«Turn Loose the Swans» is My Dying Bride’s second album, released on 11 October 1993 by Peaceville. It was recorded in June and July 1993, produced by the band with Robert «Mags» Magoolagan.
“`Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Doom Metal
For fans of: Paradise Lost, Anathema, Katatonia
The record marked a big shift from the debut: Martin Powell’s violin moved properly into the sound, while Aaron Stainthorpe split the vocals between death growls, narration and clean singing.
It is slower and longer than its predecessor. The title track runs to ten minutes, «The Crown of Sympathy» to twelve.
«Sear Me MCMXCIII», «Your River» and «The Snow in My Hand» stand out. The first and the last track, «Sear Me MCMXCIII» and «Black God», have no guitars, bass or drums at all.
The lyrics are more direct than on the debut and touch on subjects such as opposition to religion and mournful longing. «Black God» borrows its words from the last eight lines of a poem by the Scottish poet William Hamilton.
Stainthorpe and guitarist Andrew Craighan designed the cover. A video was shot for «The Songless Bird», and «Sear Me MCMXCIII» is the second part of a trilogy of songs sharing the same title.
In 2003 the album was reissued with extra tracks, among them an instrumental left over from the «The Thrash of Naked Limbs» EP and a remix of album material. Live versions of its songs appear on «For Darkest Eyes» and «The Voice of the Wretched».
It is regarded as central to the shaping of death-doom and points forward to the gothic elements that dominated the band’s later records. In 2011 it received a gold award from the Independent Music Companies Association for sales above 75,000 copies in Europe.
See also: Katatonia’s «Dance of December Souls», Candlemass’ «Epicus Doomicus Metallicus» and Trouble’s «Run to the Light» map the same stretch of doom.
