Murder Mistress
Steeped in history, mystery and infamy, Cradle Of Filth are entrenched in the very warp and weft of extreme metal and are now celebrating twenty -one years of lustful and mistrustful darkness with a sparkling re-release of the monolithic Cruelty And The Beast. A giant in the black metal archives, this sumptuous symphony is highly regarded and deeply respected to those with the intellect and gravitas to comprehend its ingenuity and cut -throat bestowal.
Gently coaxing us into their world of intrigue and enchantment, our friends who are armed with a sempiternal lexicon, begin with a musical canape if you will before launching into ‘Thirteen Autumns And A Widow’ and we discover our heroine Elizabeth Bathory – the Bloody Countess- has begun a tryst with the Devil himself and wreaks the most unholy havoc known to mankind, or unkind. In the year of our Lord 2019, we bear witness to images of the base, the obscene and hear foul utterances to depict a tale so hateful, so vile that it really is time to lock up your daughters.
‘Cruelty Bought Thee Orchids’ highlights the central theme here, the search for the elixir of youth, with the words ‘she sought to keep what age would claim’. We will all age, that is a fact, but it is how we accept it and move forward that is important.
A work that may not be deemed for polite society, but let’s not get too hung up on trivialities
when it is that same ‘polite society’ that is responsible for our current abhorrent state of affairs. ‘Beneath the Howling Stars’, sees the appearance of the Countess akin to the Greek Goddess Leto, methinks and we succumb to a ‘Desire In Violent Overture’ as the music leads us to the point of losing our minds with a killer riff at 4.13 on ‘Twisted Nails Of Faith’ and finally out of sheer desperation, clasp your hands to your thundering heart as it pleads to be torn out of your chest as the three-headed beast that is ‘Bathory Aria’ reveals itself in all its hideous, ghoulish glory. There is a brief but beastly interlude with ‘Venus In Fear’ but this only heightens the horror and menace of this brutal story. The narrative and referencing are edge of a cliff, dangling by your fingernails spellbinding.
I, for one, am completely obsessed and transfixed by this album, every second is worthy of your attention. It has a timeless elegance and endurance and is an area of outstanding natural beauty borne of the rolling hills of Suffolk. If you have an affinity to the dark side and find no offence in the ‘F’ word and ‘C’ word, then you’re right at home here.
A no retreat, no surrender approach to ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name’ a priceless diamond from the Iron Maiden back catalogue continues this whip-smart journey into the life of someone who is considered to be the most prolific of serial killers. We have a two -minute warning my friends in ‘Portrait Of A Dead Countess’ and ‘Lustmord And Wargasm’ finish whatever is left of your mind, body and soul.
It is indeed a full-blooded and full-bodied affair, ensorcelling all that cross its path, leaving you savaged and ravaged, in a shallow grave in the damp and dank forest floor.
If you ever find yourself alone with the moon, undressed, distressed and re-mistressed, a little cruelty perhaps… cuts like a knife.