Cradle Of Filth "Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness Of Decay" (2017)

The twelfth chapter of Cradle's legacy has been unleashed with another upturn in form that feels almost bizarre for Danni Filth's band who for the first time in their twenty six years release consecutive records with the same lineup of musicians. Hammer Of The Witches received a lavish amount of praise that I was equally impressed with, yet surprised to hear them turn it around after decades of patchy releases since their best output back in 1996. With Cryptoriana I again find myself taken back by how little there is to fault here, the real disappointment is in the familiarity of their sound, after fifteen years as a fan their isn't much of a surprise or freshness left.

Cradle don't venture much beyond their comfort zone, the guitars usher in the occasional thump of groove or tinges of Post-Metal in shredded tremolos but otherwise they stick to their guns. Eight tracks of solid songs around seven minutes play like back to back mini epics, well constructed songs with plenty of twists and turns, returning melodies and theatrics that end in satisfying conclusions. This lineups chemistry pulls together the best of their musical ideas, flushing out the mediocrity and settling for nothing less... for the most part, it has to be said the last two songs do drag a little in comparison.

They might be executing the same ideas heard plenty times over in their old records but the quality is undeniable, tight performances executed on a crisp production sounds gorgeous. It may be aesthetically pleasing but its true charm is in the inspiration. Genuine and passionate, the gleam of romanticized gothic melodies weave these songs together between there wanderings into the darkly shadows that manifest in metallic mania. Theatrical, vivid and bold each so is an adventure waiting to be known! Everyone gives a fantastic performance and the result is arguably their best in nearly two decades! I do however hope in the next release they could experiment a little! Cradle's defining sound has barely evolved a fraction over the years.

Favorite Tracks: Achingly Beautiful, Wester Vespertine, The Seductiveness Of Decay

Rating: 7/10

The Gathering "Always.." (1992)

"Always..." may not be so, against the grain of our half life this record will be one of the first to fade from memory. Its no classic, far from it, nor the sort of record you'll hear anyone talking of again. For me? Its a personal gem, a diamond for my eyes only, an album to adore every second of. Its the Dutch bands debut record released two years before their landmark "Mandylion". At this time they had a different vocalist, Bart Sims, who growls and groans in a very typically tonal, textured and slow guttural Doom Metal way. At their inception the band were very much in this category however they stand apart from other Doom acts with a layer of synth that's inspired, melodic but always a touch cheesy with its cheap and rigid tones. Mostly though, they charm and bring a mysterious atmosphere, vibrancy and a nostalgic character to the record.

The records production is dingy, dusty and moody. Its got just the right amount of meat and punch to have an impact as the instruments get themselves across with volume in a rather low fidelity affair, much of this is thanks to the synths which fill the spaces the low, brooding distortion guitars leave in their wake. The drums have volume that comes with a bit of clatter, the snare and bass kick punch through but the cymbals are a little dizzy, the toms thin and weak, sounding pale in comparison. Bart's vocals are dominant, strong, ample. Alongside him Marike Groot puts in a stunning performance as an effeminate compliment, often singing notes to chime with the synths but then whisked into the spot light to show her sublime range that soars with a wild streak.

The true champion here is songwriting, the aesthetics are an acquired taste one could get used too but so frequently does the magic come from the progressive shifts in song direction. The mood and tone is set, the song is in its cycle and a few instruments break away from the mold to then unleash a transition and the atmosphere is transformed, we are elevated to a new plateau. These songs also drop back into their routine brilliantly. Not a note of this record feels out of place or any musical avenue forced, its a sombre, Gothic melancholy without the romanticism. Some of its best moments come as more instruments get involved. The bass is very active with a bustling tone and attitude that has it scaling the fret board to accent the guitars and cue musical shifts. In these shifts and breakaways short lead guitars or solos often drop in with a knack for being within the moment and climaxing with licks that drop right into the chemistry, not taking a spotlight but sounding akin to all that's going on around them, flowing like a river with the music.

I know this record like the back of my hand, I discovered it at a time when I was getting into the next wave of brutal music, so it never seemed all that heavy to me. Now its become apparent that the dense meaty guitars, Bart's slugging growls and the crunching drums were probably rather dark for the time however the melodic synths and appropriated use of reverberated acoustics play that down. As well as drawn out, doomish power chords the guitars have moments of heavy, head banging chugging with a touch of Groove which was growing prominent at the time.

