### My Dying Bride: Bring me victory

#### 25/11/09 || Euthanatos

Usually, I steer clear of EPs. Don’t see much sense in ‘em, particularly when they serve as a sort of single, like this one, with a song that’s already on the full-length. Luckily, said album was really good, and I did like the track that gives this EP its title. But what actually drove me to give this a chance was that I saw it featured a version of “Scarborough Fair”. I was supremely intrigued by this, and proceeded to check it out. I’m glad I did.

This EP, as a whole, is a worthwhile product. While the actual song “Bring me Victory” is on the album “For Lies I Sire”, the accompanying material alone is worth a purchase.

After the title-track, we get a cover for “Scarborough Fair”, as I had mentioned, and it’s one of the most incredible things My Dying Bride has ever done. I am seriously amazed at the quality of this version, it’s fucking light-years better than any other version ever done. Ever. Aaron’s vocals fit it perfectly, the gentle-brooding guitars give it so much depth, and the violin, finally back in the band’s sound, makes it 10 times more haunting and sinister. Fuck me, this is too beautiful, I might cry black gothic tears.

But wait, there’s more! If you call My Dying Bride NOW, they will include, FREE OF CHARGE, another great cover! This one is for post-punk act Swans, whom I confess I had never heard of before, but when you listen to “Failure”, it’s hard to imagine this isn’t actually an original My Dying Bride song. It suits the band just right, morbid and slow.

And, to top it all off and make this EP even more attractive, is a live version (recorded in 2008) of the mesozoic track “Vast Choirs”. Great song, and I’d never expect the band to be playing it, particularly in this day and age, but it sounds top-notch, so props there. It sounds as doomy and visceral as ever.

There you have it, then, an EP with 4 fantastic tracks, that’s more than most albums have these days! So, yes, totally worth your time, whether you already have “For Lies I Sire” or not.

The cover: Just an old throne, but at least it’s much better than the “For Lies I Sire” artwork.

- Information
- Released: 2009
- Label: Peaceville
- Website: www.mydyingbride.org
- Band
- Aaron Stainthorpe: vocals
- Andrew Craighan: guitars
- Hamish Glencross: guitars
- Lena Abé: bass
- Dan Mullins: drums
- Shaun Macgowan: keyboards, violin

- Tracklist
- 01. Bring Me Victory
- 02. Scarborough Fair
- 03. Failure
- 04. Vast Choirs