Cradle of Filth's music can either be a symphonic, sonic metal feast, or a bad nightmare, depending on your music taste. Not quite black metal, not quite power metal, not quite progressive metal, but certainly utilizing elements from all three genres, Cradle of Filth really hit a home run on their debut for Roadrunner Records, Nymphetamine. After being dropped from Epic, Cradle hooked up with Roadrunner for a brutally heavy album, yet one filled with lots of classy nuances and great playing. Dani Filth's vocals are an acquired taste-at times he's a little too over the top, and his wailing black metal styled screeches can be a tad annoying, but his vocals do fit the music. Paul Allender and Germs Warfare make for an impressive guitar duo, as the two create many Iron Maiden/In Flames type moments with intricate dual harmonies and thunderous, galloping riffs. Plenty of symphonic keyboards are added courtesy of Martin Foul, and the driving rhythm team of bassist Herr Pubis and drummer Adrian Erlansson do a fine job. What is also a nice feature in the music of CoF are the female vocals of Sarah Jezebel Deva, and in a wonderful guest spot on the title track, LivKristine Espenacs Krull from Leave's Eyes.
There are plenty of highlights on this album, like the crushing "Nemesis" with the fist pumping lyrics "black is my heart, black is my heart, I am Nemesis", and the proggy speed metal of "Gabrielle", which sees Dani's screeching vocals soaring through the heavens amidst flurries of tasty guitar work and plenty of keyboard textures. "Gilded C***" (figure it out, I'm not going to repeat it here) is a fun piece despite the rather laughable lyrics, and "Medusa and Hemlock" kicks some serious ass. The best piece though is the adventurous and majestic title track, which is an extremely melodic and epic sounding number. With killer guitar riffs, brutal rhythms, and a variety of vocal screams and lush female clean passages, this is one hell of a tune. It's stuff like this that makes CoF a band that not just extreme metal fans can enjoy.
While the Cradle of Filth's image is pretty "out there" with all their costumes and make up, not to mention the bizarre and horrendous imagery that adorns their CD booklets (which is always extremely well done I might add) their music is pretty sophisticated and very well played. If you like symphonic extreme metal that has lots of technical and progressive elements, than give Cradle of Filth a try if you haven't already.
Track Listing
1. Satyriasis
2. Gilded C***
3. Nemesis
4. Gabrielle
5. Absinthe With Faust
6. Nyphetamine (Overdose)
7. Painting Flowers White Never Suited My Palette
8. Medusa and Hemlock
9. Coffin Fodder
10. English Fire
11. Filthy Little Secret
12. Swansong for a Raven
13. Mother of Abominations
14. Nymphetamine Fix -bonus