If the record has a weak spot, perhaps the interlude track "Always..." is a touch weak in comparison, the soft synths and synthetic toms over crashing waves feels a little thin without the full band. My favorite song "In Sickness And Health" gets a nod for pitting a somewhat Death Metal riff against  a swirly synthesizer effect that sweep phases back and forth for a truly magical, astral moment. Its been a year or two since I last enjoyed this personal favorite and I'm happy to share this with anyone who cares, however Id totally understand if someone didn't see eye to eye with me on this old gloomy record.

Favorite Songs: In Sickness And Health, King For A Day, Second Sunrise, Steongarden

Rating: 10/10

Old Corpse Road "Of Campfires And Evening Mists" (2016)

If ever Ive heard a band that captures the spirit of early Cradle Of Filth it is Old Corpse Road, who I discovered during Bloodstock festival back in 2014. Hailing from northern England, they invigorate that early extreme gothic sound once erroneously coined "British Black Metal" when Cradle were still wearing corpse paint and drawing links with the Norwegian scene. It is a rather formulaic similarity where shrill, piercing screams accompany guttural growls and burly spoken word over the extreme metallic music, aggressive, visual and drenched in symphonic keyboards. As the title suggests its a romanticized vision of British folklore and natural beauty expressed through the the typical tropes of such a sound, however the band execute it all with a touch of class a richer approach to the less Metal oriented moments.

With four ten minute plus epics the eight track record is quite a meal, clocking in at sixty four minutes it rarely lets up with a dull moment to pass. The songs are equally expansive and across the record a lot of variety is to be found, sometimes the guitars lead with groove and aggression, in other moments they let up for the synths to build atmosphere and furthermore drop out entirely for many symphonic or acoustic passageways enriching the musics scope. With all of the members pitching in on the vocal front a barrage of styles become possible as the ever progressing instrumentals are narrated by many voices. For all the variety on hand, these songs have structure and direction, they cohesively unfold, often from driving guitar riffs and gnarly blast beats into expansive atmospheres and soaring moments that certainly deliver.

All of the songs are dense and well fleshed out with a lot going on at once for your ears to pick through. The production is reasonable, the instruments have nice tones, the synths are stark and loud and at time it feels a little muddy with so much going on but it holds together well for the music to shine and shine it does. Each song has its own merit and one of my favorite aspects are the folklore and mythological themes that resonate superbly alongside the gothic vibes. Solid record that I can't falter, excellent for the right, specific mood, best enjoyed in the winds of cold English nights.

Favorite Track: Herne Of Windsor Forest

Rating: 7/10

Cradle Of Filth "Dusk... And Her Embrace - The Original Sin" (2016)

What a surprise it was to see this release in my inbox. The original sin? When I saw the name I wondered, remix? remaster? This is actually a remastered release of the recordings made when the band where on the Cacophonous Records label. To my knowledge they recorded the album "Goetia" which had its master tapes erased due to the record label going bankrupt. It turns out they also recorded "Dusk... And Her Embrace" with the same band lineup as "The Principal Of Evil Made Flesh" and subsequently released "V Empire" instead to get out of that record contract. So now over twenty years later we get to hear what the bands magnum opus would of sounded like in 1995, unfortunately though this is remastered. It would of been far more interesting to hear it in its original state.

Musically almost everything is the same, the track listing includes "Nocturnal Supremacy", an alternative symphonic intro track, a few songs shuffled in the play order and "The Graveyard By Moonlight" is entirely different. A couple of song names are slightly different too and for the most part its the same beast, a lot rawer, rough around the edges but its biggest difference is in the synths, their tone and presence clearly indicate a different keyboard was used and for the most part they achieve the same atmosphere, however the tones are far less appealing and a little plastic and cheap in the mix. The overall chemistry in terms of production is nowhere near the 96 versions consistency in tone. That record gets all the subtleties right, where as here some instruments stick out like sore thumbs against others and in occasional moments the record fills a little thinned out when the keys are on their lonesome. On the flip side it has louder drums and a rocking bass guitar upfront in the mix, something the 96 release didn't have.

