It’s night on impossible for a band to last on shock-value alone Look at the recent career of Marilyn Manson for proof of that fact. However, for most part that means that if you find a band or artist who’ve been relevant for longer than five years with a controversial or eye-catching image, they’re usually the real deal. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Suffolk extreme metal icons Cradle Of Filth, who’ve managed to balance baiting absolutely everyone under the sun with releasing some of the best British metal of the 1990’s.
From the very beginning of the band, Dani Filth has been the sole constant member. Even the first incarnations of the band were erratic, with line-up switching drastically every time they recorded and released their demo E.P’s. Invoking the Unclean, Orgiastic Pleasures Foul and Total F**king Darkness, were all released in 1992 with three different line ups playing on them, They were still enough to generate some label interest, and after a disastrous stint on Tombstone Records where their debut album was wiped entirely when the label went bankrupt, the bad signed to Cacophonous Records to release their debut album “The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh” in 1994.
The album was critically revered however, even if it does bear little resemblance to modern Cradle Of Filth records. Almost immediately after the release of their debut however, the band became embroiled in a nasty legal spat with Cacophonous Records which took them out of commission for the whole of 1995. The following year, after a hastily recorded E.P released to get them out of their record deal, they signed to Music For Nations and in the same year they released their breakthrough record “Dusk… And Her Embrace”.
The critical notices that the album received, their theatrical live shows and a line of controversial merchandise, including the infamous “Jesus is a C*nt” T-Shirt, led to a high degree of notoriety for the band. Of course, there’s no such thing as bad publicity and ever since then, they’ve had a devoted following around the world as much for their music as their gothic image and controversial statements. It’s rare for a band to retain their ability to shock while still creating relevant music, but Cradle Of Filth are a sign that it’s still very much possible. And they come highly recommended.
Suffolk’s finest extreme metal exports, Cradle Of Filth, have suffered a career in which they’ve been ridiculed by the masses as something of a novelty act. Not that they have ever cared. Cradle Of Filth’s blend of black metal, melodic death metal and thrash is more unique and, dare I say it, better than most of their more serious contemporaries.
Their theatrical ambition has rewarded them with a devout following over the years. The first time I saw them was at Ozzfest 2002, Donington Park, on the main stage, where their gothic pantomime created as many cheers as it did boos. But it was their show this year (2014) at the London Forum that cemented their status, at least in my eyes, as a classic UK metal band.
The band were dressed in their trademark black leather and makeup, and their frontman Dani Filth was in incredible form, whipping the crowd into a frenzy each time he motioned with a hand or barked an order. Their old hits, if you can call them that, have seriously stood the test of time: "Cthulhu Dawn," "Summer Dying Fast," "Born in a Burial Gown" and "Haunted Shores" particularly impressed, all drenched in hypnotic keys and classic metal riffing. Dani Filth’s vocals remain an eyebrow-raising mixture of guttural roars and high-pitched wailing, best showcased on highlights "Nymphetamine (Fix)" and "Her Ghost in the Fog." A truly underrated UK heavy metal band; best experienced live. Will definitely go see them again next time they're in town.
cliverozario
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