England’s finest black metal exports and masters of darkness and love Cradle Of Filth swarmed Michigan this past weekend, bringing with them a theater of horrific stories bathed in their colossal symphonic black metal assault.
Kicking off the night was melodic act Frayle; bringing a compelling presentation full of slow, heavy riffs counterbalanced by the gentler sound of ethereal vocals: truly a compelling spectacle. Vocalist Gwen Strang’s dark and moody crooning added a witchy like vibe to the music; her magnetic voice is one that would instantly give you goosebumps. Their stock in trade is a slower and darker rhythm than Cradle of Filth; and Strang’s voice complemented the atmospheric delivery of their dark pummeling sound like a glove, with the light show blending beautifully with the music. I have never heard of Frayle prior to this show, but they will definitely be added to my list of bands to dig deeper into.
Headlining the night was the band everyone was waiting for: Cradle of Filth promoting their newest album “Existence Is Futile.” Their jumped right into business with “Existential Terror”; from the aforementioned record, dialing the speed knob to 11. After the song Dani took a brief pause to thank those who arrived early for the VIP Meet and Greet, and he then asked the crowd to open the mosh pit up “as wide as Mexico.” Their set included many of their most known metal anthems, including a personal favorite of mine: “I am the Thorn” from the “Thornography” album. These guys are known for their takes on gothic horror that strikes fear into you instantly, however the crowd welcomed them with open arms as they shouted the lyrics right back at the stage. Dani’s vocal range and his ability to screech and growl is like no other vocalist I have witnessed, it is truly a sight to behold.
The audience sang along with every word and didn’t stop for the entire duration of the set. Anabelle Iratn is the newest member of the band, however her stage presence gelled in perfect synergy with her band-mates, you’d think she has been playing with the band for. Cradle of Filth’s guitarists Richard Shaw and Marek Smerda, and bassist, Daniel Firth, entertained the crowd with their amusing poses and high energy playing. All in all, Cradle of Filth offered once again their unique and stunning combination of raw power and terror infused metal, in a night that their gothic worshipers will surely remember for long.
CRADLE OF FILTH Set-list:
The Fate of the World on Our Shoulders (Played over PA) / Existential Terror / Nocturnal Supremacy / Lilith Immaculate / I Am the Thorn / Crawling King Chaos / Nymphetamine (Fix) / A Gothic Romance (Red Roses for the Devil’s wh**e) / How Many Tears to Nurture a Rose? / Scorched Earth Erotica / Us, Dark, Invincible / Portrait of the Dead Countess (Played over PA) / Lustmord and Wargasm (The Lick of Carnivorous Winds) / Necromantic Fantasies / Her Ghost in the Fog
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