Aaron Stainthorpe is thought for portray bleak, devastating emotional landscapes because the voice of My Dying Bride. However with the emergence of Excessive Parasite, a brand new undertaking that fuses steel with gothic rock and darkish synth-pop, the veteran frontman has discovered a renewed sense of vitality and one thing nearer to happiness.
In a current look on the Brutally Scrumptious podcast, Stainthorpe defined how the thought for Excessive Parasite didn’t emerge in a dramatic cut up from his long-running band, however as a substitute got here to be as a gradual transformation.
“It kind of advanced over months, I suppose. So I did not get up and abruptly go, ‘Proper, I am doing this now.’ It simply kind of advanced, and when one thing evolves at a slower tempo, you have received time to get used to it. It is not a giant shock, and also you begin to change into that different individual,” he defined (by way of Blabbermouth).
“I mentioned it earlier than, I will say it once more: I really feel 10 years youthful. And so it have to be good for my well being. And weirdly — I do not understand how this works — I am consuming higher and I am consuming much less and I am exercising extra. So no matter I’ve determined to change into or do is absolutely helpful on so many alternative ranges.”
Perpetually We Burn, the band’s debut album launched final September by way of Candlelight/Spinefarm and produced by Gregor Waterproof coat of Paradise Misplaced, has already began attracting consideration, each from longtime followers of My Dying Bride and new listeners. The assist from the previous has been each encouraging and stunning.
“We at all times see My Dying Bride shirts on the gigs, and folks come over and I am signing My Dying Bride merch on a regular basis. That can by no means cease, which is nice. And lots of them have come alongside for the experience. It will not be all people’s cup of tea, and that is positive. Nobody band is everybody’s cup of tea. A few of them completely like it, and so they’ve purchased the whole lot, which is completely incredible. So, yeah, the MDB followers are coming alongside for the experience and for probably the most half loving it.”
Musically, Excessive Parasite gives a special vitality, however not a completely international one: “My Dying Bride did dying steel and doom. A few of the dying steel stuff was fairly fast. It wasn’t all doom. So, we knew how one can nod our heads fairly quickly again within the outdated days. And this is a little more of that. The songs are clearly a lot, a lot shorter. They’re tremendous catchy.”
The brand new format has launched a novel problem for Stainthorpe: what to do with himself when he’s not singing.
“I mentioned I really feel 10 years youthful as a result of the vitality that the music brings and the vitality that the youthful members of Excessive Parasite give off, it simply makes me really feel nice. So on stage, I am really having enjoyable. With My Dying Bride, I by no means had – I would not name it ‘enjoyable’ on stage, as a result of the songs are actually emotional and so they’re tremendous heavy. It was draining mentally for me with My Dying Bride. With Excessive Parasite, for the primary time ever, I sit up for getting on stage, and I love being on stage with Excessive Parasite. And I’ve by no means felt that.”
“At this age in my life, you kind of suppose, nicely, you have finished this factor for a protracted, very long time, and that is all you are gonna do… After which abruptly one thing else comes alongside, and it flips the coin fully. And as I say, I really feel 10 years youthful, I am filled with vitality and I can not watch for the following gig,” he added.
The transition has not solely introduced musical satisfaction but in addition opened up inventive doorways that Stainthorpe hadn’t explored earlier than.
“As a result of I’ve by no means reinvented myself earlier than, it is all very, very new. It is all tremendous new to me. I do not know what I am doing half the time, but it surely simply feels good. I’ve received a brand new lease of vitality, and I am doing issues I’ve not finished earlier than. Which is sweet at this stage of my life, to be doing model new issues. It is nice. And I’ve began studying my poetry at gigs as nicely now.”
“In January this yr, I did a present in a church in Belgium with Darkher and Sylvaine. It was good. And I am engaged on a number of extra of those kinds of occasions. One thing’s arising in October, I consider, the place I will be performing once more with Darkher and the Lifeless House Chamber Music group, performing some poetry and a few variations of My Dying Bride songs that individuals would’ve heard earlier than. So, once more, issues I’ve by no means finished earlier than. [And I’m] actually having fun with [it].”
That poetry is deeply intertwined with the lyrical world he’s identified for, and for Stainthorpe, it serves as a brand new vessel for a similar feelings.
“I nonetheless like writing the actually heavy lyrics as a result of that is actually the place my coronary heart is — the deep, significant stuff. And whereas in the mean time that is not lyrics for My Dying Bride, it is poems which I can carry out reside. So I am nonetheless venting my feelings, however as a substitute of singing them with My Dying Bride, I am talking them to people who find themselves bewildered generally, however for probably the most half, having fun with it. As a result of lots of my poetry may be very very like My Dying Bride lyrics. It comes from the identical coronary heart, similar soul. So, when you like My Dying Bride lyrics, you are just about gonna just like the poetry.”
As My Dying Bride prepares for reside exhibits in 2025 with Swallow The Solar frontman Mikko Kotamäki taking up vocal duties, Stainthorpe appears to have discovered peace with a twin identification, one rooted in legacy and one other boldly moving into unfamiliar terrain.