Lyrically and musically too there are quite a few moments to pick out that are slightly different, either with words, delivery or riffs. All of these seem better of changed however the bias of knowing its counterpart inside out highlights the subjective nature of music, these are still the same songs. Dani's vocals are between the two record as heard previously, still developing the trademark shrill scream and his growls still meatier and blunt. There are some additional guitar solo's that crop up too, sounding thrown in as an after thought, both musically and in terms of production, they feel stitched on to the songs and the ones that were dropped were rightly so, in this state they were quite lackluster. There's also a couple of "cringy" wolves howling samples thrown in too which were better left out.

Musing over all the differences it should also be said that sometimes the guitars sounded identical to the original and a lot of the gothic vocals, female and guest also didn't feel different in the slightest. Overall I think the fate which at the time may have felt cruel for the band, led them in the right direction. "The Original Sin" shows the bands best sound emerging from its embryonic state. It had found its inspiration in a gothic theme but had yet polished out the sound with the keyboards and in retrospect gained a lot from this polished and refined sound the band eventually came out with.

Rating: 5/10

Cradle Of Filth "Hammer Of The Witches" (2015)

Its been hailed as the "return of cradle". A fan pleaser, well received by critics and the bands 11th full length in a string of records releasing every two years on average. For some, myself included, the band lost their way back at the turn of the millennium with 2000s "Midian" which made a significant shift in sound. I haven't kept up with the band over the last decade and so this slipped into my playlist with ease, for the most part it resembles the traditional Cradle style I'm very fond of. With another major lineup change Dani has found the chemistry to spark the glory days. Two new guitarists, a change on keyboards and female vocals, and only another two who were present no further than the last record "Midnight In The Labyrinth".

"Hammer Of The Witches" best tracks would sound right at home in a set-list alongside Cradle's hallmark songs. The rest fall a touch further from the tree. Although writing some fantastic songs, the vast majority of it comes from the same principles, techniques and songwriting that worked so well on "V Empire" & "Dusk... And Her Embrace". It lingers in a balance between inspiration and calculation where sometimes the melodies persuasion is engulfing and other times the reminiscent becomes a reminder of what song or riff its akin too. The lead guitarist brings unfamiliar electric guitar solos into the earlier parts of the record, lacking in cohesion they dictate shifts and climaxes in the song while simultaneously feeling out of place in Cradle's dark and gothic sound. For the most part they nail the style and vibe but on this instance gave it an unnecessary weak point. In front of the lush orchestrated Extreme Metal is Dani's voice who's age can be heard. Its far from a concern but the signs are there. The lower guttural ranges coming across slightly gruff and lose. His shrill high pitched scream still powerful but shy on its intensity. He holds it together for the whole record well with the usual styles and same timing on delivery. It makes me wonder how much longer he can keep at it.

Not much unexpected happens across the course of the record, a decent collection of songs to entertain, what is most surprising is how inspired a handful of them feel. With more consistency at that peak this could of been quite a special record, however it is not. Production wise its squeaky clean, well balanced with just enough noise in there to keep a vibrancy going. Guitars are very crisp and clear, allowing them to master a range of riff styles audibly. Strings and keyboards use lush high end tones that gracefully fit in and only the drums pedals sound a little clinical and sterile at high speeds. Its another brick in the wall for Cradle's catalog and I am left feeling they should of taken more time to pursue the magic they sparked on a couple of tracks.

Favorite Songs: Deflowering The Maidenhead Displeasuring The Goddess, Blackest Magick In Practice

Rating: 7/10

Cradle Of Filth "The Principal Of Evil Made Flesh" (1994)

Going back to their debut, Extreme Metal band Cradle Of Filth's distinct style arrives in an embryonic and unrefined form. I am guilty of never giving this one much time back in my youth when I was a big fan and going to it now their isn't a lot that's unfamiliar. Many of the songs have been re-recorded, re-written and adapted for use in future releases, always to sound superior. Something to keep in mind is this isn't the band's planned debut and whatever was on 93's Goetia this is a big shift in sound from the "Total Fucking Darkness" demo of the same year, where the group first distanced themselves from their Death Metal roots.

