The lyrics of The Blue Lotus hint at several themes, including human greed, beauty, and the inevitability of death. The Blue Lotus might represent the manifestation of human greed, something that appears beautiful and alluring at first but eventually leads to destruction. The man's pursuit of the Blue Lotus leads him to his death. The song also touches on the theme of beauty and how it can mask danger. The Blue Lotus is described as a woman with unparalleled beauty, which leads the man to his doom. Finally, the song reinforces the inevitability of death and how it comes for everyone, regardless of their pursuits.
Line by Line Meaning
Under the darkened, Ancient oak
The persona is standing under a dark, old oak tree.
Gentle in the nights breeze
The breeze blowing is soft and mellow in the night.
I stop and stare, rest a while
The persona halts and gazes around. They take a break.
With hands upon my knees
The persona's palms are on their bent knees.
Through jaded leaves, bush and scrub
The persona can see through wilted leaves, bushes and vegetation.
I spy my journeys end
The end of the persona's journey is visible.
Black it looms, silent gloom
The persona's destination is a big, dark and silent castle.
The castle called Avend
The dark castle is named Avend.
On I trot, past forest eyes
The persona continues walking past the trees.
Past horrors of the night
The persona passes by the terrors of the night.
Through the dark, I see a sign
The persona perceives a faint light in the darkness.
A gentle glowing light
The light is dim but conspicuous.
Upon reaching the castle I ascend the ivy
The persona climbs the wall through the ivy plants as they reach the castle.
Towards the golden window
The persona aims at the window that is shining gold.
My heart pounds my breath is rushed
The persona's heart is beating fast and breaths are rapid.
As I fight both brick and branch
The persona struggles with the branches and bricks while ascending.
The ledge is mine and over I sweep
The persona reaches the ledge and swiftly moves over it.
Silent like the falling snow
The persona glides quietly without making any noise.
Quiet, I slip across the polished floor
The persona quietly moves through the shiny floor.
Tonight, I will dine with chance
The persona is hopeful that tonight is their lucky night.
The Blue Lotus, a legend, I thought a myth
The persona didn't think that the Blue Lotus is genuine, but just a myth.
Old poems and stories gone
The ancient poems and tales are no longer available.
A beauty of unimaginable lust
The persona has heard that The Blue Lotus is an extremely beautiful woman.
Both men's hearts, and Gods, were won
The Blue Lotus was so beautiful that even men and gods fell in love with her.
Skin like milk, an angels face
The Blue Lotus has very fair skin and a beautiful face like an angel.
Thay say her smile could kill
It is said that the Blue Lotus has a magnificent smile that can enchant and captivate.
Her hair the blackest of all black
The Blue Lotus has the darkest shade of black hair.
Stories I thought Though, still
Even though the persona originally thought that the stories of the Blue Lotus were only myths, they still think of her story.
So there she lay spleeping upon the bed
The persona sees The Blue Lotus sleeping on her bed.
Half covered by fantastic silks
The Blue Lotus is partly cloaked in marvelous silks.
Her breast I see, moves with her dreams
The Blue Lotus's dreams make her chest move up and down.
A sight I will always recall
The persona will always remember this incident.
A single candle that showed me the way
The only source of light the persona had was a single candle.
Through forest, river and hills
The persona journeyed through the forest, river and hills to reach The Blue Lotus.
Glows upon that lovely skin
The light shines on the Blue Lotus's beautiful skin.
Shadows dancing aroun the walls
The shadows created by the candle were gyrating on the walls.
Closer I creep, toward my prize
The persona draws closer to their desired prize.
The Blue Lotus lies before me
The Blue Lotus is in front of the persona.
Her lips are full, red as blood
The Blue Lotus has beautiful plump lips that are as red as blood.
Moist as they invite me
The persona is enticed by the moisture on the Blue Lotus's lips.
Stoop I did to kiss those lips
The persona bends down to kiss The Blue Lotus's lips.
In that glowing room
The room is well-lit with the glow of the candle.
When suddenly, she did awake,
The Blue Lotus wakes up abruptly.
Her eyes filled with doom
The persona can detect a hint of danger in The Blue Lotus's eyes.
From silks, her hands were round my neck
The Blue Lotus is now strangling the persona with the silk from her bed.
Escape there was no hope
The persona is doomed and has no chance of escaping.
A brief flash of teeth is all I saw
The persona could only catch a glimpse of The Blue Lotus's teeth.
And gone was my throat
The Blue Lotus has ripped out the persona's throat.
Her bloodlust deep, she swallowed me
The Blue Lotus has a strong desire for blood and has eaten the persona.
Red was all I saw
The last thing the persona sees is the color red.
She drank her fill and watched me fall
The Blue Lotus drains the persona of all their blood and watches them fall to the ground.
Gently to the floor
The persona falls gently to the ground.
A league away my death is found
The locals discover the persona's body a mile away.
By locals who tens this land
The people who live in that area find the dead persona.
Who lay me down in shallow earth
They bury the persona in a shallow grave.
A single Lotus placed in my hand
A single lotus flower is put in the persona's hand as they are laid to rest.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nipulkrad Msinatagras
This song never fails to give me dreadfully haunting dreams.
vlad tepes
Nice modern version of The Sleeping Beauty. Also nice dark and grim waltz.
Alex Bains
Some sleeping beauty she turned out to be 😆
MEFISTOFELonline
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Aragorn! They‘re taking the Hobbits to Isengard!
Небојша Марковић
Predobro sve
Before The Rain
serious audio/video sync problems on this song...
Gelfling Mama
Before The Rain visually everything looks fine but the words come late in spots.