Cruelty and the Beast

Cradle of Filth is probably the most divisive metal band of all time this side of the mighty Metallica. Sure, they have a solid chunk of hardcore fans who swear by their unique playing style and gothic sound but that's not without an equal number of detractors who label them as pretentious and straight up garbage. Ouch. I think this very strong sentiment is kind of understandable - considering the band's ambitious ventures - if not entirely justifiable, and a good part of that also comes from the fact that they're sometimes labelled as a black metal band. If there's anything more unproductive and futile than a bunch of angry grown-up men dilly dallying online about genres, then I'd like to know. I personally don't think they've the strongest or most consistent discography, as most of noughties was spent churning out albums that are kind of overblown and repetitive, but they have also given us some truly fantastic albums early-on in their career and a later resurgence post-2015 cannot be ignored too. Cruelty and the Beast, in my opinion, is their finest work. It's one of those albums where I'm in complete awe of the entire package, right from the album art to the lyrics to the musical aspects; I'd put it right up there with Agalloch's The Mantle or King Diamond's Abigail where I want to derive as much information as I can about what led to the conceptualisation of the album, the recording aspects of it, the band's thought process during the recording, any interviews or unseen footage from around that time and the like...

If there's one thing we can all agree on, or most of us at least, it's that Cradle of Filth has always had some of the most poetic, erotic, thought-provoking and beautiful lyrics in all of music. So poetic, in fact, that they can a bit too knotty sometimes; having to search the meaning of every other word or reference isn't the most convenient but once you have an understanding or interpretation of the work, it's actually immensely satisfying. The nature of the lyrics has always been macabre and sometimes outright nasty, and that's no different here; a pretty dense concept record because of the intricate and never-ending lyrics. Based on all the intrigue and mystery surrounding the Bloody Countess, Elizabeth Bathory, and her alleged serial killings in medieval Hungary, the story tries to recapture the events in a sequential format. It's of course not absolutely true to the events and a good portion of it explores a different side of Bathory's character, a deeper dive into her cerebral matter and what her perspective may have been in those chilling times. I think it's a fantastic imaginative setting and the artist's interpretation of the events. More so than the sound, which is no slouch, it's the lyrics that fascinate me the most, and always have in this band's case.

This beautiful concept and the chilling lyrics are brought to life by Dani Filth's haunting and, sometimes, pesky shrieks. I know, he gets lambasted a lot for his vocal style and there's some credibility to that, but he can also get the work done when he's in his element; I think he sounds sublime here (to serve the purpose of the sound at least). Yes, it does get excessive when he's unabated and keeps going on but that's a given for whenever you want to listen to Cradle of Filth. Keeping a mental note beforehand that the vocals aren't going to be the prettiest makes things a bit more palatable. But it's also totally understandable why someone would struggle getting into the band because the vocals are reminiscent of nails scratching on a blackboard surface. Anyway, Dani's hilarious shrieks aren't the only ones doing the heavy lifting here; seductive female vocal harmonies and choirs have been an integral part of the band's sound too and find their way in a rather prominent setting on this album. These amplify the gothic and atmospheric overtones when coupled with the dominant keyboards and their overpowering efffect is seamlessly integrated with the ferocious riffs and boundless drums. The band members don't overdo their part in any way, which ensures that the album’s not trying too hard to make an impact on the listener. I wouldn’t say that for most of their other stuff. Interestingly, they even hired a renowned enough actress from the seventies horror flicks to narrrate Bathory's dialogues on the 7th and 8th tracks. She's in fine fettle here and does a spectacular job on Bathory Aria especially - her chilling narration to close out the song has a perfect heft to the voice and the way it keeps getting slower, gradually and eventually resorting to a deep demonic voice, presumably highlighting the inner demons of Bathory herself, is one of the finest, most beautifully executed moments on this album. It's pedantic attention to detail like this that affirms the band left no stone unturned while recording this album and made sure every small bit was executed to the highest levels of quality.

Hereon, I'll base my review on the Re-mistressed version for everything sound-related. I have listened to the original mix ad infinitum and didn't dislike a lot about it minus the drum sound and the somewhat muted backing vocals, but once I discovered the Re-mistressed version and noticed all the love it was getting, I could understand the hype after experiencing it myself; I haven't looked back at the original mix for about five years now. The remaster injects a new lease of life into the sound and makes it relevant and punchy for our modern times - the kick drums, the bass, the choirs and the voice have all been stroked a good bit to reach their maximum potential and I cannot stress enough about how massive and wonderful the drums sound in this remaster. Nicholas Barker isn't the most renowned metal drummer in my opinion but he sure is an underrated and badass unit. His finest hour is observed on the opening sections of Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids where his persistent and uninterrupted fills make way for some absolutely gorgeous and wicked blast beats when the guitars start roaring. He gets quite technical when needed, upping the ante, and quickly resorts to linear blast beating when there’s a tsunami of atmospheric and majestic riffs. The new sound's done him justice for sure, I can confirm.

Back to back listens between the original and remaster will also highlight the much louder backing vocals and that's all the better for the album sound. There are proper interludes in the form of short instrumental tracks to build tension and the atmosphere in these, somehow, is more wicked due to the mysterious, grandiose nature of their sound, be it the slow build of the opener's enormity or the sheer terror of Venus in Fear - those terrified shrieks of young women, apparently virgin, and Bathory's uproarious moans giving way to her climax is sure to prevail in your head as one of the album's most memorable moments. It suddenly brings to life the alleged madness from all those centuries ago. This album also has some of the most popular Cradle of Filth tunes like Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids, Beneath the Howling Stars and Bathory Aria. The songs have diverse structures, not quite a novelty for the band honestly, and the time signatures are fluid. It's nothing too progressive or technical and things fall in place rather predictably after what is a good enough build up for a section. The constant and abundant use of keyboards is a joy, a striking effect of a cluster of gorgeous little tunes uplifting the mood and atmosphere, intercepting monotony. Once you pamper yourself with the surprisingly soothing overall effect of the 11-minute behemoth Bathory Aria and its many direction changes, the follow-up instrumental Portrait of the Dead Countess almost seems like the perfect conclusion to the saga and the sound. Except we lumber for seven more minutes, a bit worn out and sapped at this point, in the actual chaotic closer Lustmord and Wargasm. Nothing wrong with the song per se, but I would have liked it if it didn't conclude the album. A rather minor and personal niggle from an otherwise beautifully crafted album with spot on track listing, I'd say.

Cruelty and the Beast, originally when it came out, kept Cradle of Filth's lore alive and matured a sound that was envisioned on the previous album Dusk... and Her Embrace. It adopts the gothic sound from before but infuses a new level of legitimate bloodlust and macabre that's kind of missing in previous or even subsequent releases. Even so, it's still an unmistakably Cradle of Filth album and also their best in terms of overall conceptualisation and execution. The attention to detail for the smallest of moments is palpable and once you have an interpretation of the complete package, you are left in awe of the creative and musical depth these guys were able to achieve. I'm a huge fan of the Re-mistressed version and strongly think it made one of the best metal albums even better - for anyone who likes good heft in the sound with cracking drums and a decently strong bottom-end, go for this without hesitation and savour it for the rest of your life. The original's a bit soulless suddenly when compared to this, though I'm not one of its biggest detractors. Its muted production values may appeal to those who think the sound is a nod to the mystifying gothic age and literature. I also absolutely adore the purely malicious and haunting cover of the original, Elizabeth Bathory in all her vampirical glory, which is replaced with a rather ugly and lame new one that doesn't do much to instill fear or intrigue in you. Look past that and you plunge into a vast reserve of varying sound effects capturing all themes of horror, beauty, evil, despair, pleasure and sorrow. Of course, this is no shade at their musical talent, which they possess a whole lot of, but Cradle of Filth were never able to achieve the same heights of flawless and breathtaking execution as they did with this album. It's unrivalled.

‘Cruelty and the Beast’ is an astonishing album on several levels. It contains an epic scope that perfectly suits the concept upon which it is based; it ramps up the twin guitar and keyboard theatrics to glorious heights; and the production is suitably cold and cruel for the subject matter.

In 1998 Cradle of Filth had a degree of stability – at least for them – that came at the perfect time. After the band member musical chairs of the previous few years, there was only one key change in the line-up between the utterly perfect ‘Dusk and Her Embrace’ and the imperfectly miraculous ‘Cruelty and the Beast’. The arrival of Les ‘Lector’ Smith on the ivories could have been a concern after Damian’s orchestral genius on the previous album, but the future Anathema tinkler lived up to every expectation and more. Similarly, the addition of Gian Pyres on guitar to join the phenomenal Stuart Anstis was a deft move for the best, and his contribution on this and 'Midian' would be warmly received.

The production of the original 1998 version of the album is somewhat maligned by metal pundits, especially in the wake of the release of the remixed and remastered version. I would argue that the original production and mix were perfect for this album and that any intended 'improvements' merely compromised that perfection (as would the weird and ungainly looking 'new' cover artwork that is a poor digital parody of the original). The concept of the album that traces the birth, life and demise of Elizabeth Bathory demands a colder, more frail sound than the graveyard warmth of ‘Dusk and Her Embrace’, and the 98 mix perfectly provides that. While the remixed version allows all the different elements to be heard more clearly, like the remix of Mayhem’s ‘Grand Declaration of War’ the warmth and clarity simply serve to undermine the atmosphere, and atmosphere is one of the key elements that makes this album perfect. The original contains the sound of a cold Hungarian castle in the 16th century, haunted woods under moonlight, isolated eastern European beauty with the ever-present threat of Turkish invasion, and generalised danger and gothic exoticism. It’s a seemingly cold, grey and isolated world, and that world is suitably represented in the original mix.

