A friend of mine introduced me to My Dying Bride around the time their first EP, Symphonaire Infernus et Spera Empyrium, was released. He described them as a bunch of guys snooping around an old dusty library and then unleashing their knowledge on words and music. I was more intrigued by their strange band name and especially about the crazy song titles. I never cared much for their music, but their live shows always had a feel like you were attending a dark mass.

 

The bunch of guys is now in company of a bunch of girls, replacing members that have left over the years, such as bass player Andrew Jackson. After spending 16 years he divorced his dying bride and moved to the United States. Replaced by the lovely Lena Abé she is directly thrown into the lion’s den on this live album and DVD An Ode To Woe. The show was filmed at the legendary Paradiso in Amsterdam in April 2007, during the band's mini-tour for the album A Line of Deathless Kings.

 

And if you’re filming in such a place, it is wise to not take things half measure. Multiple cameras, high definition, superb sound…the works basically. And they did manage to deliver the goods. No album is overlooked, even the controversial 34.788%...complete is represented with ‘The Whore, the Cook and the Mother.’ Being an experiment larded with trip hop influences, it was very badly received by both press and fans. This song does not sound out of place next to ‘Like Gods of The Sun’ or ‘The Cry of Mankind’. After almost 20 years, My Dying Bride still sound like they're full of despair and carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. Not really suitable music for cheering you up after a bad day at the office. 

Alongside original members Aaron Stainthorpe and Andrew Graighan the line-up is completed by new drummer Dan Mullins and Sarah Stanton on keyboards. The set marks the second live CD release by the band, and the third on DVD. Nonetheless this is a must have for My Dying Bride fans.