Cradle Of Filth - Midian

Mark

Not blessed, or merciful
Apr 11, 2001
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Sarf Lundin, Innit
Cradle Of Filth - Midian
Music For Nations - 2000
By Philip Whitehouse


Britain's most well-known black metal band are back in action with their latest release, Midian. After all the trouble that led to frontman Dani Filth sacking and replacing most of the band recently, many were sceptical that Midian would live up to the excellent standards of its predecessors.
Well, Dani and co. have just hung those detractors from an upside-down cross, 'cause Midian rocks. From the instrumental opener 'At The Gates Of Midian' which segues right into storming first track proper 'Cthulhu Dawn', Cradle Of Filth lay on their best performance so far. Their progression has, it must be said, made them a far more commercially-viable band (which explains their imminent move to Sony as record label), but when the result is such wonderful metal as this, who can argue? The guitars are as viscerally frenetic as ever, the drumming incredibly tight and fast, and Dani's vocals (while toned down from previous efforts) are still breath-takingly versatile.

Cradle Of Filth are still not afraid of baiting the tabloids with potentially shocking material. Mid-album track 'Satanic Mantra' does exactly what it says on the tin, so to speak - its a chorus of a suitably demonic prayer rising gradually in volume until it assumes frightening proportions. It probably has the potential to shock those with nothing better to do than write letters to the Daily Mail, anyway.

The rest of us will enjoy the gothic imagery, revel in the bass-heavy, complicated song structures and ride on the soaraway vocals of black metal epics bettered only by Dimmu Borgir. Metal elitists will undoubtedly turn up their noses at this more commercial Cradle, but I personally think it sounds great. It makes a change to be able to understand some of the lyrics, I think...
 
Great review, but there is no way this band can be considered commercial in any way. System of a Down, Staind, Limp Biscuit (or Bizkit or however its spelled) Korn, and the like are commercial. CoF still grinds those losers into the blackened Earth!!!