As are the aural marvels themselves. The album begins with slowly emerging haunted keys, sounding somewhat like chanting monks in far away halls, which bloom into a pulsing energy of fear and breathless darkness. The rising storm breaks with a thunder clap, a serpentine keyboard pattern, then Nick Barker’s unmistakable katakatakata of snare drum hits as ‘Thirteen Autumns and a Widow’ bursts forth. Dani Filth provides the vocal performance of his life on this album, and he’s out of the blocks here with high screams and deep roars like never before (or since). It's invigorating. The next track, ‘Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids’ is the best on the album, with its grand female narration to begin, followed by the fabulously emotional “Maleficent in dusky rose, gathered satin lapped her breasts like blood upon the snow…” movement, one that I committed to memory back in 98. Dani’s timing and word placement here is so smooth and fantastic, ending with “A regal ornament from a far flung nebula”, the final syllable caught and carried away into the chill Hungarian air. ‘Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids’ grooves along with irresistible catchiness, before a grand symphonic crescendo leaves the listener breathless and beaten by the time its over.

Examining each track is futile; all are classics. The epic ‘Bathory Aria’ begins with keys and Dani’s infernal whispers, and moves into a metal symphony for the ages. ‘Venus in Fear’ is an interlude of truly disturbing screams and orgasmic moans, while ‘Portrait of the Dead Countess’ is a welcome keyboard reprieve that allows one to catch one’s breath before the final dread attack of ‘Lustmord and Wargasm’, whose introductory keyboard melody is heartbreaking in its simple yet effective pathos. Other anthems such as 'Beneath the Howling Stars' and 'The Twisted Nails of Faith' contain all the symphonic metal greatness of this band at their peak, progressing through heavy sections, twirling guitar melodies and swirling keys.

The narrative communicated through the lyrics is worthy of especial mention. While Dani would hit many a literary high note throughout the first five releases, none would ever really beat the evocative excitement provided here with his tale of Countess Bathory, her battles with the church, her own vanity and her terrible crimes. Clever rhymes, puns, alliteration, assonance, and with no punches pulled in gothic horror imagery, it’s possible to simply read the lyrics in the booklet from start to finish without the music and still me mesmerised and amazed by the poetry and the sordid tale of her life. What a triumph. The album cover takes a darker turn from the romantic imagery of ‘Dusk and Her Embrace’ and ‘Vempire’, although the pattern of depicting a female figure is mercifully maintained. The literal bath filled with blood is unambiguous and suits the serious business that takes place musically. The booklet contains the lyrics and some fantastic band member shots and elegant photography of a countess figure.

Cradle of Filth would, of course, experience a vacillating standard of quality across their perplexing and sometimes frustrating career. But from 1996-1998 they absolutely nailed it. 'Cruelty and the Beast' offers a cinematic, historical and symphonic journey into a strange and isolated world of coldness, fear and dark beauty. Utterly immersive and utterly mesmerising.

Full disclosure: when I first heard ‘Cruelty and the Beast’ as an early teenager, I absolutely hated it. Partly because I did not understand it, but its messy production annoyed the hell out of me and may have planted the seed for generally disliking blastbeats to this day. It took 2019’s so-called “Re-Mistressed” edition for me to revise my opinion. The new mix digging up the guitars and especially the drums from underneath the layers of keyboards and Dani Filth’s vocals made me appreciate the album for what it is: an excellent, adventurous metal album with a fairly unique atmosphere.

Ever since Cradle of Filth rose to prominence, there have been discussions about whether the black metal tag they got is justified. And to be fair, if you disregard the extreme vocals and the occasional blastbeat, it would not be out of order to consider ‘Cruelty and the Beast’ the further evolution of what a band like Mercyful Fate was doing fifteen years prior. Sure, the gothic bombast and Dani Filth’s vocal madness are part of what makes Cradle of Filth, but a lot of the riffs on ‘Cruelty and the Beast’ could potentially appeal to fans of more traditional heavy metal as well. Especially now they can actually be heard.

Speaking of the riffs: one of the reasons why Cradle of Filth was often called a black metal band was probably due to the riffs of Stuart Anstis being far less chordy and more based on single notes than those of his successor (and predecessor) Paul Allender. Anstis is excellent at creating a haunting atmosphere with just a few notes on his guitar. If you were to strip the album back to just guitar, drums and vocals, it would still sound every bit as haunting as it does in its final form, perfectly coloring the album’s story of Elizabeth Báthory’s legend.

With ‘Cruelty and the Beast’ being a concept album, I tend to listen to it front to back and experience it as a whole. There are some stand-out moments, however. ‘Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids’ understandably became the staple for the album, being a highly dynamic track that moves back and forth between dark extreme metal sections and particularly effective thrash riffs. The first half of the eleven-minute ‘Bathory Aria’ in particular contains some of the band’s best work to date, while the riff work in ‘Thirteen Autumns and a Widow’ and ‘Beneath the Howling Stars’ is particularly on point.

Due to its audible drums and crisper-sounding guitars, the remixed and remastered edition of ‘Cruelty and the Beast’ is its definitive version, as far as I’m concerned. However, I probably would appreciate the original release a lot more these days as well. The songwriting on the album is adventurous, yet far less complex than it originally comes across as. While I don’t think it quite stands up to recent works like ‘Hammer of the Witches’, ‘Cruelty of the Beast’ was rightfully revered as one of Cradle of Filth’s best works for the longest time. If you don’t mind a little bombast and have not heard this yet, dive right in.

Recommended tracks: ‘Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids’, ‘Bathory Area’, ‘Beneath the Howling Stars’

Originally written for my Kevy Metal weblog

This is a painful review for me to write. I really like the music on Cradle of Filth’s third full-length album, Cruelty and the Beast, and I love the record’s dark concept about the Báthory Countess and her morbid and gory story. But I really can’t stand how the album sounds. As many other have noted (members of the band included), the production is really terrible, so let me start by telling you about that so I can get it out of the way.

The root of all evil is the drum’s sound: it is incredibly weak and compressed to the point that everything Nicholas Barker sounds comes across with the same dull, thudding sound that has been described by some, quite accurately, as “typewriting drumming”. Every other instrument is piled up upon these dodgy foundations and it can’t possibly sound good. The guitar tone is as weak as the drum sound and it is often buried so deep down in the mix that it very hard to figure out what the guitarists are actually playing (which is especially annoying because I really like Stuart Anstis’ lead playing with the band). The bass is hardly audible, give how it is completely drown out by the drums. Even the vocals are sometimes hard to figure out (female chorister Sarah Jezebel Deva told the press she was left in tears when she first heard the final mix of the album as she felt her voice sounded as if she had sung with “her head stuck in the toilet”). The overall effect is an incredibly dry, flat and messy-sounding album. On the one hand, this gives the record a special, low-fi vibe which can be somewhat fascinating and distinctive (I remember that, back in 1998, I felt this record sounded much more “evil” and “sinister” compared to the band’s previous albums, which was very likely an effect of the production). On the other hand, such a muddy and messy production cannot do justice to the complexity of Cradle of Filth’s music, which on this album actually increased considerably compared to the previous records. Today, as a less impressionable listener, the net effect is simply disappointing.

The disappointment stings even harder because what is being played on this album is actually very good. The music is heavier than on Dusk … and Her Embrace but it retains that morbid, gothic feel that had made that album such a powerful sonic experience. On Cruelty and the Beast, Cradle of Filth increased the level of intensity and aggression, so that the new album sounds considerably heavier and more metallic than the predecessor. This creates a stronger contrast with the symphonic keyboard flourishes (courtesy of new member Les Smith) and the emotional and majestic mid-tempo sections, making the music on this album sound more dramatic than ever, which fits well with the theme of the record. Songs like “Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids” and “Beneath the Howling Stars” are great examples of this new course and indeed remain two of the best compositions penned by Dani & co. over the years. Another great track and example of the dynamic nature of the music on this album, is the “Báthory Area”, a trio of songs that cover a lot of ground from deviant balladry, to Maidenian galloping rhythms, to a doomy, dissonant finale.

Elsewhere, Cradle of Filth go for a more direct, pedal-to-the-metal approach, like on the violent “Thirteen Autumns and a Widow”, an unstoppable train that makes a concession to melody only in its mellower finale. “Twisted Nails of Faith” is another ferocious highlight, which surprises with its symphonic arrangement in the coda, while “Lustmord and Wargasm” is perhaps the weakest song on the record, sounding a tad too repetitive and undistinctive, as if it was only half-heartedly repeating the formula of the previous songs.

Overall, for the music it contains, Cruelty and the Beast could be rightly regarded as one of the strongest records ever written by Cradle of Filth. It possesses a stunning mix of metal aggression and gothic, morose atmosphere through a barrage of songs that never cease to amaze and entertain. However, I just cannot get past its terrible production sound, which substantially ruins the listening experience for me. This explains why I rate this album so low in the context of Cradle of Filth’s discography, despite containing some of the best music they have written so far.

Cradle of Filth occupy a unique space in the metal world; their continual reappraisal seems to veer between “ruined the black metal boys’ club forever” and “helped keep metal alive in the 1990’s mainstream”. Of course, neither of these are universal in their truths, yet, I feel the latter tends to be more of an honest appraisal, especially considering the signs of decline in the metal scene in 1998.

