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THE REVIEW
"Like Gods Of The Sun": no title could be more unfounded. Indeed, it is difficult to find a ray of light in the sound of this album, which is as nocturnal as it gets. I specify, nocturnal, not dark: certainly, there is an underlying darkness, but one of the many qualities of My Dying Bride, who we all know to be one of the greatest gothic metal bands ever, is their ability to be decadent, dark, melancholic, aggressive, and incredibly seductive without ever losing freshness, both compositionally and in terms of sound: for this reason, listening to one of their albums is always a unique pleasure.
This "Like Gods Of The Sun" is certainly no exception, for which all the adjectives mentioned above apply; some have called it a bland album, others a wonderful one; I believe it is a beautiful work, certainly one of the best albums of the dying bride; more or less, the problem is that I cannot call it a masterpiece due to some aspects such as the repetitiveness of certain riffs and melodies ("For You"), or some passages that seem to be played with little conviction. But these are just small aspects that prevent it from being a masterpiece, yet they don't stop it from being a splendid album: slow, understated, full of seductive melodies, where strings, violins, and pianos blend with the group's aggressive tones, with a distorted, slow, fierce, heavy guitar, almost brutal in some passages, as in "It Will Come" or "Like Gods Of The Sun". The notes follow one another, making listening to the album a dreamlike journey that is difficult to describe, with Aaron's voice creating almost a sort of sonic vampirism.
There aren't particular standout tracks, but all the songs as a whole are beautiful; a special mention goes to "For My Fallen Angel" where the guitars disappear and it is the sound of a violin that takes the lead, combined with keyboards and Aaron's voice, creating an atmosphere full of enchanting notes, melancholic and tremendously evocative. "Like Gods Of The Sun", while not reaching the grandeur of previous albums like "Turn Loose The Swans" or "The Angel And The Dark River", is a must-have, like the entire discography of My Dying Bride. Every other word is superfluous.
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Summary by Bot
Like Gods Of The Sun by My Dying Bride is a deeply melancholic gothic metal album that blends aggressive yet seductive tones with classical instruments. Though not a flawless masterpiece due to some repetitive riffs and less passionate passages, it remains a splendid and unique listening experience. The album captivates with its dreamlike atmosphere and evocative melodies, especially highlighting the violin-led track "For My Fallen Angel." It holds a special place among the band's respected discography.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
My Dying Bride
Formed in Halifax, England in 1990, My Dying Bride are a seminal English doom/death-doom band led by vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe. They are noted in reviews for long, melancholic compositions, prominent violin parts and literary, gothic themes.28 Reviews
Other reviews
By Hell
"An album with a dark and almost enigmatic cover but beyond that it has absolutely nothing worthwhile to say."
"Aaron... ends up becoming a caricature of himself with a voice so syrupelley dramatic that it seems that of a walrus with a tracheostomy and an electroencephalogram in the intestine."
