Before this album was released I read scary things about My Dying Bride experimenting with their sound. Needless to say, I was a bit worried. My worry was all wasted energy. MDB have brought the menace back into their compositions with "A Line of Deathless Kings." After the Gothic beauty and despair of their last album, "Songs of Darkness, Words of Light", which was virtually devoid of Death Metal leanings, their new release brings back the aggression, mixing it with Doom and Gothic Metal....and what a difference it has made. I did enjoy their last album, don't get me wrong, but without the aggressive attitude it didn't demand to be heard. But here the riffs are raw as open wounds and there are definitely more hooks to be had and savored. I found myself playing air guitar on more than just a few songs. The only track that doesn't quite work for me is "Deeper Down" which has the cleaner vocals mixed with Death/Doom riffing. It would have worked much better with the snarling or growling vocals, the cleaner vocals are better suited to the epic Doom sections that mesmerize through lengthy repetition of mood and atmosphere. The lyrics are as depressing and dark as ever with some even reading as poetry. "The Blood, The Wine, The Roses" is an excellent example of this where the words convey a diabolical story of seduction and eventual damnation; an explosion of Death Metal ends this song as the protagonist becomes one of the damned obsessed with bloody revenge. Sweet! It should be mentioned that this album works best as a whole, so time should be set aside to listen to it in its entirety for the full effect to be absorbed. So turn off the lights and let these legendary masters of Doom embrace you with dark, leathery wings. Thank you.

A grand kaleidoscope of poisonous doom. I first heard My Dying Bride when Turn Loose the Swans was released on cassette tape. Man I am old! Ever since the Turn Loose the Swans album, I have heard many triumphs and many failures. Then came A Line of Deathless Kings. Legendary through and through. Each song on this album has been well thought out, and not a one is a filler. They bring back a little feel of the old days, and mix in some new bride stile as well. In my opinion, it is Bride's strongest release since Turn Loose The Swans. Grab it up and enjoy.

I've followed this band since 'Turn loose the Swans', and it's been an up-and-down ride. The last two albums, 'dreadful hours' and 'songs of darkness...' did not 'click' with me. While they weren't drastically different stylistically, the songwriting seemed uninspired, leaving the tracks with no hooks to hold my attention. I'm glad to say that 'a line of deathless kings' doesn't suffer from that problem. The songs on the first half do an especially good job of holding my attention and being easily distinguishable from one another. And while MDB always has a tendency to fall back into their death metal formula, such occurences are few on this disc. Some fans may be disappointed in the lack of death growls and churning beats, but personally I'm happy to see the band minimize their useage of the death metal tricks, as I consider it to be a weak pointof their older material. Anyways, fans of the band should be at least content with this album; it may not become your favorite MDB album, but it's certainly comparable to much of the bands atalog, and their best since 'light at the end of the world' IMO

I must say this is the first MDB album ive heard. Now ive gotten most of there other albums, but this is one Doomy, Heavy, Beautiful piece of music. Highly recomended for anyone who likes heavy melodic music.

This album may not be as heavy, but it still has it's charm.

It is one of the best since Song's of Darkness, Words of Light.

Still, many will agree Turn Loose the Swans is the best.

A Line of Deathless Kings is by far the beat album of the year by far.