Let’s just dwell on a few facts for a moment: this album was a big metal release in the 1990s. Successful, controversial marketing backed-up incredibly well-rehearsed music, with top-notch musicianship and clearly a lot of time and money was spent here. It reminds me much of the old adage “they don’t make ‘em like this anymore”. Just imagine… a record with a marketing budget! A record so well-rehearsed and arranged that it was clear that the none of the band members needed a full-time job. Truly, I’m sad to say, a thing of the past!

What’s further bizarre – or perhaps predictable given some of the more tabloid friendly exploits of other black metal groups – is that Cradle of Filth ended up on British TV on the back of their highly successful promotional stunts (you know the one, it had something to do with profanity and a certain well-known carpenter’s son). The band featured on the BBC’s ‘Living with the Enemy’ series wherein a West Yorkshire mum – whose son was a Cradle obsessive – followed the band on tour and finally ended bonding over tea and fags in a caravan. Honestly, one of the better moments of metal crossing into the mainstream, even if it sounds like something you’d dream up for comedic purposes (remember Glen Benton’s bit-part as Monica’s boyfriend on Friends? No?).

The point I want to make is that there is a whole weird cultural melting point that led to this band’s success: equal parts gothic shop selling patches in every UK city, Norwegian nefarious activities, trash UK TV and the lingering shadow of Hammer Horror and classic 80’s metal. And Cradle’s success was born of all these things.

Firstly, let’s consider the album’s crossover success, one that was arguably done without them losing much of their initial fanbase. Building on the excellent Dusk and Her Embrace, Cruelty and the Beast might well be even richer in its gothic melodrama. Keyboards are more densely layered – always complimenting the excellent guitars – and the narrators are more appropriate – the bored Southern girls are still here, but you have the wonderful Ingrid Pitt’s wonderful contribution (if you’re unfamiliar with her, she was a holocaust-survivor and much missed Hammer Horror heart-throb, all round fascinating character, really, and a Hungarian – perfect for the role of Elizabeth Bathory). Of course, you’ve also got excellent music and a gorgeous aesthetic. All these, I believe, helped Cradle crossover into the goth market perhaps better than any other metal band before or since. I mean, in a post-1992 Dracula world this album would have been perfect fodder for those long sojourns to the VHS rental shops or nipping to the shops to purchase more McCain’s “micro-chips”.

Secondly, you have the incredibly strong metallic heart beating through this whole album. Despite its florid lyrics, smutty aesthetics and macabre concept, Cruelty and the Beast never forgets that it does a much more important task at hand: to be a loud and proud heavy metal album. What you have to remember with Cradle of Filth is that they are a very English band; born of technicolour horror and second-hand NWOBHM record buying. And with this album that – already prominent – influence of 80’s metal becomes even stronger. Stuart Anstis does the lion’s share of the work here, although Robin Graves’ bass certainly helps underpin that Harris-esque vibe in places. Simply put, Cruelty… often forsakes what we might consider ‘typical’ black metal riffs, in favour of something that often comes across as Powerslave filtered through a second-wave-black-metal lens. It’s grandiose and very rewarding to listen, something the band would mostly lose on the somewhat disappointing Midian album. And while many bands around this time starting bringing Maiden back into their metal (In Flames, Dissection, the entire nation of Sweden), it’s striking that the guitars here never really evoke Maiden in that somewhat trite manner that a lot of bands do. It’s not simply a homage to the old masters, it’s actually the band taking that influence and doing something striking with it.

Of course, aside from Dani’s harpy shrieks (love ‘em or loath ‘em, they do tend to be very cool, rhythmically speaking) a lot of people’s point of contention with this record tends to be the production. Which, all things considered, I rather like. Sure, it makes very little sense to have a monstrous drummer like Nick Barker triggered (he proved himself to be so dynamic on prior Cradle releases), but if anything it makes me focus more on his wonderful performance. He’s definitely an ‘orchestrating’ drummer rather than just a time-keeper, so, again it was a massive shame that this was his last record with the band (again, if you’re looking for reasons why Cradle kind of lost the plot after this album, it probably does have a lot to do with the fact that they lost three key members before their next full-length). Certainly, though, if the production proves lacking the remastered version does seem to rectify a lot of people’s problems with this album… some even call it the definitive version. Me, however, I prefer the fact that the original sounds like 1998, rather than 1998 with a 2019 filter on it.

Further impressive is the fact that the band pull off a conceptual record with aplomb. Whilst Dusk… might be a better collection of individual songs, Cruelty… is perhaps more ‘complete’ due to its flowing, flab-free concept and even more developed music. Again, though, the concept is just perfect for the band; showing that perfect match of Hammer Horror, somewhat smutty lyrics and real-life macabre history. Say what you will about Dani’s vocals – again, I like ‘em and find it interesting that one of black metal’s most mainstream acts have more extreme vocals than the vast majority of bands out there – it’s clear that his lyrics were not some afterthought. Again, there is a definite ‘Englishness’ to his writing; it’s full of humour, heavy on gothic floridity and delivered at a breakneck speed (honestly, I think even Martyn Walkyier would be impressed). I just can’t imagine a better fit for this band.

Overall, Cruelty and the Beast is a record best enjoyed as a whole and whilst plenty of individual moments are spell-binding it just feels like such a complete piece that picking out individual tracks seems redundant… it’s just an overwhelming experience, but one that I enjoy regularly. I feel as if this might well be the band’s peak and a monument to the exceptional heavy metal powers of a few heavy metal kids from provincial Britain. Perhaps more so than any other of their works, this made them in black metal megastars (something people still aren’t really comfortable with, but who really cares?) and they fucking deserved it!

Well, the title says it all. I guess I'll just end the review here... HA! No way, Metal-Archives would reject this submission for sure! But enough of that nonsense I tend to spew. We have some decent material here, but it's not really worthy of my enjoyment. And everyone will say it's generally better than me. Fine, sure...you do that, you go right ahead. I don't fucking care. The point is, at this time, Cradle of Filth really did need a big atmospheric change to their production, creativity and all-that junk. I still feel bored by their earlier works, again, because their lack of experimental taste in the late '90's. Overly dedicated to one sound, too long. But of course, with some different variations. I'm not more bored of this album than the band's last two, but I'm still, "just-as-bored", by it.

Dani boy has a high education level, no doubt. And it's his writing that I love, his lyrics are brilliant. And his vocal style has risen in pitch on this record, if you've noticed? His highs are less distorted than the last record. More pitch has been gained, so that's cool. But today's records, his screams sound like "vocal noodles", thin and stringy like pork chops, basically how I mentioned in one of my earlier reviews of another band. The point is, his highs have drastically changed overtime. Probably from overuse. He just doesn't have the distortion (period) in his screams anymore...it's the same style of screaming he's doing, but the chords are just too clean now...his vocals are just...OK.

The production is pretty lame. Dani has recently mentioned this around 2018. This album is being remixed entirely. He also mentioned something about the original tapes were being literally "baked" in an oven...seems fucked to me, but whatever. It's been 21 years since this album has been released, older than his daughter by a year. This record was supposed to be released last year, but you know...the "legal" fits... The record's current state sounds so muffled, it's literally worthy of being a demo, not a full-length release. But you know, that's just the artery gets cut, huh? It's like inviting your family over and having your grandma cook, and it's so terrible how she cooks, it might as well kill someone. Just like Arthur's grandma from the TV show "Arthur". She's a shitty-ass cook. At least Arthur's dad can cook, so he didn't that from his mother at least. His unnamed father must have been a good cook. Put some earplugs in your ears, because that's how to sum-up this records production, just with a straight shoot. Maybe this album won't suck with new production. Let's hope, but my thoughts will probably remain the same, regardless.

The guitars are pretty boring on this record as well, they provide nothing new at this point in the band's career. It's almost enough to just stop caring about this record and move on, you know? I really felt this album's main construction was heavily hampered with creativity. The riffs are so stupidly bland for the most part. It's like putting your head in the oven because you want to kill yourself, but you feel the pain and will stop...or something stupid like that. The riffs are too restricted in their own right and foggy-sounding. I honestly hate it. Though, very few parts of the guitars on this record, bring enjoyment...that's entirely fair for me to say, too. So, if you disagree, too bad and just cut yourself, you sissy. The production of the bass guitar, is so obscure, there might as well have been no bass at-all...With bad production, it just fell from the face of the earth, I swear. And the drum tracks sound so retarded... It's painful to even want to witness the horrible-sounding drum quality. Dani, again...mentioned and admitted to this album having a really shitty drum track...yeah, you think, Mr. Filth?

I do love the faded artwork of the album, it's practically sexy, even the alternate artwork is sexy (possibly sexier). It's simple, but well-made. I'm really glad to see something like this. Notice how the band's logo is compressed on this record. The brown is a little bit ugly as the main colour, but it just seems and feels so right. The blood has a cool quality red, really dark. And the model is a fucking babe. I think the entire artwork of this record, is honestly my favourite thing. Dani also admitted that this whole album was really difficult to "sing"...and yeah, I believe him. All-and-all...this is a decent album...but it's not worth me listening to all the time. The keyboards bring an interesting vibe and a chilly theme to the table, it's almost hypnotic. I believe Dani said this is his favourite Cradle album that he's ever done...well, it's not mine, little man. Sorry. But I like your much-later, "mature" sound...you know, when all the sissy fans thought you "sold-out"...well, at least you became more open-minded with topics, but whatever. Love this band in general, but not everything they did appealed to me...and so, that's fair. Will see how the new version sounds in time. And we'll leave it at that, I think.

