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Cradle Of Filth
Cradle Of Filth

One of a handful of British bands flying the flag for black metal in the early 1990's, Cradle Of FIlth had more than just the North Sea separating them from their Norwegian counterparts. The black metal sound was firmly there, as was the blasphemy (gloriously manifested in the hilariously offensive 'Jesus Is A C**t' shirt), but in Dani Filth (nee Davey), CoF had a frontman who took the demonic character of Mayhem's Euronymous, and added the horror storytelling of Danish ghoul King Diamond, as well as Bruce Dickinson's English eccentricities. In the early days, some critics laughed openly at the idea of screeching, makeup- spikes, leather and Satan, but success has been a constant in Cradle Of Filth's career, and it's partly down to this feeling of opposition. Oft accused of being a pisstaker, it's true that Dani Filth has been known to not be entirely un-sarcastic in interviews (covering Cliff Richard and Heaven 17 didn't exactly help), but when it comes to the music, Cradle Of Filth have always occupied a very enviable world, one half black metal darkness, one half the classic metal of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest that helped them to become the world's biggest black metal band.

Dusk And Her Embrace
Name: Dusk And Her Embrace Label: CACOPHONOUS Year: 1997
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Review: Stretching their black wings far beyond the confines of 'true' black metal, Cradle Of Filth's third album took in not just breakneck speed, but haunting literary segments, epic structures, and even more perving over undead ladies than ever before. Twelve years later, it's still a staggering piece of black magic.

Cruelty And The Beast
Name: Cruelty And The Beast Label: MUSIC FOR NATIONS Year: 1998
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Review: Countess Elisabeth Bathory came into legend on account of her fondness for bathing in the blood of virginal young ladies. If ever there was a character for a Cradle Of Filth concept album, it's her, and sure enough Cruelty... is a bloodthirsty, dark tale of lust, desire and the occult. And, let's face it, they'd have come up with that stuff on their own eventually.

Midian
Name: Midian Label: MUSIC FOR NATIONS Year: 2000
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Review: Another concept album, this time based on Clive Barker's creepy supernatural work, Cabal, Midian is staggering in both scope and execution, which earned 5Ks on its release for the whirlwind of horror storytelling and solid metal aggression contained within. Hellraiser actor Doug "Pinhead" Bradley pops up to lend some dark speeches, but it's just the horrific icing on Midian's dark cake.

Damnation And A Day
Name: Damnation And A Day Label: EPIC Year: 2003
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Review: Some saw Damnation as Cradle biting off more than they could chew, with a full orchestra putting in an appearance, and occasionally becoming the musical answer to watching the Lord Of The Rings trilogy back to back. But as far as pushing the boat out go, they at least go completely all out on this, and, for the patient listener, it's a long, but satisfying voyage.

Bitter Suites to Succubi
Name: Bitter Suites to Succubi Label: SNAPPER Year: 2001
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Review: Cradle Of FIlth triumph when an uninhibited sense of cinematic scope looms large, and so it's entirely predictable that this stopgap of rerecorded stuff, new stuff, and a Sisters Of Mercy cover lacks the usual magic. The cover's pretty cool, mind.

    Key Cradle Of Filth Tracks
  • BATHORY ARIA

    Elisabeth Bathory summed up in a ten-minute epic, this tale of blood, virgins and death is everything you ever need to know about Cradle Of Filth. Superb stuff.

    Find on iTunes Find It: 'Cruelty And The Beast', 1998.
  • BORN IN A BURIAL GOWN

    'THE CIRCUS lurches in, a ring of promised delight...' Not unlike Cradle's live show, and this is the ideal soundtrack to CoF's demonic big top.

    Find on iTunes Find It: 'Bitter Suites To Succubi', 2001.
  • CRUELTY BROUGHT THEE ORCHIDS

    Filth, the dastardly perv, lives up to his name with some truly rude lyrics that could be wrapped up and sold as erotic literature. There's blastbeats and that as well.

    Find on iTunes Find It: 'Cruelty And The Beast', 1998.
  • CTHULHU DAWN

    Opening Midian as though trumpeting the arrival of Lucifer himself, this is a bombastic black metal blast filled with wonder and references to horror writer HP Lovecraft.

    Find on iTunes Find It: 'Midian', 2000.
  • DUSK AND HER EMBRACE

    A classic in the making, this is the undoubted high point of Cradle's superb breakthrough album, featuring some tremendously catchy riffs, haunting atmosphere and sexy, breathy female vocals.

    Find on iTunes Find It: 'Dusk And Her Embrace', 1997.
  • FROM THE CRADLE TO ENSLAVE

    Nearly a hit thanks to an unexpected appearance on BBC2's Living With The Enemy, this showed the nation that, actually, black metal could be pretty toe-tapping when it wanted to be.

    Find on iTunes Find It: 'From The Cradle To Enslave', 1999.
  • FUNERAL IN CARPATHIA'

    One of the first signs that Cradle were bigger than mere black metal, this is an eight-minute epic that shows exactly how vast the view is when you put your head over the parapet.

    Find on iTunes Find It: 'Dusk And Her Embrace', 1997.
  • GILDED C**T

    Christ, that's a rude title, and Dani Filth does love to scream it over and over again. Fortunately, the rollocking headbanging riffs are pure metal goodness, rather than merely a vehicle for saying the world's favorite dirty word.

    Find on iTunes Find It: 'Nymphetamine', 2004.
  • HAUNTED SHORES

    Not black metal? Ha! This has Cronos from Venom on it.. And if the man who gave the genre its name gives the thumbs up (is there an evil equivalent?) then it's fine by us.

    Find on iTunes Find It: 'Dusk And Her Embrace', 1997.
  • HER GHOST IN THE FOG

    Again with a title that sums up everything about the haunting chill that wraps itself around the music, here Cradle showed that they could make even something as catch and ear friendly sound dark and demonic.

    Find on iTunes Find It: 'Midian', 2000.
  • LORD ABORTION

    As well as writing lyrics that could only come from a colossal pervert, Dani Filth also does a nice line in brutality. Poetic brutality, but brutality all the same. Just like Lord Abortion's barbaric music.

    Find on iTunes Find It: 'Midian', 2000.
  • MOTHER OF ABOMINATIONS

    The other end of Cradle's spectrum from their most catchy moments, here we see them in full black metal rager mode. God, it's ferocious.

    Find on iTunes Find It: 'Nymphetamine', 2004.
  • QUEEN OF WINTER, THRONED

    Ten minutes of epic storytelling, in Cradle's early days, this was one of the most jaw-dropping songs in their arsenal. Still is, actually.

    Find on iTunes Find It: 'Vempire', 1996.
  • THE FOREST WHISPERS MY NAME

    Featuring a spine-juddering creepiness that could only come from having a forest whispering your name, this is Cradle at their haunting, unsettling best.

    Find on iTunes Find It: 'The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh', 1994.
  • THE PRINCIPLE OF EVIL MADE FLESH

    A fine early intrduction, this set out CoF's intention of mixing classic metal with the dark touch of black metal. And, by Lucifer's beard, it's an absolute stonker!

    Find on iTunes Find It: 'The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh', 1994.
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