The Dreadful Hours

MY DYING BRIDE’S EPIC 2001 ALBUM OF DARK & CHILLING TALES OF LOVE AND DEATH My Dying Bride have been the leading light of doom metal since their debut album "As The Flower Withers" was released on Peaceville Records back in 1992. Influenced by acts such as Celtic Frost and Candlemass, the band's heavy atmospherics have carved a huge worldwide following over the years and they remain at the pinnacle of the genre and one of the most instantly distinguishable metal bands. At times genuinely dark and unsettling, seventh album ’The Dreadful Hours’ was perhaps the band’s most bleak release to date, perfectly commencing with the sombre & threatening (& fan favourite) title track. Aaron Stainthorpe’s fragile narrative gives way to ferocious growls, setting the tone for the album’s dynamic waltz between longing and malevolence, and once more backed up by a relentless wall of masterful doom riffing aided by dramatic keyboard atmospherics. ’The Dreadful Hours’ is still rightly hailed as being among the band’s finest works to date since its 2001 release. The album was recorded at Academy Studios in West Yorkshire UK, with long-time producer Mags at the helm. The album artwork was also created by frontman Aaron Stainthorpe. At the pinnacle of the gothic doom genre for over two decades, My Dying Bride have notably toured with acts such as Iron Maiden & Ronnie James Dio.

While they faltered a little bit toward the late '90s, doom/death metal pioneers My Dying Bride seemed to get a new lease on life (or should that be death?) with 1999's excellent The Light at the End of the World, and The Dreadful Hours builds on that momentum.