It's pretty cliched to start a review lamenting the problem of not having much to say about the subject of said review that hasn't already been said. Especially if that subject is one of the premier extreme metal acts of the modern time, written about to death, their entire discography dissected and picked apart over the nearly two and a half decades they've existed over, and countless metalheads voicing their opinions regarding them on every internet message board and in all the smoky basements the world over. It's not easy trying to find something original to say about a band as prolific and highly regarded as the one, the only, Cradle of Filth.

Yes, the gothic Brits of black metal haven't been stopped yet. Despite their penchant for legendarily offensive t-shirts, their stylistic variations of monumental proportion and strict adherence to their gothic imagery and themes have made CoF kind of untouchable in the almighty scheme of things. That's not to say the band hasn't made a few missteps, in fact in this reviewer's opinion, they've existed long enough and have put out material so regularly that it's almost crucial to include the statement that CoF have indeed fucked up more than twice. While the exact moments of misdirection heavily come down to the personal tastes of their legions of listeners, what constitutes for their best albums is certainly as much a bloodbath of a discussion as trying to agree on the worst of their overall output. This leads us to what is probably one of CoF's most polarizing albums, an album mired in atrocious production that has ruined the experience of listening to the record for many, but has also found a deeply appreciative cult of ghouls within the fanbase. There's no denying the issue of production whenever discussing 'Cruelty and the Beast,' but dare I say that this right here is very much my hands-down favorite Cradle of Filth album, regardless of its admittingly lacking sonic qualities.

Cradle of Filth were only two albums deep into their (as of writing this) fourteen full-lengths strong discography when 'Cruelty' dropped in 1998. With countless demos and split appearances and the occasional EP, it was clear that back in the mid-to-late 90's, CoF were truly coming into their own, moving away from the straight forward death metal of their early demos, and more into the suitably grimdark territory of black metal. Their two albums prior to this, 'The Principal of Evil Made Flesh' and 'Dusk and Her Embrace,' helped to establish them in their native Europe as black metal terrors of the night. This would all come to a head with this third album, a sprawling concept record about the notorious murderess Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed, one of history's most fascinating and downright horrific serial killers. Báthory is best known these days for killing an untold number of young women and, according to the most infamous legend about her, bathing in their blood for the sake of self-preservation in the name of beauty. The blood countess and her legend is ripe with metal material, even inspiring black metal visionary Quorthon to name his band Bathory in reference to her. If one looks hard enough, you WILL find Báthory hidden among metal bands and their music. Now, with such fertile material to work with, CoF, being the gothic weirdos they are, decided to make an ENTIRE FULL-LENGTH ALBUM centered on her.

Then again, makes you wonder why no one had really done this before.

Anyway, I am glad that the one band that could do justice to such lurid fucking material decided to pull their cobwebbed trigger and go for the pale jugular of every sun-starved metalhead this side of the rise of extreme metal. Right off the bat, Cradle of Filth blast out of the gates with such bombast and hellfire that it'll blow the rotting skin off of any bled-dry virgin. Let it be known that CoF know how to write an epic song, one that typically exceeds four minutes, doesn't quite meet ten (or surpasses it in some cases), and is filled with moments of bloodthirsty horror and archaic fucking beauty. All the songs here are lengthy, sure, but the progressive theatrics of these songs all but fail on any level. Dani Filth and crew on black metal fire as they pull no punches and deliver one of the most grandiose concept albums in extreme metal history. Granted, when I say progressive, I obviously don't mean any kind of weird time signature shoehorning or esoteric lyrical concepts or needlessly overblown masturbatory instrumentation. In the case of 'Cruelty and the Beast,' the songs progress the narrative forward. Listening to the album as one maniacal trip feels like the tracks are pulling the listener along to some horrific climax, and my god do I mean climax.

It's no secret that there's obviously a weirdly deviant sexual nature to the music of CoF, and there's certainly no surprise about it as well. Take a gander at the band's onstage attire and you'd swear they shopped solely at sex shops, spending all their time in the BDSM section. Of course, they're one of the few bands who truly rock black straps and leather in such diabolical fashion. Their music has always felt oddly sensual and erotic, if in some grotesque ways, but here it really feels necessary. Báthory's story is lurid and insane as it is already, surely, but the strange archaic sensuality that permeates the entire album gives off an almost transgressive feel, like we're taking part in her strange murderous rituals and, with a heaping amount of artistic license, presents an almost romantic retelling of the Countess's legend. Nothing here feels strained or shocking for the sake of being shocking; this album is rife with the gothic horror-cum-beauty that CoF is damn well known for, and here it feels so goddamn appropriate.

Alright, enough gushing about the lyrics and the theme of this concept album, how's the actual music? Well, this is where the most contentious and polarizing aspect of this whole operation becomes crystal fuckin' clear. 'Cruelty and the Beast' is notorious for it's production values, and I admit it's an element that will absolutely make or break the album for anyone who gives it a spin. Everything hears so fucking tinny and dry, costing the material the necessary heft that it so clearly needs for it to fly. Most of the best riffs and moments here suffer drastically if you're not listening with headphones. The shittier the speakers, the worst the experience. Simple as that. Later CoF albums are far-better produced, and even in some ways, the previous albums 'The Principal of Evil Made Flesh' and 'Dusk and Her Embrace' sound better as well. All of this, sadly, works against 'Cruelty,' pushing it further down the list and cementing it's place as CoF's possibly worst-sounding album (not including demos and such). This really is what'll turn many people off for this album. Fortunately, in my honest objective opinion, I believe the strength of the songwriting, narrative, and overall presentation help this thing become overcome that crucial flaw in spades. Forgiving the production will absolute help the listener get over the glaring sonic malfunctions here, something that certainly hasn't stopped others from enjoying their favorite shit-sounding albums.

'Cruelty and the Beast' is a masterclass in music that both seduces and crucifies the senses. Dani Filth and Co. came out swinging, and despite the aural gods working against them, have busted out a fantastic ride through the story of history's most infamous femme fatale. The insane countess of blood herself would be mighty pleased.

Elegance. This is the only word you need to use to describe this album to a newcomer. Cradle of Filth released their third album in 1998 and thus sealed the most fertile era of their two and a half decade long career with a bang. 'Cruelty and the Beast' is sucking you in from the first second and then you find yourself in a middle Europe setting. The album is heavily influenced by Countess Bathory who had shed the blood of way too many virgins for the sake of bathing in it.

As you might have suspected already, the album is quite aggressive but since its main source of inspiration is a female figure going by the title of 'countess', a large portion is held by gracing nuances that adorn the final outcome with the aforementioned elegance. However the production and mixing is downright bad. Especially the production of the drums is absolutely awful. There are a lot of theories trying to unveil what the fuck happened but the result doesn't change (or does it? - I've seen a supposedly remastered version circulating YouTube). They sound as if they're made by carton boards and hit by aluminium spoons.

Thankfully the rest of the instruments sound pretty much alright. The guitars are a bit low in the mix when compared to 'Dusk and her Embrace'. The rhythm guitars can be easily discerned but when only one of them is playing a lead part, it's hard to follow. The bass is not as loud as it used to be. It is hard to hear what Robin is doing whereas in the demo you could hear him at any moment. The keys on the other hand will make you drool. They are well produced and pretty easy to hear. A lot of sampling goes on as well. Mostly female vocals, screams and narrations.

Dani's work should not be overlooked of course. He wrote some of his best lyrics for this album. Of course he had a concept which is always helping in such matters but this time the concept was so tightly put together, that a hit and miss effort would be impossible to happen. The vocals are still good. His voice started to wear out after 'Midian'. So yes, in this albums his vocal cords are still functioning well enough to produce the usual paroxysms that we all are used to.

All tracks offer something unique to the listener, be it a simple line that sticks in your head or a long complex interlude that you have to dissect and analyse. On the other hand this album like every good Cradle album, is not hard to absorb. Somehow the Filth collective knew their job and then just like that they forgot all their virtues. This album contains both virtue and vice in absolute balance. It is both peaceful and hateful, replete with beautiful and ugly (in a good manner) musical moments. This album is a masterpiece and it is the final one that Cradle of Filth ever put out to date.

Favorite tracks: 'Thirteen Autumns and a Widow', 'Cruelty Bought Thee Orchids', 'Portrait of the Dead Countess' and 'Lustmord and Wargasm'.

92/100.

Some people often try to squeeze Cradle of Filth into a genre-box, and most often it is the black metal genre, which is a genre the band never really belonged to and never will. There is so many influences in this band's music that you cannot pin-point it more than simply extreme metal, or even more simplified: Cradle of Filth. This is two labels the band and its countless members would rather have slapped unto the band, and rightfully so. Around this time the band was often compared to Dimmu Borgir and I do personally not see the link, even as a veteran listener. Two different bands with two distinctive sounds. So let's stop the comparison. 1998 is the year that Cradle of Filth's finest work saw the light of day and launched them further into stardom.

"But Elizabeth laughed, thirteen Autumns had passed, and She was a widow from god and His wrath, finally..."

As depicted in the booklet this is the fourth chapter in the Cradle of Filth anthology. "Cruelty and the Beast" is a concept album that follows the life and crimes of Hungarian Countess, Elizabeth Bathory. Compared to "Dusk... and Her Embrace" this album is not as gothic inspired, as this band never repeats itself. I would deem "Cruelty and the Beast" to be a more accessible album than its predecessor, as Dani Filth's vocals are more nurtured and he got a better grip of them this time. This means that the amount of screeching as been dialed down for a more diverse vocal, and this would also carry on to the band's next efforts. The line-up is almost identical to the previous album, the only change being Damien Gregori being replaced with Lector who only had a two-year stint with Cradle of Filth, leaving in 1999 to join Anathema. This album is sadly the last to feature Nicholas Barker, as he would later join Dimmu Borgir, but luckily they found a good replacement in Adrian Erlandsson. A common subject that often divides people when it comes to "Cruelty and the Beast" is the production. Somebody loves it, somebody hates it, and somebody is not too bothered by it. When reviewing these older titles, I try to exhume my memory and recall how I felt the first couple of times listening.

