As the Flower Withers [Original recording reissued]

My Dying Bride | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 14, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 1996
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued
• Label: Peaceville UK
• ASIN: B00005A3N3
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #610,773 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Silent Dance

2. Sear Me

3. The Forever People

4. The Bitterness And The Bereavment

5. Vast Choirs

6. The Return Of Beautiful

7. Erotic Literature

Editorial Reviews

2001 reissue of 1992 album for the European goth-metal band packaged in a slipcase. Peaceville.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Soundtrack to the funeral of God, January 28, 2004

By 

Ilya Malafeyev (Russia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: As the Flower Withers (Audio CD)

This album, when it came out in 1992, was a revelation. Although Paradise Lost's timeless "Gothic" had already shaken grounds by that time, still My Dying Bride managed to deliver something special. There was this never before heard melodism, taken from old requiems and sorrowful ceremonial songs. Tasteful violin added immensely to the atmosphere. Aaron Stainthorpe used only growling vocals on this record, and the whole record is immensely influenced by death-metal.

"Silent Dance" is a good instrumental intro, setting sombre gloomy mood. It's slow, dominated by violins and keyboards, and sounds somewhat spooky and gothic to me, with heavy medieval feel.
"Sear Me" is an eternal MDB's classic. Slow oppressing guitar riffs, excellent drumming, superb violin melody, and Aaron's voice growling the lyrics in Latin. Middle part of this track is pure death-metal, while mostly it's a doom-metal song. Excellent!
"The Forever People", on the contrary, treads the death-metal ground, with it's fast tempo and aggressive singing. But it again changes moods and rhythms until it sets into majestic doom by its end.
"The Bitterness and the Bereavement" is another shockingly beautiful MDB track, very similar in its sound to "Sear Me". Bizarre mixture of deathly heaviness and harsh vocals with doomish slowness, violin melodies and sorrow feelings.
"Vast Choirs" is a simpler doomy track. It has no parts dominated by violins, and instead takes the listener through a series of rhythmic changes, maintaining heaviness. It's a bit monotonous to my taste, though.
"The Return of the Beautiful" is a My Dying Bride symphony. This 12-minute track consists of several parts, different in mood and style, again ranging from simple fast-tempo death-metal to slow sorrowful doom. Another excellent ambitious track, that was re-recorded for the 2001 album "The Dreadful Hour", and sounds way better on that album.
"Erotic Literature" is similar to "Vast Choirs" in its feel, and again, sounds too monotonous and unmoving to me. I'd say, this is not the best way to end the record.

This album shocked many in 1992. It's sorrowful yet majestic feel got in your head and stayed there. If Nietzsche was right about the death of God, then surely His funeral were accompanied by this music.

However, My Dying Bride managed to raise the bar even higher on their subsequent albums. This fact, and the presence of 2 not so good tracks here, make me give this album 4 stars.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Beautiful Horror, June 12, 2002

By 

Edward W. Parker "GiantYoda" (Eugene, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: As the Flower Withers (Audio CD)

As keyboardist on Morgion's - Among Majestic Ruin, the one album that was truly inspirational was My Dying Bride's - As the Flower Withers. This album is heavily responsible for sparking a whole new realm of doom/death/symphonic metal. With tracks like the uncanny "Forever People" and the unforgettable "Bitterness and Bereavement," metal fans of all types will be quick to appreciate the sheer art this album is made of. If there was a "White Album" for death/doom, this would be it. The vocals will haunt your dreams...the music will yield a call to irons...and the symphony is nothing short of masterful. Oh...The Beautiful Horror.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Their Most Raw, January 5, 2002

By 

Kamyar Jalali (Fairfax, Virginia USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: As the Flower Withers (Audio CD)

This has to be one of MDB's most raw and primitive albums. Released in 1992, As the Flower Withers combines brutal gutter vocals by Aaron and mixes it with carefully orchestrated classical/doom themes.

The touch of violins made this album untouchable and remains, to date, as my favourite MDB album. They gently introduce the listener with a light classical piece in "Silence Dance" and slowly progress through each track with powerful and ripping vocals and music. If you're a fan of lighter albums, such as "The Angel and the Dark River" or "34.788% Complete" then you might not enjoy this album. Personally, I feel that every MDB fan should try this album!