Band:	My Dying Bride
Album:	Turn Loose The Swans
Style:	Death doom metal
Release date:	October 11, 1993
A review by:	KwonVerge

01. Sear Me MCMXCIII
02. Your River
03. The Songless Bird
04. The Snow In My Hand
05. The Crown Of Sympathy
06. Turn Loose The Swans
07. Black God
08. Your River [live] [1996 Japanese bonus]
09. Le Cerf Malade [2003 remastered limited edition bonus]
10. Transcending (Into The Exquisite) [2003 remastered limited edition bonus]
11. Your Shameful Heaven [live] [2003 remastered limited edition bonus]

If you wonder "What do many of today's doom/death metal bands have in common?" just listen to My Dying Bride's "Turn Loose the Swans" and you'll see. I wonder who could have imagined that a band like My Dying Bride back in 1993 with the very promising debut album "As the Flower Withers" (1992) would evolve so much in their second album becoming one of the most important pioneers of a new-born genre of doom/death metal. I guess not many. They took both the sound of the band, and of the whole genre, many steps further. My Dying Bride made it happen releasing one of the most classic albums not only for the 90s doom/death metal but also for the overall doom metal scene giving alternative meaning to the word "doom" in the metal scene.

My Dying Bride, in "Turn Loose the Swans," combines the slow doomy metal sound with a fragile dark wailing aesthetic which makes their sound unique and innovative for the time being, but also deeply influential for the years to come. The guitar riffing is slow and mournful. At times there are emotional outbursts with the guitars sounding more threatening, harmonizing in a perfect way with the rhythm section. Imposing at times, accompanying at others, the rhythm section creates unbreakable walls of sound. The production is also much better than on their debut album helping the band clearly show their great ideas.

Now, do you remember someone named Martin Powell playing the violin as a guest musician on "As the flower withers?" I guess so, because from now on he has become a member of My Dying Bride. Enriching either the intensely mournful or desperately nightmarish atmosphere of the band, he adds another special sense to their special sound. Also in "Turn Loose the Swans," the charismatic front-man of My Dying Bride, Aaron Stainthorpe, shows the grandeur of his voice. Unfolding his greatness, his clear, trembling, descriptive voice, almost-crying at times, semi-reciting at others, never leaves behind his intense, deep grunts, interpretive lyrics or bleeding poetry.

Every single composition, from the very first sound echoing until the last, every word being uttered by Aaron are special parts of a puzzle drowned in bleakness that is "Turn Loose the Swans." The dark mourning opus "Sear Me MCMXCIII" is one of the most classic My Dying Bride melodies featuring only Aaron's clear voice, the violin and the keyboards fragile wailing sounds leaving you bleeding. Musically, lyrically and emotionally astonishing, "Your River" caresses your shivering skin with thorns. From the dark elegiac hymn bearing the name "The Songless Bird" to the greatness of "The Snow in My Hand," ranging from serene moments to raging outbursts, expressing anger through pain, the album flows wonderfully through inspiration and emotion.

In the all-time classic My Dying Bride opus, "The Crown of Sympathy," the melodies are so characteristic that they scar your soul for all eternity. Moving slowly to the title-track "Turn Loose the Swans" is a slow doomy composition in which My Dying Bride unfolds once more their greatness with mourning guitar riffing, bleeding violin melodies and a dramatic interpretation by Aaron. On the wings of "Black God" and its fragile nocturnal melodies that surround you we are led to this doleful opus' bitter end?

"Turn Loose the Swans" is one of the most innovative releases of the 90's and definitely one of those albums consisting of the quintessence of doom/death metal. A must-have album for all the restless souls in oblivion?