A lot of the musics spirit finds itself slightly buried in the poor production quality and although the ears adapt it doesn't have the same immersion a rich production would bring. The guitars, drums and bass are all in the typical cradle style but it is Dani and the keyboards that are noticeably a step behind. There are moments throughout where the power of the keys and there sounds lack the oomph and direction to be fully involved. Often sounding like an underwhelming accessory it is remarkable to hear how much the choice of instrument tone can impact its roll in the song. On this record though the keys are stiff and rigid, the quality is low and it shows. At regular intervals a short two minute keyboard instrumental pops up, throwing off the momentum and energy of the main songs and on one track a one second loop of flowing water plays under glistening, sparkly noises that get repetitive so quickly. It has charm but exposes the lack of budget a record of this ambition needs.

Secondly Dani hasn't quite found his voice, the surreal shrill scream makes its debut in a raw and powerful form but the regular guttural and throaty screams are a touch raspy, thin and tame in comparison. Its the problem with retrospect, you know whats to come and at the time this was probably a very exciting record to get your hands on, a new and wild sound emerging from the aftermath of Norwegian Black Metal and one of the first to embrace the possibilities of at least prototype Symphonies in Metal music.

The track "A Dream Of Wolves In The Snow" gives a sense of a rushed writing process, a short two minute piece with an epic intro that seems to quickly fizzle out on itself. It is without the epic riff that sparks the madness which it would become when re-written as "Queen Of Winter, Throned". Its a heavily flawed debut which still manages to showcase their creativity and vision. The production.. lackluster, wobbly with volume inconsistencies and an awful, sloppy sounding double pedal capture. Flawed, far from perfect it still made for a fun listen. Not one to start with if you are new to this band.

Rating: 6/10

Cradle Of Filth "V Empire" (1996)

"V Empire", or "Dark Faerytales In Phallustein" was once to me a somewhat mysterious release from the English Extreme Metal band. A record with two names, sometimes listed as an EP and released instead of a "lost" record. Luckily now the Internet is a wealth of knowledge and the story is clear. Before their debut, which I am actually not familiar with, they recorded a full length known as "Goetia" in 93. Unfortunately the record label couldn't pay the studio bills and the recordings were wiped. Hastily signing with Cacophonous Records the group got a bad deal which led them to quickly write and record "V Empire" before jumping ship to Music for Nations. Recorded in 95 and released earlier in the year to their magnum opus "Dusk... And Her Embrace", it has only six tracks, but with a couple of lengthy tracks makes for an album experience.

Despite its rushed production Vempire, as its often referred to, has some of the bands finest moments, the opening three tracks a staple mark of any live show. Its a rawer experience with a lack of polish that translates into a wild energy that becomes refined and focused on its follow up. Its very much in the same moment, however Dani's unique and shrill howls are at their peak with a blinding intensity and haunting magnitude. Alongside them his deep, bellowing gothic spoken words, drenched in reverb fuel the fantasy worlds these songs take us too. In some of his most intense moments he sounds like Varg Vikerness and his animistic barks of agony. The rawer attitude of this record gives the extreme angle of their sound more freedom and the result is a faster, aggressive beast. The melodies and riffs create a vivid atmosphere and make for their most memorable material, especially the ten minute epic "Queen Of Winter, Throned", full of dramatic intensity, mood shifts and lightning screams its topped off with an almost cheesy moment of vampiric masturbation leading into the songs climax and conclusion.

Having revisited this one Ive really got a fuller sense of where it lies in Cradle's history and subsequently has become a fascination and curiosity. What could this have been under different circumstances? It feels like Cradle rushed their most inspired moment. In the flurry of a dash to escape a contract they managed to find a brilliant balance in production of rawness and power that would never be the same again. If this was strengthened by a few more decent tracks it could of easily been their ten out of ten. Fantastic record!

Favorite Songs: Ebony Dressed For Sunset, The Forest Whispers My Name, Queen Of Winter, Throned
Rating: 9/10

Cradle Of Filth "Dusk... And Her Embrace" (1996)

Cradle Of Filth, a band that polarizes opinions and attracts hate within the Metal community, are an English Gothic / Extreme Metal band led by front man Danni Filth who, over the years, has chopped and churned through many musicians and led the band into criticism for supposedly attempting to popularize the bands sound and image. Whatever your opinion is, there should be no denying that for a brief period in the 90s they put together some brilliant music that sounded unlike anything else. Dusk is the bands second, technically third due to a scrapped record, and undoubtedly their finest. One that any fan of Extreme Metal should check out.

