December 2020 Feature Release - The Fallen Edition
It's now December which of course means that we'll be nominating a brand new monthly feature release for each clan. This essentially means that we're asking you to rate, review & discuss our chosen features for no other reason than because we enjoy the process & banter. We're really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on our chosen releases so don't be shy.
This month's feature release for The Fallen is 2001's classic "The Dreadful Hours" album from English death doom metal phenomenon My Dying Bride. I recently noticed that it was their top rated release on RYM & this left me a little baffled as it had never left me with that sort of impression before so I thought it was time I reassessed that position.
https://metal.academy/releases/966
I did my review, here's its summary:
My Dying Bride's 2001 album The Dreadful Hours truly returns to the aggressive death-doom of As The Flower Withers and Turn Loose the Swans. There are killer heavy riffs worth headbanging, along with top-notch growls by vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe. Their trademark slow sections with clean vocals are still there which is good because it helps with MDB's emotional lyrics of standard melancholy. Those sides mixed together form 8 long death-doom songs of depression and hopelessness that are healthy for the doom soul, including a re-recording of a song from their deadly debut. The Dreadful Hours is a solid album, as perfect as The Light at the End of the World but still a few inches below the majestic level of Turn Loose the Swans with a few new tricks up their sleeves. Pretty much all the songs here help form these dreadfully excellent over 70 minutes!
5.5 (or more specifically 4.8/5)
My feelings on this release have certainly improved over time. I still harbor the same concerns as I did previously (repetitive clean vocal phrasing, some generic riffs here & there, notable omission of violin) but can't deny the quality on display so I've bumped my scoring up from a 3.5/5 to a 4/5. I still can't see how "The Dreadful Hours" could possibly be held in as high a regard as classic releases like "Turn Loose the Swans" or "The Angel & The Dark River" though. It sounds more like an attempt to replicate those releases but doesn't quite get there in my opinion. Here's my full review:
https://metal.academy/reviews/19442/966
As I come off my review of Incantation's Diabolical Conquest, we now find ourselves back in the more traditional form of death doom metal with My Dying Bride. And truth be told, I've never really cared all that much for My Dying Bride. There music has been tolerable and I don't mind at all if it comes up in a playlist or if it gets recommended to me, but something about them just doesn't stick with me.
And with The Dreadful Hours, I think I finally figured out what that Achilles heel was: the synths. I've heard a lot of synths used on metal albums in power metal and gothic doom over the last year, and the albums that does resonate with me are the ones with the inauthentic synthesizers. I know they are called "synths" for a reason, but the strings and choral arrangements don't match with... anything.
Which is a damn shame because the basic fundamental "doom metal" portions are really good. Take for example "My Hope, The Destroyer" as well as "Le Figlie Della Tempesta". The rhythm and guitar work is solid, and truly spectacular during the dual melodic harmonies. These passages also allow for some adequate bass lines to be pronounced in the mix. It's very simplistic, but I can let it slide given the stylings we are dealing with.
But those synths...they take me out of the experience. One minute this album can be transcendent and I can be soaring amongst the clouds, forgetting everything quibble in the world. But as soon as those choirs hit, I'm immediately brought back to reality. I mean the craftsmanship on display is commendable and is worth hearing just for that, but for me, when I think of early 2000s gothic metal, with complimentary synths, I am going to have to stick with Green Carnation.
7/10