CoC : My Dying Bride - Meisterwerk I : Review

My Dying Bride - _Meisterwerk I_
(Peaceville, 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10)

Part one of the My Dying Bride anthology is more of a collector's album than one that lives up to its title. I could certainly think of some far more appropriate tracks for MDB's "masterpieces" than the three demo tracks that make up about one third of the record, for example, but then again that's probably what makes this record most valuable for collectors (together with the big digipak). The compilation starts with the classic "The Crown of Sympathy" from _Turn Loose the Swans_ sandwiched between opener "Symphonaire Infernus et Spera Empyrium" (the rather inferior demo version of this song having been used instead of the MCD one) and demo track "The Grief of Age". _Meisterwerk I_ then takes the listener on a trip to _Like Gods of the Sun_ land with "A Kiss to Remember", followed by a good but rather long remix of "Grace Unhearing" and then "For You" all in a row. The rare demo track "Unreleased Bitterness" follows, and "Sear Me III" from the band's latest, _The Light at the End of the World_, wraps up the disc. I can hardly agree that this is a very significant part of MDB's best material, but on the other hand there are plenty of rare tracks to be found, plus the video clip for "The Cry of Mankind" from _The Angel and the Dark River_. Perhaps this compilation would have been better if it contained less tracks from _Like Gods of the Sun_, but it may be worth the investment for the rare material (not that its sound quality is great, though). I would now expect a more thoroughly enjoyable and less collector-oriented compilation for part two.

(article published 10/1/2001)

CHATS
7/3/2002	P Azevedo	My Dying Bride: Thus Spake the Wretched
1/14/2002	A Bromley	My Dying Bride: The Hand of Doom
12/9/1999	P Azevedo	My Dying Bride: The Bride Returns to the Bleak Rainy Moors
11/19/1998	P Azevedo	My Dying Bride: The Bride No Longer Wears Black
4/9/1997	A Bromley	My Dying Bride: Behold the Bride
3/14/1996	A Bromley	My Dying Bride: Dying With Pride

ALBUMS
11/27/2012	P Azevedo	8.5	My Dying Bride - A Map of All Our Failures
6/15/2009	K Sarampalis	6.5	My Dying Bride - For Lies I Sire
7/13/2008	P Azevedo	7	My Dying Bride - An Ode to Woe
10/23/2006	P Azevedo	7.5	My Dying Bride - A Line of Deathless Kings
9/26/2006	P Azevedo	7.5	My Dying Bride - Deeper Down EP
12/17/2005	Q Kalis		My Dying Bride - Anti-Diluvian Chronicles
10/10/2005	P Azevedo	9	My Dying Bride - Sinamorata DVD
3/23/2004	P Azevedo	9	My Dying Bride - Songs of Darkness, Words of Light
7/3/2002	P Azevedo	9.5 / 9	My Dying Bride - For Darkest Eyes DVD Anathema - A Vision of a Dying Embrace DVD
7/3/2002	P Azevedo	10	My Dying Bride - The Voice of the Wretched
10/19/2001	P Azevedo	9	My Dying Bride - The Dreadful Hours
8/12/2001	P Azevedo	8.5	My Dying Bride - Meisterwerk II
12/9/1999	P Azevedo	9	My Dying Bride - The Light at the End of the World
11/19/1998	P Azevedo	7	My Dying Bride - 34.788%... Complete
2/4/1997	P Azevedo	10	My Dying Bride - Like Gods of the Sun
3/14/1996	A Bromley	8	My Dying Bride - The Angel and the Dark River

GIGS
7/3/2002	P Azevedo	My Dying Bride / Mysterium	Catharsis in Doom
3/13/2001	V Anderson	My Dying Bride / Katatonia / Soundisciples / Beyond Dawn / Thine	The Snow in Their Hearts