Cradle of Filth: Total Fucking Darkness

Here's a bit of a curiosity, Total Fucking Darkness is being released on gatefold double LP and digipak CD via Mordgrimm after just a couple of decades in the vault. Vocalist Dani Filth, former guitarist Paul Ryan (currently of The King Is Blind) and Cacophonous Records founder Frater Nihil, who first signed the band are the men behind the release.

Engineered by Tim Turan (who has worked on everything from Emperor to Thin Lizzy), Total Fucking Darkness commences with "Spattered In Faeces," the only surviving track from the Goetia sessions, followed on Side A and the rest of Side B with the recordings from the Total Fucking Darkness demo. Side C offers up another previously unreleased hymn with "Devil Mayfair (Advocatus Diaboli)," recorded in a rehearsal studio on Samhain 1992, followed by three more tracks from the same session, a further hint of the material that would have featured on the aborted Goetia album. Two short instrumental movements from former keyboardist Ben Ryan also appear on the second disc. So this is a bit of a holy grail for fans.

Musically I like the modern Filth and their excellent high quality production values – I know that I'm in somewhat of a minority here and whilst clearly this has been given a gleaming makeover it still sounds like just what it is; a demo. It also sounds nothing like the modern day band with Dani Filth almost unrecognisable compared to what he has become. The other thing I like about the current band is their use of keyboards and here (aside from the aforementioned instrumentals) they are either totally absent or mixed so low that they appear totally absent. My favourite track is "Unbridled At Dusk" which features excellently scratchy guitar work but beyond that this is somewhat of a curate's egg only of interest to obsessive Filth fans or those who think they've been crap for twenty years and want to relive the old days.

Track Listing:
Side A
1. Spattered In Faeces
2. The Black Goddess Rises
3. As Deep As Any Burial
Side B
1. Unbridled At Dusk
2. The Raping Of Faith
3. Fraternally Yours, 666
Side C
1. Devil Mayfair (Advocatus Diaboli)
2. The Black Goddess Rises
3. Seance And Mandrake (Instrumental)
Side D
1. The Raping Of Faith
2. Unbridled At Dusk
3. Hekate Enthroned (Instrumental)

Added: April 11th 2014
Reviewer: Simon Bray
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 1922
Language: english

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