Cradle of Filth

Terrible band name. But I really like this band! One of my favorites from the Black Metal scene. They play Symphonic Black Metal with touches of Gothic Metal and Melodic Black Metal. Though some of their albums are different.

I just saw them live a few weeks ago - and it was a tremendous show! Great stage antics and the band is so tight! It's amazing the talent that this band has.

We all know that their lyrics are dark, but just for the record - this is not a satanic band. They are more of a gimmick than anything else.

But most of their fans (including myself) see them as a dark fantasy based band. Lyrically speaking - they are very dark - consisting of very sexual sometimes lyrics. Also - they sing a lot about vampires and other such gothic type themes.

Not for the faint of heart. I would also never recommend them to someone who closely watches what lyrics they allow into their speakers.

Please don't turn this into a thread of condemnation towards this band. I placed this in the secular section for a reason.

Who else likes this band? I know that Thomas and myself are fans. Anyone else? Let's talk about em! They've been around for 25 years now!

Oh yeah, I like CoF. ...including the band name.
I love their lyrics, but Dani has 2 masters in literature so that makes sense that they're the best.

Their earlier stuff is more black metal, but the newer stuff (since Midian) has had prominent death metal, thrash, Gothic, NWOBHM... they're so hybridized, I'd consider them to be Extreme Gothic Metal.

As much as I hate to admit that Carach Angren beats them at their own game (Dani even copies Seregor's look now for some reason), Cradle of Filth are certainly a staple to the scene and absolutely a force to be reckoned with.

My favorite albums, from absolute favorite to favorite:
Midian
Cruelty and the Beast
Hammer of the Witches
Vempire - Dark Faerie Tales in Phallustein
Bitter Suites to Succubi
Dusk and Her Embrace
Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder
Nymphetamine
Darkly, Darkly Venus Aversa

The other albums are pretty average, in my opinion.

Chthonic - Mirror of Retribution is every bit as good as CoF's Midian album, in my opinion.

Yup favs are Midian and dusk and Vampyre also damnation is good as well.

Damnation and a Day was too "spliced" to me.  I totally get that recording songs is more splicing pieces of tracks together so you can get it perfect, but at least make the guitars sound like they're from the same recording!

It was also to progressive.  ...like that Mannequin song. Way too happy sounding to be CoF.

RavenWolf wrote:Terrible band name. But I really like this band! One of my favorites from the Black Metal scene. They play Symphonic Black Metal with touches of Gothic Metal and Melodic Black Metal. Though some of their albums are different.

I just saw them live a few weeks ago - and it was a tremendous show! Great stage antics and the band is so tight! It's amazing the talent that this band has.

We all know that their lyrics are dark, but just for the record - this is not a satanic band. They are more of a gimmick than anything else.

But most of their fans (including myself) see them as a dark fantasy based band. Lyrically speaking - they are very dark - consisting of very sexual sometimes lyrics. Also - they sing a lot about vampires and other such gothic type themes.

Not for the faint of heart. I would also never recommend them to someone who closely watches what lyrics they allow into their speakers.

Please don't turn this into a thread of condemnation towards this band. I placed this in the secular section for a reason.

Who else likes this band? I know that Thomas and myself are fans. Anyone else? Let's talk about em! They've been around for 25 years now!

What makes a band Satanic? Is not one for Satan if one opposes Christ, even in jest?  Do you think at judgement day God will say, "I know you guys were just kidding, come on in"?

So if a band rejects christ because the members are another religion (jewish, islam, etc.) does that make them satanic..i would think that a band can only be satanic from a christian..or possible islamic...point of view...

RavenWolf wrote:Please don't turn this into a thread of condemnation towards this band. I placed this in the secular section for a reason.

And it begins............................

BearDad wrote:

RavenWolf wrote:We all know that their lyrics are dark, but just for the record - this is not a satanic band. They are more of a gimmick than anything else.

What makes a band Satanic? Is not one for Satan if one opposes Christ, even in jest?  Do you think at judgement day God will say, "I know you guys were just kidding, come on in"?

I agree with you BearDad but, it is the Secular section. If they wish to talk about this band no matter how evil it is, I dont think you should have started the "condemnation"

Savage Amusement wrote:So if a band rejects christ because the members are another religion (jewish, islam, etc.) does that make them satanic..i would think that a band can only be satanic from a christian..or possible islamic...point of view...

