CRADLE OF FILTH - NYMPHETAMINE
(Roadrunner)

Now here's the thing. Cradle of Filth have, in the past, struck me as a band who, like small children and female pop stars, be seen and not heard. Much as I admired their merry antics and unfailing devotion to the ancient art of winding up Middle England via their satanic persona, Redemption-supplied lesbo-vampire art and shocking 'Jesus Is A Cunt' T-shirts, when it came to actually listening to their music, I would make my excuses and leave.

So it is with some surprise, and a certain amount of pleasure, that I can report new album Nymphetamine to be reasonably agreeable. Goddamit, the opening song (if we disregard scene-setting atmospherics of Satyriasis) is pretty tuneful and catchy for a number glorying in the title Gilded Cunt, and this hitherto unheard knack to combine their gothic black metal aspirations with foot-tappers continues through the album.

Clearly, this is all relative: Cradle of Filth are fare from mainstream, even now, despite the complaints of some fans. But they are clearly maturing, as much as any band fronted by Dani Filth ever can. At it's best, the album shows the clowns who make up Europe's Symphonic Power metal bands how to really glory in self-indulgence without losing the plot, and on a couple of occasions are actually breath-taking - the title track, complete with female vocals from Liv Kristine Espanaes Krull manages to move from epic black metal excess to something akin to Nick Cave's incredible duet with Kylie Minogue, Where The Red Roses Grow.... and back again. Stunning.

So, a revelation, if not entirely perfect. Let's all raise a glass of absinthe to the boys and hope that this is the start of a new era.

DAVID FLINT

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