My Dying Bride Officially Part Ways with Vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe
We can’t act like we didn’t see this coming. If you’ve been up on My Dying Bride news, then you’re likely already aware that their founding vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe has basically been ghosting the band since last year. The English doom legends have been forced to work around him since, but now, they won’t have to worry about all that at all. Stainthorpe and My Dying Bride are no longer wed.
My Dying Bride released the following statement earlier today (Thursday, October 9):
“My Dying Bride have decided to part ways with vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe.
“Please understand that this decision does not come lightly, hence our initial and painful silence while we gathered our thoughts and carefully considered our response to the disengaged, eerily abandoned state we suddenly found ourselves in.
“Our collective decision to move forward without him is not something we thought we would ever be forced to say, but to ensure a continued legacy for what we hold dear to our hearts, we simply have to move past this. Whilst change can be difficult, we are doing our best to bring this new chapter forward with powerful positivity.
“My Dying Bride are not on hiatus, we were never on hiatus. However, we do genuinely wish Aaron all the luck in the world in his new solo endeavours.”
No one, not even the band themselves, actually understand why Stainthorpe has so publicly yet secretively ducked away from the band he’s been a part of since 1990. According to MDB guitarist Andrew Craighan, their former frontman has been dodging their calls and attempts to reconnect, only speaking of the band in social media posts or in interviews. That forced the band to hire on singer Mikko Kotamäki of Swallow the Sun for all of the live appearances they’ve had this year.
Craighan said:
“As Aaron has, in truth, distanced himself from the band, we are only aware of his activities through social media and online interviews. The band contacted him in March 2025 to enquire about his intentions with My Dying Bride, but he has not responded. We first learned through social media that he was on a hiatus from MDB. Although he states online that he is still part of the band, he has not engaged with us since April 2024. So, in response to your question, the band does not know what his plans with MDB are.”
It has yet to be revealed if Kotamäki will stay on permanently.