I mean no not Satanic, but the goal of the Devil is to keep people from Christ, and in most religions out there they have a origin of a angel coming to them or being given a "vision" and I dont think that was the Lord

So yes, technically Satanic does work


Anyway there's my fuel to the fire

I dont know...this whole satanic thing seems like a gimmick on the part of the band.... I actually like the controversy around this band and find their album covers and shirts intriguing...

Savage Amusement wrote:I dont know...this whole satanic thing seems like a gimmick on the part of the band.... I actually like the controversy around this band and find their album covers and shirts intriguing...

Over the years I've really come to like this band. They are more than just the 'image and gimmick'. They are very substantial - in that Dani writes very intriguing and intelligent lyrics. Not to mention - this band is VERY talented! Classically trained musicians - and symphonic elements are not easy to write - especially when incorporated in Black Metal! This band pulls it off - and does it well!

Oh goody it's been a while can I play too.....

RavenWolf wrote:

Savage Amusement wrote:I dont know...this whole satanic thing seems like a gimmick on the part of the band.... I actually like the controversy around this band and find their album covers and shirts intriguing...

Over the years I've really come to like this band. They are more than just the 'image and gimmick'. They are very substantial - in that Dani writes very intriguing and intelligent lyrics. Not to mention - this band is VERY talented! Classically trained musicians - and symphonic elements are not easy to write - especially when incorporated in Black Metal! This band pulls it off - and does it well!

They would like you to believe they are a gimmick, but believe me when I say Dani knows exactly what he is doing and writing. He is a very clever fella indeed.

Throne, are you saying that Dani is actually a Satanist? If you do a search online regarding this - he says he is not. Is he lying?

I really only know Cradle of Filth from the show The IT Crowd, I did check out some samples and what I heard was pretty good. A little too dark for me, lyrically, but the music was good.

truthfully who really cares what this band believes or preaches...we  are hear to talk about their music..not their personal beliefs...you either like them or you don't

Savage Amusement wrote:truthfully who really cares what this band believes or preaches...we  are hear to talk about their music..not their personal beliefs...you either like them or you don't

Very true my friend! Thanks for clarifying that! So many times we get so caught up in what each band believes. That is their personal choice! Just like we can exercise our personal choice!

RavenWolf wrote:Throne, are you saying that Dani is actually a Satanist? If you do a search online regarding this - he says he is not. Is he lying?

No I said he is a very clever fella, and that he knows exactly what he is writing, and that they would prefer you to think of them as a "gimmick", a sort of carnival act. It's actually quite..... delicious. Anyway research the lyrics and do a little research on witch craft if you wish to explore the inner realms of the Cradle. Outsiders think they are a gimmick, but those in the cradle know better. My point is if I was a Christian there is no way in hell I would listen to this band. Cheers. That said I really dig them myself. Enjoy, cheers.

Guest wrote:Terrible band name. But I really like this band! One of my favorites from the Black Metal scene. They play Symphonic Black Metal with touches of Gothic Metal and Melodic Black Metal. Though some of their albums are different.

I just saw them live a few weeks ago - and it was a tremendous show! Great stage antics and the band is so tight! It's amazing the talent that this band has.

We all know that their lyrics are dark, but just for the record - this is not a satanic band. They are more of a gimmick than anything else.

But most of their fans (including myself) see them as a dark fantasy based band. Lyrically speaking - they are very dark - consisting of very sexual sometimes lyrics. Also - they sing a lot about vampires and other such gothic type themes.

Not for the faint of heart. I would also never recommend them to someone who closely watches what lyrics they allow into their speakers.

Please don't turn this into a thread of condemnation towards this band. I placed this in the secular section for a reason.

Who else likes this band? I know that Thomas and myself are fans. Anyone else? Let's talk about em! They've been around for 25 years now!

