TIRED OF TEARS

"Tired Of Tears" is a digital single by UK doom metal act My Dying Bride. The single was released through Nuclear Blast Records in February 2020. It´s the third song on the tracklist on My Dying Bride´s 14th full-length studio album "The Ghost of Orion" from March 2020 and the second single released in advance of the album´s release as the "Your Broken Shore" single was already released in January 2020. A promotional lyric video was made for "Tired Of Tears".

My Dying Bride have been laying low since the release of "Feel the Misery (2015)" (at least for their usually busy standards), but there is a natural explanation for the band downtime, as lead vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe experienced the worst that can happen to a parent, as his young daughter was diagnosed with cancer, and he therefore pulled the plug to spend time with his family. Stainthorpe´s daughter was fortunately cured and he was able to concentrate on his music career again.

Stylistically "Tired Of Tears" is a classic My Dying Bride track with heavy doom metal riffs, atmospheric sections, guitar harmonies and counterpoint melodies, a soaring melancholic violin melody, and Stainthorpe´s dark and poetic vocals on top (only clean vocals on this song). On this particular track the lyrics are probably the most personal and painful Stainthorpe has ever written and performed (...and this is a man who has made a career out of writing and performing some of the most melancholic vocals and lyrics on the scene), as they evolve around his daughter´s illness and his own despair and fears. The lyrics are truly moving/infinitely sad and anyone who is a parent should be able to relate to the feelings of helplessness and despair Stainthorpe conveys on this track. His realization of his own mortality facing the possible death of his daughter (a parent´s worst nightmare) and his plea to death not to lay a hand on his daughter (during the chorus) are probably some of the most powerful lyrics I have ever read (and proff that context is everything...).

"Tired Of Tears" is bound to be a My Dying Bride classic because of the intensity and honesty of the lyrics, but it´s also a very well written track. It´s heavy, melodic, atmospheric, and also quite catchy considering the genre. Featuring a powerful and detailed sound production it´s a high quality track through and through and a 4.5 star (90%) rating is deserved.

(Review originally posted on Metal Music Archives)