Bride

    Bride

    Louisville, Kentucky25 reviews across 20 releases

    alternative metalclassic rockfunk metalhard rock
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    Formed in Louisville in 1983 as Matrix by brothers Dale and Troy Thompson, Bride moved into Christian metal after signing with Pure Metal Records in 1986. Show No Mercy presented a Sabbath- and Dio-like attack, built from loud guitars, forceful rhythm playing and Dale's high, abrasive vocals. The band sharpened that approach on Live to Die, adding faster passages and more pronounced mood changes, before Silence Is Madness brought blues, organ and Southern-rock touches into the metal framework. By Kinetic Faith, Troy's wah-wah guitar and Dale's power vocals supported a harder-rock sound with psychedelic and blues elements. Bride kept widening its range: Drop brought in banjo and mandolin, while its songs could place the Los Angeles riots beside a ballad about grief.

    After the Pure Metal period, bassist Frank Partipilo and drummer Stephan Rolland left, and Rick Foley and Jerry McBroom joined the Thompson brothers. More changes followed, but the band continued touring Europe and South America while moving between Star Song, Rugged, Organic and smaller independent arrangements. In 2001, Fist Full of Bees shifted toward rap metal, a move that drew weaker responses than the earlier records; This is It returned to a more conventional metal sound in 2003. Former members Steve Osborne and Jerry McBroom reunited with the brothers for 2009 recordings, but Osborne died in 2011. Dale Thompson announced Bride's end in December 2013. The band later resumed activity, issuing new albums after 2018 and a self-released double album in 2025.

    20 releases reviewed