by British doom metal band My Dying Bride has announced their separation from longtime vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe. The announcement was shared on My Dying Bride’s official Facebook page.
The band addressed the difficult decision in their official announcement. They explained the circumstances that led to the split.
“My Dying Bride have decided to part ways with vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe,” the band stated. “Please understand that this decision does not come lightly, hence our initial and painful silence while we gathered our thoughts and carefully considered our response to the disengaged, eerily abandoned state we suddenly found ourselves in.”
The band emphasized their commitment to continuing despite the change.
“Our collective decision to move forward without him is not something we thought we would ever be forced to say, but to ensure a continued legacy for what we hold dear to our hearts, we simply have to move past this,” they continued. “Whilst change can be difficult, we are doing our best to bring this new chapter forward with powerful positivity.”
The statement also clarified the band’s current status. They wished Stainthorpe well in his future endeavors.
“My Dying Bride are not on hiatus, we were never on hiatus,” they concluded. “However, we do genuinely wish Aaron all the luck in the world in his new solo endeavours.”
The separation marks the end of a significant era for the band. Stainthorpe has been an integral part of My Dying Bride’s identity since its formation.
Girls Rock Camp Foundation reported that Aaron Stainthorpe has been with My Dying Bride since the band’s inception in 1990. This made his tenure with the band 35 years. He was the original vocalist and has been a constant member throughout the band’s entire history.
My Dying Bride is recognized as one of the pioneers of the death-doom metal genre. Dead Rhetoric noted that the band, formed in 1990 alongside acts like Paradise Lost, helped define the subgenre with their characteristic depressive melodies, heavy riffs, soul-breaking violin, and tragic lyrics. The band distinguished themselves by rejecting commercialism and mainstream appeal in favor of deep emotional expression.
The band has faced challenges in recent years. Aristocrazia Webzine revealed that Aaron’s personal struggles, including his daughter’s cancer diagnosis around 2017, markedly affected the band’s activity and dynamics. Despite such hardships and some lineup changes, the band continued releasing new material. Their most recent album was The Ghost of Orion in 2020.
Over the decades, My Dying Bride gained a loyal following and critical acclaim for their unique contribution to doom metal. Their artistic and poignant sound evokes a sense of longing and despair. It blends dark death metal with doom elements, goth metal, and violin-driven melodies. The band has not yet announced a replacement vocalist or provided details about their plans moving forward.
