### Cradle Of Filth: Thornography

#### 19/10/06 || Lord K Philipson

This is the first time ever that I review something from Cradle Of Fish. I don’t know when it comes to this band… Everyone bashes them and still they sell a shitload of albums, plays sold-out gigs everywhere and so forth. That means some people actually dig what they do. The main problem for me with Cradle is Dani’s vocals. I always hated his pig-screams while actually enjoying his lower register a bit. Musically, I always thought they did interesting things and they sure have a sound they can definitely claim their own.

I have no idea how many albums these guys released up until now, but “Thornography” (cool word-play, fo’sure) is where they are at today. I’m not sure what recording from these bad-teethed (they are from the UK after all) bitches I heard last but I get the feeling that Cradle’s turned a bit more melodic than usual on “Thornography”. To label The Filth black metal, as most people seem to do – both past and present, would be far stretched. I don’t think they ever belonged in that category. Wearing make up and putting on leather pants isn’t enough to qualify for that. I don’t really know what category to place them in to be honest. Sure, there are hints of black metal at times together with more regular heavy metal riffing and watnot. Yeah, the same concept as always. And it kinda fucken works.

I always dug the orchestrations that Cradle use. Together with that Hellraiser-fag (I guess it’s that bitch anyways. It sure sounds like good’ol Pinpenis) it creates a wicked atmosphere not that far away from what Dimmu Borgir is doing, only Cradle’s not anywhere as “evil” as their colleagues. The Brits are more like a theatrical musical soundscape.

As much as there are some really strong moments on this piece, there are also quite a bunch of weak ones. “Cemetery and sundown” is one of the latter. Among other things it holds a poor lead riff that goes nowhere. “The byronic man” includes a guest appearance by HIM’s Ville Penis, and that alone should be enough to understand it’s going to be quite weak. With all the great singers (I can think of at least 2) in the business, Ville really shouldn’t be the first pick for a guest spot. Let him fag around in HIM and keep him far, far away from the metal scene. “Dirge inferno” holds a catchy chorus and some axe-work that could be categorized as semi black metal, but it’s not ranking up among the better tracks of the album. Do I really have to mention the Heaven 17 cover when it comes to really, really weak moments? I didn’t think so.

To move over to some brighter moments… Instrumental tunes seldom work but “Rise of the pentagram” is a neat offering with a nice atmosphere to it. “Libertina Grimm” pounds its way thru and thru and if you ignore some of the weak Bathory-ish riffage it holds its own really well, especially when the neat twin-guitar harmonies enters the picture. “Lovesick for Mina” starts off with a quite fast, very catchy riff and then it turns into a slower offering that in the end turns out to be one of the stronger tunes on “Thornography”. The section clocking in around 5 minutes is real sweet with its pounding bass backing everything up.

What else?

Apply “pig screams”, “weak riffs”, “good riffs”, “ok solos and melodies”, “clownshoes” and “midget” to the rest of the tunes and there you go: “Thornography”.

If you liked Cradle before, you’ll like this.

7 out of fucken 10. “Under pregnant skies she comes alive like Miss Leviathan” is a killer title by the way.

- Information
- Released: 2006
- Label: Roadrunner
- Website: www.cradleoffilth.com
- Band
- Dani Filth: vocals
- Paul Allender: guitars
- Charles Hedger: guitars
- Dave Pybus: bass
- Adrian Erlandsson: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Under Pregnant Skies She Comes Alive Like Miss Leviathan
- 02. Dirge Inferno
- 03. Tonight in Flames
- 04. Libertina Grimm
- 05. The Byronic Man
- 06. I Am the Thorn
- 07. Cemetery and Sundown
- 08. Lovesick for Mina
- 09. The Foetus of a New Day Kicking
- 10. Rise of the Pentagram
- 11. Under Huntress Moon
- 12. Temptation (Heaven 17 cover)