In a groundbreaking announcement, My Dying Bride has revealed they will perform live for the first time without their iconic frontman, Aaron Stainthorpe. This marks a significant shift for the band, known for their profound influence in the Doom Metal scene. Despite the recent release of their new album, A Mortal Binding, earlier this year, the band had entered a hiatus due to internal conflicts. Tensions arose between Stainthorpe and guitarist Andrew Craighan, the last two founding members, leading to this pivotal moment as they seek a new direction.

The metal legends have excitingly announced that Mikko Kotamäki, the vocalist of Swallow the Sun, will be stepping in as the lead singer for their live performances scheduled in 2025. This collaboration will undoubtedly bring a fresh dynamic to their iconic sound as they navigate this new chapter in their career.

The first performance featuring the talented 39-year-old Kotamäki will take place at the Rockmaraton Festival in Hungary, set for the first week of July. Fans are eagerly anticipating this event as it represents a new era for the band and a chance to experience their music in a live setting once again.

Read the full statement from the band below.

My Dying Bride are ecstatic to announce their much-anticipated return to the stage in 2025!

After a brief hiatus, live performances are set to resume, featuring a remarkable special guest on vocals:

MIKKO KOTAMÄKI from @swallowthesunofficial

We extend a warm welcome to Mikko, who has graciously joined the MDB live lineup, allowing us to bring both new and classic tracks back to the stage.

With this year’s monumental album A Mortal Binding firmly establishing itself as a doom metal success, the band is eager to promote it live, alongside their timeless classics.

We’re excited to announce our first show with more dates to follow:

@rockmaraton Fesztivál 03-05.07.25 – HU, Dunaújváros

Stay tuned for further updates—and let’s give a hearty welcome to Mikko!

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Understanding the Reasons Behind My Dying Bride’s Hiatus

Earlier this year, My Dying Bride made the difficult decision to cancel all scheduled shows for 2024, a move that coincided with the release of their latest album. This decision was not made lightly, as it came at a critical time for the band. Aaron Stainthorpe, who also debuted his new project High Parasite with the album Forever We Burn, later revealed that internal struggles within the band had led to a standstill.

In a candid interview with Devolution magazine in September, Stainthorpe shared insights into the challenges faced by the band, stating that they had been “working tirelessly” without a manager. Both he and Craighan had been balancing these responsibilities on their own, which inevitably led to tensions.

“It’s like a long marriage between me and Andy; we’ve argued over every detail—artwork, lyrics, you name it,” the vocalist reflected. He noted that their disagreements had reached a point where they needed to step back to avoid a significant conflict. “We agreed it was best to take a break before we had a major fallout, even if it was a tough time to do so with the album launch,” Stainthorpe explained.

During this hiatus, Stainthorpe has expressed his desire to perform live more frequently, intending to do so with High Parasite. Meanwhile, Kotamäki will also be quite active, balancing his role with My Dying Bride and continuing his work with Swallow the Sun, who released their new album, Shining, this year.