The sound of the drums definitely sounded odd to me back when I first was exposed to this record. Nowadays I do not have a single complaint with the production, but I guess that is something more than 10 years of listening will do to you. Some describe the drums as sounding like a typewriter and I can see where they're coming from, and it will come down to your first expression and/or if you can get accustomed to them. But hey, it is not like the early Bathory and Sodom records sounded great, is it? Some tracks from the album were actually re-mastered for the "Lovecraft & Witch Hearts" compilation in 2002 where they definitely adjusted the sound of the drums. As always, there is a lot happening on an album by this band and in the end, I am quite happy with the overall mix and sound of the instrumentation. Robin's bass is never left out and stands tall right next to the guitars, adding a satisfying depth to the music and helps elevating its sound. Lector brings some fantastic elements with him into Cradle and this album would not have been the same without his outstanding performance. A performance that is not out shunned in the mix, and together with the entire band it brings a dark and sinister atmosphere to the table. The guitar duo, Gian and Stuart, do not disappoint and just like on "Dusk... and Her Embrace" their work and riffs are simply incredible, and delivered with a great sense of variation. Unlike the guitar work on the previous album, you will not find as many '80s heavy metal inspired riffs, instead the band took a more extreme approach. And let us not forget the cast of three female vocalist providers who also appear on the album. Sarah Jezebel Deva with her atmospheric harmonies is an important ingredient when it comes to classic Cradle of Filth. Danielle Connington makes her last appearance on a Filth album, this time depicting a young Elizabeth Bathory. And last but definitely not least, we have the classy Ingrid Pitt lending her voice as the elder incarnation of Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth, mysterious. Cruelty brought thee orchids, from the bowels of the abyss."

Cradle of Filth shines the most when their albums follows the path of a concept album, instead of a more regular lyric driven album, and "Cruelty and the Beast" is the magnum opus of Cradle of Filth to pin-point just that. The structure of the music is once again varied and exciting, and that is a key point when making songs that reaches the length as they do on this record. Not two songs sound the same, which is a trademark of these notorious Brits. Most noticeable is the icing on the cake: the lyrics. Loaded with imagery and an outstanding structure, Dani Filth shows a remarkable talent with his poetry-inspired lyrics. Together with his distinctive vocals it is a perfect match and I cannot recommend it enough, as with many other works by Cradle, to sit down and read the lyrics while listening to the music.

A track like "Thirteen Autumns and a Widow" still manages to raise the hair on my neck and arms when it slowly builds up to the last stanza, and the double pedal kicks in together with the keyboard driven music. It never fails. "Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids" is a long-time favourite among fans, and for very good reason. The guitars is a big part of this, as this track is without a doubt the heaviest on the album and you'll see why just after one-and-a-half-minute into the song. Now to a track that I always used to skip back in the day, but now I find it essential to the story, and even the music of this album. The song in question is "Venus in Fear". This interlude track only features orchestration for the music part and then it features a moaning Elizabeth satisfying her lesbian fantasies and her excessive killing of young women who you can hear screaming for their lives. Speaking for myself, it was very provocative to listen to back in the day. What this brings to the album is, that after "Venus in Fear" the music becomes more extreme, as you're pummeled in the face with "Desire in Violent Overture", and lyrically Elizabeth's killings starts to mount afterwards. In short: A turning point for the album, both musically and lyrically. "Bathory Aria" is definitely a track worth mentioning as Cradle of Filth manages to pull off a track lasting for 11 minutes and not failing on delivering a marvelous and exciting composition. It is something that should simply be listened to instead of explained.

"Thirteen chimes of ancient strain, I conjure forth with dirge that fills the void with timbred pain, to fulfil my sexual urge."

I would definitely recommend that you go through this album from start until finish, just as you do not open a book and start at chapter five. This is a truly outstanding and exceptional listening experience. It's a shame that so many people hate this band on principle and almost as a trend. This album is without a doubt Cradle of Filth's magnum opus as everything reaches a higher level. A fantastic album where every member performs exceeds their potential delivering an album that has given me chills in the past, and will continue to do so in many years to come.

"Forever severed from the thrill of coming night, where slow death alone could grant Her flight."

R.I.P. Ingrid Pitt, 1937-2010.

Written for The Legacy Reviews.

This was it, my first real and legit exposure to the ever-beloved, derided and controversial English vampire metal horde that, try as all sorts might, could not be ignored, and like so many other first album exposures this has stood the test of time. It has stuck with me over the years due to it, as well, being one of the very first extreme-styled albums I checked out when I first stick my toes into far darker waters than what thrash and modern metal provided. Though my getting the album was purely by accident, I later learned that anyone even minutely interested in black metal would find this band’s name plastered all over the place, as around ’98-’99 they still had some amount of clout within the genre, whether its more crypt-dwelling of fans and cohorts liked it or not. But at the time, it didn’t matter…what did was whether it was good or not, and as I soon learned, it was. It was fantastic, an aural beauty to behold, and even now I care not for where it sits style-wise and, blasphemous of me to admit it, I can still come back to this far more willingly than a lot of other extreme metal albums that came out around the same time. It had that much of an impact on me…

What made/makes this album work far better than what one would come to expect is its level of tightness, richly dark atmosphere and higher rate of cohesion than what earlier albums had. The previous work, “Dusk…and Her Embrace” has the vampiric night vibe down cold, but it was bogged down that tiny bit by way of wayward arrangements. Not so here. Everything feels just right, moving in one direction and not dicking about with anything less than full-on menace. Taking that perfect marriage of gothic flair, orchestral dramatics and black metal intensity, Cradle of Filth (copyright 1998) have provided one of the best soundtracks to nyctophiliac wonders off its presentation and aura alone. The group goes about it the right way by making the keyboards the central musical figure, basing almost everything off its candle-lit lines of varying moods and voices, with the guitars, bass and drums doing their own part to play off the foundation provided. They have never done their best work off riffs and leads alone, even in their earliest days, and always seemed more at home creating soundscapes than thrashing your fool head off, and they’d not done it better than here, with this. There’s just so much musical meat on the corpse’s bones that even repeated listens over years upon years still warrant the same amount of entertainment and nightly thrills it did upon first glance.

It feels so timeless, so bursting with wicked creative juices and bestial brutality, every little part working so well with one another (even Dani’s screeching fits the stylistic bill better than any other vocal approach he could have done). Cardboard production issues and the occasional misstep song aside, the band comes at the listener with full force like a tidal wave of depthless shadow, rendering all forms of light (natural, holy, or otherwise), save for moon-borne, gone without a trace. Blinding violence and gentle autumnal winds grace its poor victim in almost equal amounts, sometimes within the same song (its dual features in “Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”, “The Twisted Nails of Faith” and the monstrous “Bathory Aria”, to name a few), all of which play in perfect concert for the subject’s own decline into relentless insanity; though “Cruelty…” is a concept based off Countess Elizabeth Báthory, it’s not a fact-by-fact textbook lesson so much as a horror film reimagining, complete with basing itself off the main character in name only and throwing in as many sacrilegious and dark terrors within its setting. It becomes a monster all its own, brought to life by way of Poe-etic odes and generous wordplay no other band at the time shot for, black metal-oriented or otherwise (only fellow countrymen Bal-Sagoth were able to beyond simple lyrics and into the realm of thesis papers). It was such an interesting twist on a gimmick and image that, during that time, was starting to become overwrought old hat, and one could find themselves drawn in and able to craft their own mental image of the horrors to come. Thus has always been the best method of storytelling, if I may say so, and Cradle of Filth proved themselves to be as adept as undead traveling bards as they are ghouls haunting ruined churches and graveyards. If anything, going down such a path has always made their outputs far better than regular, lyric-driven albums, with this being the best example of the lot.

All in all I found this an absolute masterpiece, one of the very few times CoF ever took themselves seriously and made sure we did as well. The years have been very kind to this collective of blackened blood-letting anti-hymns, and even though theirs was a path that twisted and turned a few too many ways, I still come back to this if’n the desire to unleash the inner vampire out for a night or two becomes too great.

Are Cradle of Filth good? Are Cradle of Filth bad? Are Cradle of Filth really responsible for their own actions? And so on, ad infinitum, until we all get bored and just don't care anymore. I bought most of CoF's albums when I was a good few years younger, at a time when the mild extremity and semi-pornographic album booklets and lyrics had more of a lure than they do now. For pictures of hot women in their death throes, 'Cruelty and the Beast' is rather a failure compared to some of CoF's later albums (one contest where 'Nymphetamine' and 'Damnation and a Day' are actually winners), though the music on offer here is much closer to their black metal roots than on any subsequent offering, since 2000's 'Midian' toned down the long tremolo riffs and blastbeats. I'm not the most ardent black metal fan in the world, but I'm aware that some of what followed was pants, so that's the first advantage for 'Woman with 1960s fringe in a bath of blood' album.