Resurrecting this thread.
I LOVE CoF, and I like the name.
One of my fave bands. I don't own all their albums, but i own 8, used to have one of their albums but it got busted and haven't replaced it.
CoF aren't really *black metal* symphonic or otherwise. Though their first couple albums were pretty close.
They're more just an *extreme* metal band that unites aspects of several subgenres of metal along with a touch of goth.
You're correct in they arenr satanic, or at least not satanists they have some satanic songs but are about far more than that, theyre really a poetic gothic horror in subject matter.
Though Dani is does call himself a Luciferian (not a satanist). I suspect more than anything he's just a dark pagan,
But yeah, CoF are gods!
Alot of people find Danis vocal cat screeches off putting and annoying. Personally it can get overdone at times IMO, but the thing about Dani is that his vocal range is absolutely phenomenal and how he can go from one range to another so flawlessly...even still today after all these years. He and the band are one of the most unique bands in the annals of metal history.

I adore Cradle. And too, I am glad they didn't just stay tied to black metal roots, they're so much more.  They're their own unique being and Dani is an extremely clever and well overlooked storyteller.

Dustofyears wrote:I adore Cradle. And too, I am glad they didn't just stay tied to black metal roots, they're so much more.  They're their own unique being and Dani is an extremely clever and well overlooked storyteller.

Agreed. If they had pinned themselves down to only BM they'd have died out years ago, become stale. Their genius is in their multifaceted influences and approach to their art. There is no one like them, they arent just musical artists they are magickal artistes

I didn´t follow them when they started, but last few of their albums has been a keeper. 
Dani is a storyteller and the band is just getting better. 

I love their new work.

Stand against the wind wrote:I didn´t follow them when they started, but last few of their albums has been a keeper. 
Dani is a storyteller and the band is just getting better. 

I love their new work.

Weeelll, actually, I have to say I think their last 2 or 3 albums have become redundant musically, they sorta peaked on- godspeed on the devils thunder , and afterward started to kind of musically stagnate..Not that they've become crap or something....just that they've kinda become a parody of themselves and their music/sound hit a plateau and stopped becoming better and better after that point.

Contrarian Deist wrote:

Stand against the wind wrote:I didn´t follow them when they started, but last few of their albums has been a keeper. 
Dani is a storyteller and the band is just getting better. 

I love their new work.

Weeelll,  actually,  I have to say I think their last 2 or 3 albums have become redundant musically, they sorta peaked on- godspeed on the devils thunder , and afterward started to kind of musically stagnate..Not that they've become crap or something....just that they've kinda become a parody of themselves and their music/sound hit a plateau and stopped becoming better and better after that point.

Opinions are opinions. Tastes are tastes. 

I like the idea that they are not so "blackish" anymore, but more of a extreme band you cannot label too strictly into a genre, but heavy music.

Stand against the wind wrote:

Contrarian Deist wrote:

Stand against the wind wrote:I didn´t follow them when they started, but last few of their albums has been a keeper. 
Dani is a storyteller and the band is just getting better. 

I love their new work.

Weeelll,  actually,  I have to say I think their last 2 or 3 albums have become redundant musically, they sorta peaked on- godspeed on the devils thunder , and afterward started to kind of musically stagnate..Not that they've become crap or something....just that they've kinda become a parody of themselves and their music/sound hit a plateau and stopped becoming better and better after that point.

Opinions are opinions. Tastes are tastes. 

I like the idea that they are not so "blackish" anymore, but more of a extreme band you cannot label too strictly into a genre, but heavy music.

I agree. I know alot of fans of BM and their more BM albums from their early years -(which I also like, well....cruelty and the beast anyhow, their first two more BM albums were too under produced...which is fine for straight forward raw BM...but for their more eclectic sound it doesn't sound very good to my ears, and Midian in my personal favorite CoF album)- many of them didn't particularly like say Nymphetamine for example because it (and the next one after that album) had all but lost its BM sound for a more classical nwobm metal and goth influenced extreme metal sound...personally that album is one of my fave CoF albums.
I love that they defy and transcend easy categorization...as simply *extreme metal* too, kinda like Celtic Frost did (they were THE first such band).
Being a lover of all extreme metal subgenres and of classic nwobm metal and also appreciation of darker or heavier goth metal and some symphonic metal( I love Epica for example and love symphonic BM too), I love that CoF are the embodiment of em all.

Who would you say of all Christian BM or Christian extreme metal bands are closest in style or sound to CoF everyone?
I remember getting Frost Like Ashes first demo *pure as the blood covered snow* years ago and thinking it was...at least at the time, up till then, the closest comparison to CoF in Christian metal.
Thoughts?