New details revealed about My Dying Bride’s recent lineup changes

The band’s decision to bring in vocalist Mikko Kotamäki (Swallow The Sun) to front My Dying Bride for its 2025 live appearances following an apparent argument with founding singer Aaron Stainthorpe was discussed by guitarist Andrew Craighan of My Dying Bride in a recent interview with Metalirium. Craighan was questioned about how the partnership with Mikko developed.

Despite all the problems, the band was willing and ready to perform the remaining shows in 2024, but, unfortunately, there was no willing singer. The band only discovered this at the very last minute, which led to the cancelation. Given that the album had just been released, the band was not prepared to be sidelined. As a result, a meeting was organized to discuss the possibility of a replacement. Mikko was the unanimous first choice.

This is the situation at the moment between the band and Stainthorpe.

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’s, 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.

With the band, Kotamäki has already performed three times in Europe: at the Dark River festival in Finland, the Rockmaraton Fesztivál in Hungary, and the Pit of Metal in Slovakia.