Cradle of Filth

Formed in Ipswich, Suffolk, in 1991 and initially regarded as a death metal band for teenagers, Cradle of Filth has evolved into a more sought-after and accomplished atmospheric black metal. Dani Filth's band, whose line-up has been totally reworked on numerous occasions to suit his moods, is nonetheless one of the biggest sellers in its category, with albums as diverse as The Principe of Evil Made Flesh (1994) and Cruelty and the Beast (1998). Cradle of Filth are also known for their theatrical staging and outrageous disguises, and have alienated some of the black metal community for their commercial pursuits. Always highly conceptual, in 2010 Cradle of Filth released Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa, an album based on the myth of the demon Lilith. In 2012, The Manticore and Other Horrors is a particularly rich bestiary of monsters. The band, who enjoyed a symphonic period on Damnation and the Day (2003), return in 2015 to the aggression of their debut on Hammer of the Witches. This debut album for the Nuclear Blast label, inspired by 15th-century witch-hunting, was followed two years later by Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness of Decay, this time focusing on the Victorian craze for the supernatural and the macabre. In 2021, the somewhat apocalyptic Existence Is Futile was marked by the presence of a new singer, Annabelle Iratni, who gave way to Zoe Marie Federoff on the following album The Screaming of the Valkyries (2025), the first studio recording for Napalm Records after the release of the double Trouble and Their Double Lives in 2023.

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