The UK's symphonic black metal tyrants Cradle of Filth have once again released another live concert DVD, this one on their new label Roadrunner Records. Peace Through Superior Firepower contains a 90 minute live show recorded in April 2005 in Paris that is a great set of newer and classic Cradle of Filth material, as well as some enjoyable bonus material. It's an all-around good package that, despite a few drawbacks, is one of the better metal DVD's you are going to see.
Let's start off with the good. The main show itself is a wild spectacular event in front of a large and rabid audience, with the band pulling out all the stops. There's lights, firebombs, a huge stage, rampaging gargoyles, flying and rope climbing temptresses, a giant walking stilt creature, and the bands epic and evil sounding brand of symphonic and melodic black metal. Most of their albums are represented here, and some of the highlights are "The Forest Whispers My Name", "From the Cradle to the Enslave", "Nymphetamine", "Gilded Cunt", "Mother of Abominations", and "Her Ghost in the Fog". Live, Cradle of Filth come across even more powerful than on CD, with Dani Filth's over the top black metal screeching and growling death metal groans out in full force, and the twin guitar attack crunchier and more complex than they sound in the studio. Of course, the ever present symphonic and orchestral keyboards still drive this band, and live you have that nice wall of keyboards meeting the melodic lead guitar harmonies and heavy rhythms for a real classic sound. The Special Features section contains a lengthy "shockumentary" with plenty of backstage, studio, and tour footage (including all the drunken shenanigans and blowing up of things with fireworks), a Virgin Records signing, and a collection of the bands videos. The videos are especially fun to watch, especially the more concept oriented ones like "Mannequin" (complete with some rather grotesque but fun stop motion animation), "Her Ghost in the Fog", and "Nymphetamine", which also features Leaves' Eyes singer Liv Kristine.
Now for the criticism. For one, it would have been nice for the concert itself to be done in widescreen like the rest of the material on the DVD, but it wasn't. That in itself is not a really big deal, but might be for sticklers who really enjoy watching DVD's in the widescreen format. The other thing I found was strange was that it was pretty obvious during the concert that a good amount of "touching up" was done in post production, especially some of Dani's vocals and some guitar parts. Let's face it, most live albums and video's throughout history have been touched up in post production. Here though I noticed more than a few times, where Dani's mouth was not exactly in synch with what I was hearing. I would have been a little more careful not to make it as obvious as it was in certain spots, but I guess the band and the record label felt they wanted to give the fans the best quality presentation that they could have, so I can certainly understand that. If you are not a stickler for these minor details, then Peace Through Superior Firepower is a hell of a DVD, and one that can be enjoyed over and over again. This is a pretty special band, which you can plainly see here. On stage they are a powerful and intimidating metal machine, and in real life Cradle of Filth are just a bunch of average British blokes who like to create and play music, and have a good time.
Track Listing
Gilded Cunt
Nemesis
Mannequin
The Black Goddess Rises
A Gothic Romance
Her Ghost in the Fog
Nymphetamine
Tortured Soul Asylum
The Forest Whispers My Name
The Promise of Fever
13 Autumns and a Widow
Mother of Abominations
From the Cradle to the Enslave
Bonus Features
Postcards from Vulgaria-A Shockumentary
Virgin on the Stupid
Her Ghost in the Fog-video
No Time To Cry -video
Babylon A.D.-video
Mannequin-video
The Promise of Fever-video
Nymphetamine-video
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