Artist: Cradle of Filth
Label: Koch Records
Release Date: 10/31/00
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Title: Midian Artist: Cradle of Filth Label: Koch Records Release Date: 10/31/00 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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Abyss's Review:
Chances are, you either love Cradle of Filth or you downright despise them, there's very little room for middle ground when it comes to this band. I, personally, am fully on board, having enjoyed every release thus far. Let's face it, for my money there is no better supplier of goth-tinged, accessible black metal. Don't let all the pomp fool you, there is a great deal of talent within this band. Underneath the grand spectacle they present there are well thought out songs that mix groove and aggression as well as theatrics.
Photos by Cynthia PelznerMidian finds this band, the subject of head spinning line-up changes, continuing along the same vein as they were with the between-albums song, "From the Cradle to Enslave". That release brought us a kinder, gentler Filth which sacrificed some extremity for listenability. Melodies were made more a priority, and the guitar toned down a bit to give priority to Dani's seemingly never-ending vocal rants. And, although I wish Mr. Filth would allow the music itself to do a little bit more of the talking, this turn in their evolution has been very successful.
This formula continues in full force on their latest effort, which sports a handful of amazingly catchy songs that center around only a few riffs per song. My favorite so far is "Saffron's Curse", a song that grooves along with enough changes to prove this band is more than just a way to piss off parents. It is also Mr. Filth's best vocal performance on this disc, as it presents all of his different voices, from whisper, to growl, to scream. It will actually have you humming it in your head after the music stops, something uncommon within this genre. The Gothenburg scene seems to have had a influence as well, and seems right at home amongst the evil stage show.
The thing I like most about the modern Cradle of Filth is their ability to capitalize on their best characteristics. I believe this album to be a great mixture of the great riffs of the earliest years of this band, and the thickness of song and composition that is characteristic of their later work. This band continues to grow gradually enough so as not to leave any fans behind, but also fast enough to keep us all interested.
"This turn in their evolution has been very successful." This album stands as a testament to presentation, as well. Their keyboards, gothy and whispering, add heft to the songs even while they often seem distant and weeping, and theatrics haven't gone anywhere. There are enough chants, spoken words, and female vocals to keep the longtime fans happy. And while I find these gimmicks are becoming tired on many of the new releases I've heard recently, this album seems to have either the integrity or chops to make it continuously work.
Death's Review:
I have to get something off my chest. Why do so many people hate Cradle of Filth? And why is it usually for all of the wrong reasons? For instance, a recent bulletin board thread I saw was titled something like "Cradle of Filth - Blackened Mall Metal?" Blackened Mall Metal???? Are you crazy? The accusation is ludicrous. Whatever your problem with Cradle of Filth, they aren't anything even remotely resembling "mall metal." Like them or not, Cradle solidly dwell within the realm of extreme music. To suggest they are anything remotely resembling commercial radio-friendly material is really taking it way too far. Please folks, inject some rationality into your criticism.
Now, on to my own opinion of C.O.F. and Midian. On the plus side, I do admire the larger-than-life theatrical ambitions. And Dani Filth obviously grew up listening to the same eighties thrash that I did, and this shows up in the occasionally killer riffage. But every time I start to get into a particular riff, it is followed up by bare drums playing aimless beats drenched in horrid-sounding keyboard nonsense. Perhaps even topped off with stupid whispering or female vocals. And this is Cradle of Filth. This is why not I'm not a huge fan. Still, there's a lot of distance between Cradle of Filth and Papa Roach, I can promise you that.
If you dig this kind of dark artistry, you should be into this band. I think that Dani and his world deserve your support. C.O.F. remembers what metal used to be about: a grandious, darkened spectacle. The band's sales simply help to further expose extreme music to a larger audience. I'm a fan of what they stand for, but when it comes to the music, I just have too many other CDs I'd rather be listening to.
"I just have too many other CDs I'd rather be listening to." P.S. - Check out info on Dani's new film project, Cradle of Fear, at www.cradleoffear.com.
Hel's Review:
So here's the crux of the matter, I recently realized that I don't own a single Cradle of Filth album. Crazy, isn't it? I was somehow oblivious to the dawn of black metal, and while I've always held the band in high regard, appreciated their music when I heard it, and thoroughly enjoyed seeing them play at a small NYC club, as well as at their Milwaukee Metalfest performance, I guess I just never felt overwhelmingly compelled to go back and pick up their albums.
It seems as though that might make me the most unbiased person possible to listen to this album. A daunting task, to be sure, for the integrity of this band seems to be a hot-button issue of late. There's the faction supporting the elite black metal under-underground, and at the extreme opposite side of the spectrum, the trendsters more interested by the shock value than the actual music. A pointless conflict, to be sure, since we all know that the first will never agree with the second, and the second is oblivious to anything beyond asserting their "rebellion" to their authority figures.
Midian is fittingly released on Halloween, an ideal soundtrack for the occasion. Highly dramatic and theatrical, with lots of spooky effects - nearly every patently foreboding prelude sound from a horror movie is present somewhere on this record. The variety of scary voices alone is worth the price of admission. Then there's the priceless parental-fear-inducing "Satanic Mantra". This record could feature a money-back guarantee for its ability to upset sensitive types.
"This record could feature a money-back guarantee for its ability to upset sensitive types." The production is well done and remarkably clear, featuring every frightening whisper and scream to convey the album's menacing message. Mood-setting keyboards and female vocals are prevalent, but so are crunchy riffs, blast beats, and evil screams. The ultimate enjoyment of the listener depends on none of these things, however. In the end, however much you like Midian will be determined by whatever it is you expect from it. I enjoyed it a great deal, yet the ambivalence I had before remained. I still have not been fully pulled aboard the Cradle of Filth fan-wagon, but Midian is a quality record.
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