CRADLE OF FILTH – Nymphetamine

Real corpse paint should also smell like a dead body. Some of the old-school “Black Metal is not for the mainstream” folks would probably agree on that. Still, though, British BM legends Cradle of Filth continue using facial grease which only smells like facial grease, and it probably won’t hurt their position at the forefront of modern BM. This album, at least, shouldn’t do anything to tarnish their stature.

This is as far from being brutal and inventive as Dani Filth is from being masculine, but as long it’s done well, then it’s okay with me. Although by no means a killer, this is still a very good album. With few exceptions, the material is strong, and although the band has gone for a more in-your-face production this time with more up-front guitars, the signature sound is still present (meaning: overall the chord progressions are so worn-out that the Salvation Army wouldn’t sell them … and in terms of brutality, this has more in common with Children of Bodom or Atrocity than Emperor or Mayhem. {There’s only two proper blast-beats on the entire friggin’ album, and then that’s stretching it!}).

Still, though, this is pretty good stuff in terms of songwriting. As far as things are concerned “Absinthe with Faust,” “Coffin Fedder,” and “English Fire” are the only tracks not up to par. The rest are all very good songs, with “Gilded Cunt,” “Nemesis,” the title track (with Liv Kristine from Theatre of Tragedy, Leave’s Eyes, et.al. on vocals), “Medusa and Hemlock,” “Swansong For A Raven” , and “Mother of Abdominations” being the top ones.

Although the guitarists Paul A. and James McIlroy are far from technically or musically brilliant, the (at times) very cool riffing and frequent twin guitar harmonies are very enjoyable, and Mr. Filth himself brings out squeaks and screams more reminiscent of a squirrel on Viagra than a grown up human being. Adrian Erlandsson once again proves he fills the (musically and physically) huge gap after Nick Barker, and all of this adds to the impression that there is still room for Cradle of Filth on the Black Metal scene. All hail for that!

By the way, looking at the promo pictures I finally realized where the US R&B group got the name “Black Eyed Peas” from …