The riffing style on this album may be partly alien to many of CoF's latter day fans, with its drawn out, sweeping atmospheres, classic melodies, and greater extremity. I'm not sure exactly where to place CoF in black metal's pantheon and I'm not completely sure whether 'Cruelty and the Beast' is a black metal album, but I hear more similarities to Emperor than any other classic black metal band, despite the similar ages of both bands. I don't believe that Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir sounded particularly similar at this point in their careers, though the keyboards are a noticeable presence on this album, sometimes downplaying the guitars to the extent that the six-stringers must have been crying out in frustration. Other than the whole black metal debacle surrounding CoF, there are some noticeable death metal-influenced parts with a heavier, broader guitar tone and less atmospheric delivery that to my mind belong distinctly to this band alone. Then there are numerous softer parts, where we come close to gothic doom: during these passages, there is more emphasis on keyboards than anything else and Dani Filth gets to do his storytelling pervert voice, which becomes dull at points yet breaks up otherwise long songs into manageable pieces of heaviness and moodiness.

The whole point of CoF has always been not to be restrained by the specific subgenre into which they planted their seeds and to increase the drama, emotion, and general complexity of extreme metal. Reading the lyrics of albums like this usually satisfied me, because Dani Filth is a masterful lyricist, even if he doesn't quite understand the phrase "over the top": 'Cruelty and the Beast' is finally an album on which his vocals are audible, getting rid of that annoying shriek through which he could be saying absolutely anything. Let's have a quick peek at 'Desire in Violent Overture':

"An emanation of phantom madness
The Countess beheld in shroud
By girls bereft of future vows
Soon to wed in white the frosted ground
Burning like a brand on the countenance of god
A yearning took Her hand to His Seraphim, bound"

This is pretty par for the course from our friend Dani - depravity, death, sex, irreligion. You may get tired of his subject matter pretty quickly, but there's no denying that he is a poet and that he has a mastery of rhyme, rhythm, and excess like few others in metal. His vocabulary and innuendos impress, even if the end result is as subtle as a concrete dick (from which I hope he won't take ideas).

Problematically, now that we can hear some of the things he's saying, a little of the aggression drops from the music and takes away the thrust of the meaning. The drums are produced so weakly that the riffs lack the bite they should have, while the keyboards are overwhelming at moments and are calming rather than atmospheric. I agree with Natrix below who simply writes 'Typewriter Drums' - that's correct. The guitar tone is great, if a little quiet, and the bass gets surprisingly broad usage, especially during the slower sections, where it is needed to give some kind of anchor to the sound. The band sound best at quicker paces, since the fast sections have more varied riffs and the melodies are very good, but the slower sections are poor and all to the same purpose.

As such, shorter songs would be welcome. 'Desire in Violent Overture' is not the best song on here, but it sounds better because it's the only one under five minutes. On the other hand, all the interludes are shit and serve little purpose; it's like the band couldn't work out how to break their compositions into digestible pieces, so they randomly inserted fragments of half-baked ideas. The two opening songs are both strong, while the closer and 'The Twisted Nails of Faith' are worth your time, but that's a low success ratio for a fairly long album - we're talking about half an hour of good music with some slightly poor production. CoF come out of this one just about intact: it isn't better than the previous album, or the next one, but there are some parts to recommend.

Upon a few listens to I'd have to say that the music far outweighs the mixing and is far better if some instruments didn't outweigh the guitar melodies. An epic and well written album, but the mixing as I said kind of killed it. The guitar was not well heard and I know that COF is extreme gothic metal, however, they still should take pride in recording an album that surpasses it's predecessors. On Cruelty, the vocals and lyrical content were superb, just the guitar work needed not to be drowned out by the vocals, synthesizers and drums. They just made a mistake in that respect otherwise my rating would be far much higher than It is.

There are tempo changes galore and the music fit well with aura of the essence, but most of the changes had to do with synthesizer overtures, not so much in the guitar melody orchestrations. A lot of songs were epic in the fact that they seemed to be more focused on the aura of the album, a desolate, ambient, and captivating essence of a gem. The lengthy songs were devoted to an atmospheric kind of feel and it suited I guess what their focus was which seemed to amylate an evil vibe that took place on the bulk of the album. This is totally extreme gothic metal here and the guitar work wasn't as emphasized here than other past releases.

I had to accept the fact that this is not COF's really noteworthy guitar work like on Dusk, but merely an evil and transient orchestration of blackness, darkness, inexplicable revelation that meshed well with their gothic focus. Dani's voice contained a majority of high-end screaming mixed with burley low-end growls that seemed to pop up on occasion during the songs. The synthesizers pathed the way towards the recording, again, not the guitars. Female vocals were present too, so relevant to expand on the gothic "feel" to this eclipse. I'd have to say that they did a lot of experimentation that I think got blinded if you looked for more of a guitar based aura.

My opinion of the album improved on repeated listens to because I was behind on the philosophical metaphysics of artwork and transient binding of other uses of the guitar, relying more on the synthesizers and achieved a monumental overture of utter gothic annihilation. To conceive of this album as being poor in songwriting style, that would be an injustice to the band when it seemed like they wanted a more epic sounding feel or vibe instead of one focused on the guitars to revolutionize it's essence, when in reality it didn't seem like they really attempt to achieve and ambient sense of purpose.

I'll make the statement that yes, the drums pounding away especially the snare was a tad bit annoying, but it didn't dominate the recording, it simply meshed into the release quite well upon my contingency. Totally evil and despondent release here, which deviated from the norm and seemed to represent the gargoyles of doom. To tell you what to expect musically is a constant sauna of transient, epic, estranged epiphony of sounds like never heard before. It remains in my estimation to get an average rating though because I believe that gothic metal should emphasize more on the guitar overtures, not a weighty amount of synthesizers leading the way for a metal band.

Dani's voice seemed to have a high utmost apocalypse that was tainted with an echo filled sound to it only to drive it away with low end burly bits and as mentioned some guest female voice that dominates the aura that the album keyed off. This is extreme gothic metal revisited like a combination or what the first few albums depicted, but mixing it with all different kinds of sounds coming in from everywhere. A spellbinding apocalypse, blissfully filled with an evil sense of the end of the world in mind upon the main focus that the band achieved on here. I'd have to say a great effort, just not a favorable overall rating, but just average. I expected more guitar oriented bits and got jaded by it's nonexistence,

I started this review almost a year ago today, and it took me a lot of time to actually remember a reason why I wanted to do this. Perhaps its because I feel like this album gets far too much slack for what it actually is, and because of the band that now represents a giant zit on the face of the genre of Metal as a whole. Perhaps it is their own fault and any good they have done in the past is deservedly overlooked for the trash they release every other year.

However, I actually kind of like Cruelty and the Beast. The dark and terrifying tale of Elizabeth Bathory, her bloodlust, her infamous brutalizing of virgins for their blood in an attempt to reach some perverted fountain of youth, and her descent into madness. Now the keyword is clearly "Kind of" this album is not without faults, but it is not beyond recognition. What Cradle of Filth has done here is craft a very interesting and devious concoction of extreme metal coupled with extremely concise, clear, and clever lyricism. Dani Filth is a lot of things, but he is a very good lyricist. Be it detailing a lustfilled encounter between Elizabeth Bathory and a man she meets at a ball, in "Beneath the Howling Stars". The butchering of one of the many young women, and the subsequent bathing, and even getting a sexual thrill from, in the young women's blood, in "Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids." As such it becomes clear that this has always been the mode of operation behind Cradle of Filth. Perverse themes that tie into corruption, rage, royalty, and blood lust (see my pun?)

However, there are lots of problems with this album that prevents it from scoring a high grade, in my book. First, the production is terrible. This is one of the most poorly produced albums I have heard in years. Some people like the really leaky and echo-y production. But it sounds like Nick Barker's drums are too flat, and his bass drums are too triggered. The bass is completely lost in the mix, and the guitars are either simultaneously toned down or have too thin of a noise. Often times the only things that come out, powerfully, are Dani's vocals and the synthesizers.

I am sure I am not in the minority when I say Dani Filth's singing becomes incredibly taxing, and quite frankly, annoying after a few minutes. The majority of his vocals sound like an already high pitched, and yipping, Pomeranian getting kicked over and over. Then when he tries to lower his vocals into a darker growl, it sounds as though someone is pretending to be a pilot on a commercial airline, addressing the passengers,with how much his lyrics end up slurring together and becoming incoherent. Its just terrible and the fact that music around him can be so poorly produced, it makes a majority of the song just him yelping into the microphone while a weak and heavily triggered double bass tries to keep rhythm.

I actually am a fan of the interludes on this album, they set a haunting scene, and do a better job than most songs in general, of describing what is going through the head of Elizabeth Bathory. Some of the more haunting ones, like "Venus in Fear," feature a haunting melody playing to the sound of a woman being butchered to death. Through these interludes you can feel the hatred and blood lust boiling in the eyes of Elizabeth Bathory.

The album comes to a head when "Bathory Aria" picks up. A long song that brings the entire story of Elizabeth Bathory to a head. The better part of this song, is the finale when Sarah Jezebel Deva, the female background singer, narrates Elizabeth's final moments of insanity being forced to live alone and in seclusion in his castle where her beauty slowly rots away. Surprisingly the entirety of the album went along a lot faster than I had originally anticipated. Though, again, it seemed as though I was paying attention to reading the lyrics moreso than being interested in the poorly produced music.

Thats really the summary of the album. Its very well written, and there are occasional gems, such as "Beneath the Howling Stars," and "Thirteen Autums and a Widow," but once again its so poorly produced and the annoyance of Dani Filth's vocals just make the rest of the album a real disappointment, not in that it was awful, but that it could have been so much more. Perhaps if the album was put together with a different band, or recorded even with a different vocalist and better production, on atleast the rhythm section, this would be more than salvageable. As it stands, when the final interlude "Portrait of a Dead Countess" concluded, I felt satisfied as though the album wasn't a complete waste of time. Another example of an artist structuring a theme and creating an interesting concept for an album and keeping a listener interested.

