The Angel and the Dark River

the Angel and the Dark River is the third album by the British doom/death metal band My Dying Bride. The 1996 re-release contains one bonus track "The Sexuality Of Bereavement" and a bonus CD titled Live at the Dynamo. The Live CD was recorded during their appearance at the Dynamo Festival in 1995.

It was arguably the release that saw the band travel furthest from their death metal origins, and provided the fullest expression of the doom metal side of their music. Aaron Stainthorpe dispensed with his death metal vocals entirely, and Martin Powell's violin and keyboard playing now seemed to be the basis around which the rest of the arrangement was built. Apart from the final track of the original release ("Your Shameful Heaven"), the tempo was unremittingly slow, with only the odd fast drum fill from Rick Miah adding some variety.

Aaron Stainthorpe's lyrics continued in the vein of Turn Loose the Swans - focusing on religious symbolism and relationship problems - whilst non-English phrases were omitted once more. Stainthorpe has said in many interviews that "Two Winters Only" is his favourite My Dying Bride song.

Five of the album's six tracks appear on the band's VHS and DVD For Darkest Eyes.

Track listing

1. "The Cry of Mankind" – 12:13
2. "From Darkest Skies" – 7:48
3. "Black Voyage" – 9:46
4. "A Sea to Suffer In" – 6:31
5. "Two Winters Only" – 9:01
6. "Your Shameful Heaven" – 6:59
7. "The Sexuality of Bereavement" – 8:04 *

* *Bonus track (digipak ed. CDXVILE 50 only, and re-issue 2CD)

Live at the Dynamo

1. Your River – 8:13
2. A Sea to Suffer In – 6:21
3. Your Shameful Heaven – 6:21
4. The Forever People – 4:52

Credits

* Aaron Stainthorpe - vocals, cover art, photos
* Andrew Craighan - guitar
* Calvin Robertshaw - guitar
* Adrian Jackson - bass
* Martin Powell - violin, keyboard
* Rick Miah - drums