My Dying Bride

Aside from 1996's Live At The Dynamo EP (packed with 1995's re-release of The Angel And The Dark River), fans of My Dying Bride have been patiently awaiting a quality live document. This 75-minute career chronicle is an exceptional account of the Bride's famous doom and gloom, recorded in sparkling clarity during last year's Peacefest in Holland. The bludgeoning "She Is The Dark" (from 1999's The Light At The End Of The World) opens the set before the classic title track from 1993's genre-defining Turn Loose The Swans lulls the stunned crowd into a sublime sense of magic and loss. A truncated, six-minute version of "The Cry Of Mankind" (the album cut from 1995's The Angel And The Dark River is over 12 minutes) prefaces the magnificent "The Snow In My Hand," another solid tune from the Turn Loose... album, then the band ploughs into the newer "A Cruel Taste Of Winter." The faster "Under Your Wings And Into Your Arms" (from 1998's poorly-received 34.788%...Complete) and "A Kiss To Remember" (from 1996's Like Gods Of The Sun) shows the group's resolve to use keyboards as a replacement for violinist Martin Powell, though this translates as slightly weaker on the Turn Loose... standard "Your River." The deathier "The Fever Sea" and the ancient "Symphonaire Infernus Et Spera Empyrium" closes the proceedings as front-man Aaron Stainthorpe thanks the indebted crowd.