Firstly Cradle are not to be confused with Black Metal, despite many similarities in evil themes, distortion guitars and shrill vocals, the musics core is drenched in romanticized gothic vampiric mysticism, dominating and guiding all aspects of their sound to create lavish fantasies of ancient blood soaked nostalgia. Their songs unfold through a series of repeated segments that move from one riff to the next with vision and variety, shifting between aggressive blast beats and slower doom tempos with all sorts of dark symphonic wonder in between. Evolving from start to end they mostly feel like journeys and stories.

One of the records defining qualities is the sense of lead and harmony that existence between the guitars and synths, feeding of one another and cultivating a shared vision. When they drop backwards with power chords the synths will step up with simple and inspired melodies. In turn the guitars do the same but with a style that reminds me fondly of Iron Maiden, fast commanding dual leads that have force, groove and a great sense of harmonized melody. With power chords and melodic leads the guitars can also turn to some metallic head banging grooves at times that work to great effect, amplifying the momentum of otherwise theme oriented music.

Cradle's trademark, Danni Filth's vocals, are at their finest here. His fierce, deadly, high pitched shrill screams turn many off, but for a fan his tone and delivery is spot on here and rightly so is used sparingly. More traditional screams and deep guttural spoken words reinforce the gothic theme and keep things ticking over until Danni will burst in with his surreal range. It reinforces the fantasy this record offers, sounding almost inhuman or beastly. Alongside him is Sarah Jezebel Deva's strong, evil, enchantress vocals playing on the romanticized themes. As well as having a stunning gothic voice she was one of the bands longest consistent members for fourteen years and has worked with a lot of other reputable Extreme Metal bands who often lean on the gothic tinge.

Dusk is spell bounding, vivid and dream like. Its atmospheres are haunting, chilling, ghostly and mysterious. Danni takes us on a ride through his twisted fantasies, the lyrics are poetical affairs with seductive temptresses of nocturnal persuasion. I can only sing this records praises. Further pondering on its strengths the albums production is very strong for 96. Its not pristine, the instruments are not perfectly crisp and without flaws but the balance between instruments is spot on and lets them find their chemistry for us to enjoy. Writing this I realize how fond of this record I am. Ive also heard their latest record is "return to form". Something I would love to hear this band do again.

Rating: 9/10

Farmer Boys "Countrified" (1996)

Farmer Boys are a German Metal band from Stuttgart who are still technically together despite years of silence and no studio record since their forth in 2004. With little chart success or renounced acclaim it was quite fortunate to stumble across this small band that play a breed of Metal perfectly suited to my taste. Had I found this in my youth I'm sure I would of lapped it up. I can hear that energy, but these days it doesn't have quite the same effect one me. There's also an interesting "Depeche Mode" cover in there, with Anneke of "The Gathering". Which is how I found my way to this group.

Their sound was immediately identifiable. Big crunchy distortion guitars, angrily shouted vocals and subtle symphonic elements to break up the metal assault. Initially I heard tinges of Industrial with a "Die Krupps" feel to their style, especially in the dense, chunky guitar tone. That might be a regional thing but as I got to know these songs all the influences became apparent. Forces of Groove, Thrash and Nu Metal converge through the riffage with a Doom and Gothic tinge amplified through the acoustic moments and subtle strings that sit quietly under the guitars while choir aah's covertly grow and creep into the songs.

The album drives through a straight forward arrangement of songs that work through the motions, playing out aggressive riffs, broken up by mood shifts led by Matthias Sayer's gloomy, sorrowful clean vocals. As the album gets deeper some very obvious sounds surface with "Pantera" blunt force style riffs and grooves emulating "Machine Heads" classic pinch harmonic groove. For 96 its a great sounding record and the group sound relatively original in the Doom Metal moments of their songs but they do sound a little drawn between styles. Either way they define themselves and despite a very decipherable style, the album flows effortlessly and the songs are really enjoyable. As I said in the beginning, ten years ago me would of lapped this up.

 Favorite Songs: Farm Sweet Farm, When A Chicken Cries For Love, In A Distance To God, Call Me A Hog, Countrified

Rating: 5/10