"From the haunted depths of the midnight Forest, bathed in ehereal moonlight, storm

forth CRADLE OF FILTH; Black Metal at it's most severe and avant-garde.

Poisoned by vampyric peversion and seeking glory in true Satanic tradition: TO

ENTHRONE DARKNESS TRIUMPHANT!

Proudly invoking the like of Celtic Frost, Bathory, Diamanda Galas and Mercyful Fate

amongst others, we create music as it should be; dark, lascivious, haunting and

majestic; the battle-hymn of the new imperium, songs that stir the bloods; it is the time

for empowerment. Combing this with the illuminatory genius that inspired the works of

Byron, Shelley, d'Annunzio, Nietzsche, Crowley, Stoker and Baudelaire; aural

nightmare scenarios that entitle us as the Only True Black Metal Band in the UK.

...So began Cacophonous Record's press introduction to "The Principle of Evil Made

Flesh", CRADLE OF FILTH's First Album for the label, back amid the early swirling

mists of 1994 when the band stepped from the shadows of the extreme music

underground and took the metal music press by the throat (or jugular, depending on

which way you look at it) with their raucous imagery and gothic, musical Flights of

Fancy.

Midst the whirl and rash of the rising Black Metal phenomena (flanked chiefly by the

nordic antics of bands such as Burzum, Mayhem and Dark Throne), CRADLE OF

FILTH swiftly carved a niche for themselves under the self-adopted banner of

"Supreme Vampyric Evil", playing their native England and abroad (with the likes of

Anathmea, At the Gates, Gorefest, Paradise Lost and Emperor) as prelude to the

debut album's release in late April of that year.

Originally scheduled for release nearly six months previous, the obscene (?) nature of

the artwork and harsh misanthropic philosophy behind the lyrics caused Cacophonous

unforseen problems with various companies, especially in America, although it did

appear that Cacophonous were a little unprepared for worldwide distributing and

therefore experienced some unnecessary teething problems. But more about this later

...

It was undoubtedly the eloquently titled "Total Fucking Darkness" promo tape (Dec

'93) that finally secured initial contracts with Cacophonous, but the band's funereal

imagery also, on a few occasions, preceded them in territories unfamiliar with

blaspemies such as "JESUS IS A CUNT" and photography depicting masturbating

nuns, amongst other poetically irreligious images. It would be wrong to solely accuse

the band of flirting with controversy (although trouble has erupted in the past

culminating in police intervention on more than numerous occasions); all associated

artwork is the photographic genius of the band's art director, Nigel Wingrove (Skin

Two, Redemption, Jezebel) who has worked closely with the group to accomplish

lavish visual stimuli on a monstrously erotic scale and it is his work, coupled with band

lyrical influence that has laid the foundations for VAMPEROTICA:- CRADLE OF

FILTH's darkened venture into the world of merchandising (see elsewhere for more

information), handling not only standard album shirt designs, but backlight posters,

American/Australian imports, stickers, patches and further morbid accessories.

On the musical front, CRADLE OF FILTH have only released one album to date, the

aforementioned "Principle of Evil Made Flesh", although during a period of litigation

with Cacophonous, a second album was recorded, entitled "Dusk and Her Embrace"

(Jan-March '95) which was won back from their awry clutches via a 12 month legal

wrangle, ending in November of last year. This Luciferian epic (clocking in at a

massive 70 minutes) was completed with a former line-up (see further on) and will

eventually be released upon the innocent later this year, a truly apt epitaph for the past

and an illustrious lightbearer for the future on a new record contract.

In the meantime, CRADLE OF FILTH's second "official" release entitled "Vempire -

Dark Faerytales in Phallustein" (technically an EP, although reaching 40 minutes in

length) will see the light of day at the beginning of April through Cacophonous:

something that the band is not entirely happy with, but legalities and the fact that this

recording will set them free from any further commitments to this label overrule any

prejudices they might secretly harbour.

Concerning this forthcoming EP, it may be interesting to note that the material

contained thereon is a collection of old and new material performed at breakneck

velocity (some, on hearing the advance tapes, have likened it to the intensity of

Slayer's "Reign in Blood" opus), utilising heavily-laden emotion and monumental

orchestration. The full tracklist for this masterpiece is as follows; Ebony Dressed for

Sunset, The Forest Whispers My Name (originally a track from "Principle...", now

re-vamped), Queen of Winter, Throned; Nocturnal Supremacy, She Mourns a

Lengthening Shadow (orchestra), The Rape and Ruin of Angels Hosannas in

Extremis.

For those of you unfamiliar with the activities of CRADLE OF FILTH over the

previous 12 months; - it was the success of the first album that led the original band

line-up to tour Europe and finally make it back alive to England to headline (with

Dissection and Ancient Rites in support) the infamous London Marquee, to rapturous

response.

It was at this point that metal publications such as Kerrang!, Raw and especially the

new, improved Metal Hammer began to feature CRADLE OF FILTH on a regular

basis - the band (although already sceptical about how Cacophonous was being run),

went into Zella Studios, Birmingham, for six weeks to create the impressively

evocative "Dusk and Her Embrace", which actually went without a final mix due to

ensuing litigation proceedings.

Europe beckoned again over twenty dates, headlining a tour featuring Malevolent

Creation, Vader and Ancient Rites, taking in Germany, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland

and Italy, as well as numerous Festival appearances in Portugal.

It was at this untimely point that the departure of guitarists Paul A and Paul R and

keyboardist Benjamin Ryan occurred; The Ryan brothers found to be totally

incompatible as friends and musicians, with obvious dissemination of group politics

and the encroaching legal charade ushering Paul A to leave and pursue his matrimonial

duties, with his newly-wed wife expecting a Devlin.

Subsequently, the Fiery Summer of last year bore little in the way of creative fruit for a

threepiece (Dark Immortal screamer Dani, Bassist Robin Eaglestone and Impaler

troop movement, Nicholas, keeping the nocturnal flame alight). It was only when the

Autumnal twilight descended, a new band line-up was finally announced to the

increasingly hungry media, the additions being Brian Hipp (an American formally of

Brutality) and Stuart Anstis (guitars) and Damien Gregori (keyboards).

With a legal settlement eventually reached and a sell-out concert at the London

Astoria (December 15, as part of Metal Hammer 4-play season), as well as guest

appearances presenting MTV's Headbanger's Ball two weeks in a row, plans were

then afoot to complete the sessions for "Vempire - Dark Faerytales in Phallustein".

However, tragedy reared her ugly head when Brian flew back to Berlin (where he

was based since quitting his previous band) for a major leg operation following a

serious car accident, leaving the band to complete the studio time with session

guitarist, Jared Demeter from December Moon. The band still remain a five-piece but

are looking for another guitarist for their forthcoming move to another record

company and a mini-tour in Portugal beginning mid-March in support of the EP. They

are also preparing to cover Slayer's "Hell Awaits" for Slatanic Slaughter Vol:2 (Black

Sun Recs) and are currently writing material for their third full length album." (MX -

the album "Dusk... And Her Embrace" is allready out)

(Written by Soror Proscelenos)