Countess Báthory Erzsébet and Cradle of Filth have something in common. Elizabeth purportedly murdered young virgin girls to bathe in their blood and ensure her own immortality. Thus, one might conclude that she was one of history's 'vampires'. Dani Filth and his merry band of Gothic outcasts also wanted to be vampires, pretty hard. Just look at their pictures, in and out of their album packaging from the 90s. So it's only too fitting that the one might create a tribute album to the other, and this manifest rather early in the UK band's career, with '98's Cruelty and the Beast, an album that arrived during the estimable height of their popularity, as smoke shop haunting mall teens began snapping up their t-shirts and pissing off their families, friends, and clergy.

Cruelty and the Beast is vintage Cradle, performing in that confused blend of black and Gothic metal aesthetics that caused one of the biggest rifts in the band's once cult following. Primarily, this is a symphonic black metal in the vein of Emperor or Dimmu Borgir but with a lot more ingredients of traditional or power metal riffing thrown into the mix. You'll still get a lot of the band's vicious tremolo picking speed akin to Dusk and Her Embrace or the debut, dowsed in synthesizers, choirs and Sarah Jezebel Diva's operatic backups, but it certainly seemed here that the band were content with 'stretching' themselves and their Romantically adorned lyrical concepts into a wider array of moody, historical haunted house flavors and Dani Filth's schizoid garden of snarls, grunts and growls back when the guy could actually pull most of his 'character' off on stage.

When it works, as with the excellent "Desire in Violent Overture" (one of my individual favorites across the band's discography), it truly excels. A firm escalation of violent, spattered riffing born from black and grind is slathered with wild leads and a blast bridge (about 1:00 in) that explodes into this glorious, Iron Maiden-like dual power metal melody. I don't like the actual production of the drums on the album, but Nicholas Barker blasts and double basses with the best of them regardless of its rather hollow sound. Other highlights here would be "Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids", a thundering atmospheric piece which swaggers about numerous tempos; "Beneath the Howling Stars", which has some of the better faster picked riffs on the album and the band's heavily symphonic, Gothic centerpiece "Bathory Aria" which manages to survive 11 minutes of existence without trampling the listener into a puddle of muddy mascara.

Unfortunately, not all tracks here are created equally, and there are a few like the post-intro opener "Thirteen Autumns and a Widow" or "Lustmord and Wargasm (The Lick of Catharsis)" which amount to little more than scatterbrained fits of Goth-core that bite off a little more than they can actually chew. The intros and interludes are fitting enough symphonic ligaments for this sort of conceptual beast, but aside from possibly the intro ("Once Upon Atrocity") they seem a bit foppish and forgettable. The instruments are all well defined in the mix, and yet I admit I would have gone out for a more fulfilling guitar and drum tone, both of which often feel as if they're about to drown under the overflowing tub of bloodshed created by the vocals and keys. The ensuing effort Midian handled this range of elements and instruments far better, though it was a superior album all around.

As usual, one of my favorite ingredients to a Cradle of Filth album are the lyrics, and those written for Cruelty and the Beast might number among Filth's very best, loaded with imagery worthy of the saga's idealized, part-fictional Hungarian backdrop and the horrors of this particular noblewoman's sanguine vices. A smutty, seductive play upon the classic styles of poets like Wordsworth, Milton and Gray, and there can be no question of the effort spent in scribing them. It's a shame so many people hate this band on principle, since I feel that even their vocal opposition might enjoy thumbing through the lyrics themselves. All told, this is the album the Brits really needed to make in this period: dynamic and slightly more accessible than the last, yet not abandoning the ripping speed and chaotic conflagration of the band's earlier vision. It suffers a bit from inconsistent writing and being 'flanked' by superior works (Dusk, Midian), but there are at least a few examples here of properly drawn virgin plasma to soak in through the years.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

Following the same note as Dusk and Her Embrace, Cruelty and the Beast brings forth even more vampire-themed Symphonic Black Metal, but this time there are some differences from the previous release. First of all, there are even more orchestral strings on this one. Secondly, Dani's vocals have become much better and his screeches aren't annoying this time. And last, but certainly not least, the lyrics revolve around countess Elizabeth Bathory's life, describing it in chronological order, as opposed to the lyrics from Dusk, who just offered us different stories about vampires, without being able to connect them in some way. Now let's get to the actual album.

Once Upon an Atrocity is a calm instrumental which begins with Sarah's low-note chanting, sounding almost like an Orthodox Christian choir. Truly creepy! Makes you feel as if you're trapped in a dark chamber in some medieval castle. The strings soon join, and they add more to the epic atmosphere, which sets the mood perfectly for the next song. Thirteen Autumns and a Widow has one of the best intros I've heard in a long time! It starts with synthesized choirs from the keyboard, to which the drums and guitars play a bit. When Dani comes in with his first screech, the drums play some great headbangable beats! And to make it even more awesome, Sarah Jezebel Deva joins in with her beautiful voice, singing the same song that the keyboard choirs are playing. Then Dani begins his growling and other stuff as the instruments and Sarah repeat the riffs with which the song began. Afterwards, the rest of the song is good ol' tremolo picking and Dani screeching. The ending, however, is a slower version of the intro, having some low-note choirs being played by the keyboard and Dani whispering here and there. But even so, the song manages to keep its slow tempo until it ends. Good opener for an amazing album!

Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids is the title track and one of Cradle's most played songs ever. And on its own right! This song is a masterpiece, and my favorite from the whole album! It starts with Sarah playing Elizabeth Bathory's role and speaking with an imposing voice: Hear me now! All crimes should be treasured if they bring thee pleasure somehow! Then the tremolo picked guitars come in, along with Nicholas' insane drumming. Dani comes in and growls a bit, and then the best part of the song starts. A horror movie like orchestral string riff comes in, and Dani whispers a bit. Then the riff is continued, this time with the rest of the instruments playing along it. Dani keeps narrating Elizabeth's story as well. Then the guitars continue their tremolo picking for some time, but not for long, as the strings make a fast return. That is when Dani practically sums up Elizabeth's story with the following lyrics:

"Raped of faith, She now embraced
The narcissistic unrest frozen on the mirror's face
With this disdain, inside these veins
(Highborn wanton that She was)
She sought to keep what age would claim
Her soul was sold and for this toll
Reeking pyres ever smouldered
On the whims of one so in control
Elizabeth, mysterious.
Cruelty brought thee orchids
From the bowels of the abyss"

This moment of pure epicness has no words to be described. After that ends, the guitars play some semi-heavy riffs and Dani screeches. You find some string parts here and there, and then we reach the song's bridge: a piano riff, whose catchiness makes you want to dance. The rest of the instruments, along with Dani's voice, add more epicness to that. Once the bridge is over, the riffs before it are played once again. This time we also have Sarah Jezebel Deva interpreting Elizabeth's role once more, as the countess was raping naked virgins before killing them for their blood. Again more riffs are repeated, and then we reach to the album's climax moment: the drums and guitars are playing, more brutal than ever, and then Dani screeches more than once: Cruelty and the Beast! The haunting string riff from before returns once more, everything creating a perfect atmosphere for the moments when Elizabeth tortured and killed those innocent girls. Then the guitars play more tremolo picked riffs, and afterwards we just have the drums, bass, keyboards and Dani. The keyboards play a different symphonic riff, which helps you imagine Elizabeth bathing in the blood of the girls she just killed. Dani repeats the lyrics which I've copy/pasted above, and then the haunting string riff comes back one last time. Then the keyboards, guitars and drums slow down a bit and Dani screams the word 'abyss', thus ending one of the band's masterpieces. Congratulations, Cradle of Filth, for making such a fantastic song, and one of my top favorites!

Beneath the Howling Stars starts with some strings. The instruments soon join them and play some fast riffs. Dani joins in and screeches here and there. There are also some few instrumental breaks, where you can only hear Sarah's singing and the bass. On those moments, Dani would scream 'Beneath the Howling Stars!', and things would get fast once more. By 2:23 we reach an organ interlude. It's probably the only church organ part in this whole album, and an awesome one indeed! It helps you see better the night ball at which Elizabeth attended which is described in Dani's lyrics. Sarah also joins in with some clean vocals. Once the organ riff is finished, a piano one starts, with Dani and Sarah singing/screeching beautifully. After the interlude finishes, we get some faster strings here and there, and also some beginning riffs repeated until the song ends. Venus in Fear is one of Cradle's creepiest instrumentals, ever! At first it may seem it's just another string instrumental, but soon you will hear the tortured screams of the virgins which Elizabeth killed AND the countess' sighs as she is about to have an orgasm. Truly a sick track!

Desire in Violent Overture returns the usual speed and screeches that we are used to with Cradle. Occasionally we get some keyboard melodies, but that's really all I can say about this song. The Twisted Nails of Faith begins with a creepy horror movie-like string intro, which also features a speech from Ingrid Pitt, Elizabeth Bathory's actress in the movie Countess Dracula. Then everything becomes heavy, and we also get Dani screeching as always. After a few minutes of heavyness, a cool string riff comes and everything is then built up around it, including Dani's vocals. Then the guitars stop and we can hear Dani whispering as the drums and piano accompany him. Afterwards everything gets heavy again and soon ends.

