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Cradle Of Filth: Nymphetamine
21/04/07 || The Duff
So Cradle of Filth have been lumped together with Dimmu Borgir as being the sellout, market whores of the black metal world. I like Dimmu to quite an extent, and as a result I’ve always wanted to see what these guys were all about. I would forever be catching glimpses of their videos on television (MCM’s Metal Zone, before it started its decline), and thinking that they sounded much like something I would enjoy so long as I could get my head around the vocalist’s tedious determination to wail away like a castrated rat.
Anything else I knew about the band revolved around the bandmembers’ fascination in filming women inserting razor-sharp violin bows up their vaginas, and Dani Filth being an ugly fucken midget. Oh yes, and the controversial signing to major label Sony. Well, as you can see, that didn’t last too long. I doubt, however, that the metal masses have found it within their hearts to consider Cradle of Filth redeemed for such an act, leading to their being known by and distributed to much greater numbers. Tsk, tsk.
The album opens up with a very typical to black metal, operatic introduction. Well, I can’t say I’m too fond of such things, but at least it grabs my interest by suggesting that something grandiose is to follow. Luckily, “Gilded Cunt” (the first real track) rewards my curiosity by being more than a solid opener. There isn’t much novelty to be found here, and the band comes across as a lot more docile than on previous offerings (from what I’ve heard), but Dani the Dwarf appears to have lessened his aggravating vocal approach and opted for something more guttural and therefore more attractive, thereby making my introduction to the band’s abilities a lot less unpleasant than originally feared.
The rest of the album is a mixed bag from here on. Every song offers at least one thing of worth, whether it be an enchanting synth section, a killer riff or surprisingly pleasurable (if a little flat) female vocals. However, there isn’t much on “Nymphetamine” about which to get passionate. I find myself growing accustomed to Dani’s performance, in the end warming up to his style (yes, even the gremlin shrieks) considerably, but his vocal attack is the band’s only genuine component that finds some connection to the black metal genre of which these guys profess themselves followers. Sure, there are keyboards that sound eerie, as well as samples, chants, violins and pianos that add atmosphere; but these are all fail safe methods to creating the dark and eerie atmosphere associated with the black arts (including goat-fucking, playing black metal and public masturbation).
The guitars remind me of a combination between straightforward thrash and melodic death metal, all fused with a hefty supply of old-style punk/rock; although this last is often the building block to most black metal, it doesn’t work as is supposed to on “Nymphetamine”, instead making things wearisome for a large part of the album.
I’m not going to give up on Cradle of Filth just yet, because they display some degree of talent on “Nymphetamine”; however, I’m willing to bet that I shall have more success locating where their potential truly lies by backtracking their official catalogue in the direction of their earliest efforts. Thirteen tracks could easily have been narrowed down to a more concrete number, because most of this album appears laboriously burdened with too much dull material swamping out the good stuff.
6 midgets with violin bows up their bums out of 10.
- Information
- Released: 2004
- Label: Road Runner
- Website: www.cradleoffilth.com
- Band
- Dani: vocals
- Paul: guitar
- Martin: keyboards
- Adrian: drums
- Dave: bass
- Tracklist
- 01. Satyriasis
- 02. Gilded Cunt
- 03. Nemesis
- 04. Gabrielle
- 05. Absinthe with Faust
- 06. Nymphetamine Overdose
- 07. Painting Flowers White Never Suited My Palette
- 08. Medusa and Hemlock
- 09. Coffin Fodder
- 10. English Fire
- 11. Filthy Little Secret
- 12. Swansong for a Raven
- 13. Mother of Abominations
