CD review MY DYING BRIDE ‘Macabre Cabaret’

Two releases from My Dying Bride in one year is a rare thing. 2020 with all its weirdness, is such a year and after having unleashed the doom monster ‘The Ghost of Orion’ in March, the year ends with an EP named ‘Macabre Cabaret’.

Being a perfect fit into the dark season of autumn and winter, the three songs in this EP are a soundtrack that musically underlines the melancholia of dark days. Slo-mo riffs and a plaintive atmosphere mask the brightness in deep minor, amplified by hypnotic repetitions at snail pace.

Lyrically the songs are like a glimpse into the abyss of human soul, expressed in songs like the title track and ‘A Secret Kiss’. These tracks are the opposite of a light-hearted swinging tune. It’s the tempting beauty of darkness that is expressed in 22 minutes.

What’s remarkable is that the songs on this EP are reflecting a more stripped down approach. It’s not the twists and tweaks that create the darkened tension. It’s the simpler structures, emphasized by slower sections like in the title track that do the job in spreading a baleful vibe. ‘Macabre Cabaret’ is a good addition to My Dying Bride’s discography, but be careful. If you suffer from COVID isolation, this album might intensify the symptoms.