Bathory Aria is the second masterpiece off this album, right after Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids. It has all the great elements to make it a black metal symphony. It begins with Sarah's beautiful choir singing, once again sounding like a Christian choir, and she is soon followed by a mournful piano. Dani whispers a bit and when all the instruments join, the whispers become shrieks. Also, orchestral strings join the piano in playing the same mournful riff, making everything a delight for the ear. Once the strings cease to play, the song gets faster, not without Dani doing his typical vocal work. Then the guitar plays some tremolo picked riffs, and all the instruments join in again, but the speed does not remain for too long. In the following riff, Dani mostly speaks with his deep voice, as the drums play some catchy stuff. These elements are repeated until we reach the middle of the song. At 4:52 all the instruments, except for the keyboard, stop playing. Then you hear one of the most beautiful string piece ever, courtesy of Lecter's genius. It gives a perfect image of countess Bathory being on her way to her judges, which would soon seal her fate. The drums and guitars join, but with a much slower tempo than in the rest of the song. Dani screeches a bit more, and then we're left only with his voice, the drums and lead guitar. But not for long, as for once this riff ends, the orchestral strings join once again with the same beautiful riff. Dani screeches a bit to it, and then the speed returns once again. This is when Dani's vocals change from screeches and shrieks to growls. Afterwards, a piano plays and you can hear Elizabeth's accomplices being burned on the stake. Dani whispers something and then the final riff starts. It's a slow choir riff, with slow drumming and guitars as well. That's when Ingrid Pitt makes another return and delivers Elizabeth Bathory's final speech, making shivers fall down your spine. And thus, the countess has died and her soul had been taken "To peace, or hell for company". The only bad thing about this whole masterpiece is that at the very end, Dani just felt the need to do some useless screeching as all the instruments ceased playing. Portrait of the Dead Countess is the song that helps Bathory Aria to conclude the story. With even more mournful strings, this instrumental helps you imagine the corpse of countess Bathory as it had been discovered by the guard from the castle, as well as imagining her funeral. Truly epic feeling!

With all honesty, I'll tell you that Lustmord and Wargasm was a useless addition! They should've let the album end with Portrait of the Dead Countess, instead of adding this song which just has the rest of the album's elements, without anything catchy to add. All in all, this was an amazing listen, and one of Cradle's best albums! If I were to recommend it to someone, I would recommend it to avid symphonic black metal fans, vampiric metal fans OR fans of conceptual albums. This album is epic win on all these three levels. Sadly, it would be Cradle's final symphonic black metal album, but NOT their last great album.

Favorite tracks: Thirteen Autumns and a Widow, Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids, Beneath the Howling Stars, The Twisted Nails of Faith, Bathory Aria.

Cradle of Filth have produced seven albums proper in a career which now spans almost two decades. This album was their last release worth buying. “Cruelty and the Beast” does not really sound much like any other Cradle of Filth album. That is not to say it isn’t good; it is arguably one of their best.

The album is self produced, and whilst the quality is generally good, the drum sound is slightly tinny. This only really stands out after a good few listens, and this is compensated by Nick Barker who is actually a fantastic drummer.

Like most Cradle of Filth records, this is a concept album. It probably sticks to this concept more rigidly than the other releases (for example songs on “Midian” and “Dusk and her embrace” being loosely tied in to one lyrical theme) chronologically recounting the story of the blood countess Elizabeth Bathory.

Whilst the previous album, “Dusk…” was heavily influenced by a NWBHM sound (notably Iron Maiden), “Cruelty…” whilst keeping the heavy metal aura, has an overlying, sisters of mercy-esque, goth feel pulsing through it. This is a welcome change, as they haven’t simply tried to re-hash the preceding album.

Songs like ‘Thirteen autumns and a widow’ and ‘Cruelty brought thee orchids’ have remained fan favourites and firmly lodged in most live set lists since. More epic efforts ‘Bathory aria’ and ‘The twisted nails of faith’ provide a captivating and decidedly spooky sonic experience. Even the albums weaker moments (‘Beneath the howling stars’ ‘Desire in violent overture’) serve as exceptionally good examples of gothic black metal.

Countless bands aspire to producing this kind of material and attaining the success that Cradle of Filth’s own brand of ‘tongue in cheek’ black metal and industry savvy has earned them. This release marks the transition from quality albums to the instantly forgettable filler they produce now, and serves as an epic swan-song for most of the band's original fan base.

Stand-out tracks: ‘Thirteen autumns and a widow’ ‘Cruelty brought thee orchids’ ‘Lustmord and Wargasm – the lick of carnivorous winds’

Cruelty and the Beast, and the band who made it, is either loved or loathed. On one hand, fans praise this album as CoF's best outing and a harbringer of the band's sound, claiming it as an artistic coming-of-age; on the flip-side. those who never liked the band in the first place bash this album relentlessly, citing that the band's over-the top vampiric image had gone entirely too far, and that the music was vapid and weak. While this certainly isn't the band's best or worst offering, it has its faults which set it apart from everything else in the band's discography; which somehow seems to work in CoF's favor.

By no means does this album offer the epic soundscapes of the famous Dusk... and Her Embrace, which took gothic metal to a whole new extreme. CoF tamed a lot of things for this release: Dani's vocals are more in the style he uses now than the ear-piercing shriek seen on the preceeding album, and though the keyboards are still very much present in the mix, they've taken a backseat to guitar harmonies, leadwork, and Dani's incessant vocal patterns. The interludes/intros that CoF are known for still come through, though these one are not as spectacular as ones on later albums; they seem to serve the purpose of setting atmosphere than breaking the music up.

Another noticeable change is the production. Though everything is significantly clearer and more polished than the band's previous albums, the majority of passion and aesthetic is lost; Dusk... and Her Embrace placed the listener into a true Gothic atmosphere with its pseudo-classical flair and Byron-esque lyrics. Cruelty, on the other hand, seems more bent on brutality. Nick's drums are out front in the mix, maybe a bit too much for their own good; the bass drum is exactly the same level as the snare, so there's a non-stop pounding during the faster moments, especially "Desire in Violent Overture". Guitar work seems a bit more ominus in riff work, as seen on "Beneath the Howling Stars" and the sprawling "Bathory Aria". However, the classic Maiden-esque harmonies are still in full swing and work gloriously on "Cruelty Brought thee Orchids".

Despite the differences, this is an important release in the band's catalogue. Indeed, it was the beginning of the band's new sound. The songwriting methods have gotten slightly better; slower moments are more layered and tend to hold the listener's interest more, and the thrashy numbers have more variety. Since the keyboards aren't as obvious, the band achieved a greater sense of balance with the instruments.Furthermore, songs like "Thirteen Autumns and a Widow" have ultimately gone down as fan favorites and classic live songs. "Bathory Aria", though a bit overambitious and disjointed in the latter half, proved that the band did indeed have the balls, talent, and patience to compose a song of epic proportions that expressed the true nature of the album.

The guitar work is definitely one of album's high points. "Desire in Violent Overture" contains ripping lead work and scorching harmonies, while the aforementioned "Bathory Aria" takes the guitar work into more epic, emotional territory. The all-around atmosphere isn't as "gothic" as any of the band's previous songs, but still maintains a nostalgic, vampiric aesthetic. Wonderful harmonies weave webs around the listener on "Thirteen Autumns and a Widow", as well as the closer "Lustmord and Wargasm." Nick's drum skills are also of special note; he doesn't go apeshit here like he does in Dimmu Borgir, and does help to push the music along with swift battery and brutal double bass drumming while maintaining a degree of technicality with fills and rolls.

Cruelty and the Beast shows CoF's keyboards at their best before going cheesy. You won't find an excessive use of organs here, but instead a use of mournful string sections, powerful choirs, and some brass instruments. "Portait of a Dead Countess" is one of the best interludes the band has composed, and the waltz-like pianos on "Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids" helps bring a somewhat romantic flair back to the band's sound. "Beneath the Howling Stars" is one of the only songs to use organs, but not for an extended amount of time. Though this album doesn't have as much atmosphere, the keyboards still serve an integral role to the band's sound.

Dani's vocals certainly shifted gears. On the upside, his highs are much more restrained and comprehensible than the vocal work of the first two albums. His growls are still rough, but are better as well. There is some interesting layering here, and Dani does a wise job of crossing the highs and lows together. The lyrics certainly are long-winded and maintain the poetic flair of former works, but there is a larger use of metaphors, giving everything a cryptic veil of mystery.

Though it's certainly an oddball in the CoF discography, it's an important one; not just for the band, but also for metal.

Highlights: "Cruelty Brought thee Orchids", "Bathory Aria", "Lustmord and Wargasm".

The name of this album is Cruelty and the Beast, but actually, it just depicted half of its content. In my opinion, the most appropriate way to describe this one should be Beauty and the Beast.

Because in this album, cradle of filth had continued its style of pretty gothic black metal, which mixes lots of elements from other kinds of music, and makes the song itself sounds kaleidoscopic. Dani Filth¡¯s voice is adapted to the melodic song structure and many female voices that are used in this album. Actually, this one has many samplings of female sound, nearly making it a little over-polished. But you must admit, it matches their style very well. It does not sound like something of plethora, but becomes an important part of this album. With all of this samplings, beside the cruel black metal music, this album gains some erotic atmosphere, which is the most remarkable feature that cradle of filth had brought to the musical kind of black metal.

Compared to their earlier album, dusk and her embrace, this album became more fair-sounding and popular, and in some extent lost some essential spirit of black metal. The music can be accepted by much more people than some earlier black metal, and gives cradle of filth a success in commercialization. But, this is not the point we concern most, what we take care is the quality of the album itself.