MY DYING BRIDE — Symphonaire infernus et spera empyrium (review)

MY DYING BRIDE — Symphonaire infernus et spera empyrium album cover EP · 1992 · Death-Doom Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
siLLy puPPy
SYMPHONAIRE INFERNUS ET SPERA EMPYRIUM is the very first release from MY DYING BRIDE released as an EP way back in 1991 as well as their first on their long lasting Peaceville Records label. While the 12 “ vinyl edition released in 1991 consisted only of the 11:38 title track, the CD edition released the following year contained the tracks “God Is Alone” and “De Sade Soliloquay” which were released as a two sided 7” vinyl single limited to 1000 copies the year before. Due to startling originality of the inclusion of the melancholic session violin contributions of Martin Powell on the title track, MY DYING BRIDE gained instant recognition as a major innovator in the nascent death-doom metal sound that only Anathema and Paradise Lost were also developing at the same time period.

It’s no doubt that MY DYING BRIDE caught the attention of the world with the track “Symphonaire Infernus Et Spera Empyrium” as it remains one of their most masterful compositions of their entire career exquisitely melding the elements of doom and death metal along with neoclassical darkwave with the addition of the soul piercing violin and highly sophisticated compositional conceptualization. With its humble intro it almost sounds like we’re going to the Renaissance fair with its medieval violin setup but soon the down-tuned doomed distortion of heavy guitar riffs enter as does the death growls of Aaron Stainthorpe. The track deftly walks the tightrope of the classical and metal worlds with grace but also carefully paces the fusion effect with pure down and dirty death metal outbursts however the violin never strays too far for too long and always brings the listener into the eternal cauldrons of dread.

The remaining tracks are less symphonically complex and are rooted more in heavier death metal with elements of doom percolating through. “God Is Alone” and “De Sade Soliloquay” are perhaps the heaviest tracks that MY DYING BRIDE has ever released as they are blistering fast in tempo and eschew the violin trademark sound that pretty much defines them on every full length album that follows. These were siphoned from the cauldrons of their earliest demo material therefore sounds as primeval and raw as could be expected. SYMPHONAIRE INFERNUS ET SPERA EMPYRIUM is an excellent debut from MY DYING BRIDE and only one of two where Stainthorpe exclusively utilizes his death growls (the other being the following full-length “As The Flowers Wither.” While the title track has gotten around on many of the compilations, the other two have not and can only be found on this EP as well as the collection of the first three EPs “Trinity.” This debut release showed great talent that has been successfully in staying relevant for decades after this first hit the market.
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