"To Remain Tombless" and "My Hope, the Destroyer" ensure the setlist starts focused on MDB's present, with the strong introduction of death growls on the latter proving a high point. _Like Gods of the Sun_ then gets an unexpected degree of attention, with "For You" and the title track being aired either side of the more recent "The Blue Lotus". Another new track, "Catherine Blake", paves the way for the classic "The Cry of Mankind", from _The Angel and the Dark River_, which is sadly ruined by the poor keyboard work. The band continues to hop back and forth in time, with "The Whore, the Cook and the Mother" followed by "Thy Raven Wings" and then another classic in the shape of always awe-inspiring "The Snow in My Hand" from _Turn Loose the Swans_. The pace quickens with "She Is the Dark", which is followed by the longest song in the shape of "The Dreadful Hours". The CD ends here, while the DVD closes with a rendition of the energetic crowd pleaser "The Forever People" [Probably nothing to do with the awesome '70s Kirby comic of the same name, but we'll check anyway and get back to you - proofreader PS] from their debut _As the Flower Withers_.

The assured performance of vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe is easily the best thing about _An Ode to Woe_, which is otherwise rather bland. The track list is inferior to _The Voice of the Wretched_, as is the sound quality and overall performance. The DVD side helps a little thanks to the added atomsphere of the venue, and this is still a decent live record, but certainly not MDB at their best.