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Cradle Of Filth - Nymphetamine review



Reviewer:
2.8

694 users:
7.58
Band: Cradle Of Filth
Album: Nymphetamine
Release date: September 2004


Disc I
01. Satyriasis (Intro)
02. Gilded Cunt
03. Nemesis
04. Gabrielle
05. Absinthe With Faust
06. Nymphetamine (Overdose) [feat. Liv Kristine]
07. Painting Flowers White Never Suited My Palette
08. Medusa And Hemlock
09. Coffin Fodder
10. English Fire
11. Filthy Little Secret
12. Swansong For A Raven
13. Mother Of Abominations
14. Nymphetamine (Fix)

Disc II [special edition]
01. Devil Woman [Cliff Richard cover]
02. Soft White Throat
03. Bestial Lust (Bitch) [Bathory cover]
04. Prey
05. Nymphetamine (Fix) [feat. Sarah Jezebel Deva]
06. Mr Crowley [Ozzy Osbourne cover]
+ Nymphetamine (video)

From the opening track "Satyriasis," it's patently obvious that we've something different here, rather great. Yes, this was my first prediction. In 2004, Nymphetamine was born, released by a "Black metal" band called Cradle Of Filth. However, this album has caused more than a few ripples to the scene, why? I can't explain. I truly find these musicians weird, especially their mainman Dani Filth, always using gore, blood, explicit nudity, suicide and disgusting clips. This album has really caused the downfall of the Black Metal, and as a result it will have extremely wide appeal? and I think, that's the main cause of Immortal's temporary disappearance.

Now before going further, I just want to say that Black Metal + queerness = annoying music. Cradle plays some kind of symphonic Black/Death Metal with really cheap and cheesy keyboards, and guitar parts that have no relief, unappetizing and uninteresting. From Nymphetamine, they clearly have not solved their main problem yet, as both the standard (Black metal) and more unique elements are prevalent. In this album, neither work well. Ok, the standard black metal is almost acceptable. But they never make you feel that you are listening to something great, or something slightly above the average that would give you the urge to listen to it again. Their approach is centred on the jagged riffs and the horror-themed lyrics. The more distinctive parts on the album, such as the opening riff on "Painting Flowers White Never Suited My Palette," are portentous. The music is just atrocious and does not work as it should. I can't deny that I noticed some variation of the pace between mid to fast paced tempos and crushing rhythmic grooves whilst also ensuring the band's darker side is allowed to shine via some slower, predominate brooding. But it becomes evident quite early on that Cradle will not redeem themselves anywhere on Nymphetamine.

I also must comment on the lyrics that Dani Filth wrote. Each word, every aspect reeks of pure childish thought and amateurism! From the vapid looking "creature" in the booklet, to the band picture itself. These lyrics are more reminiscent of an idiot man who's trying to create a new sub-genre called "Vampire Metal." Black Metal is usually a very different genre, most bands sounding so similar to the next that I don't find too much value in their music; Cradle put different slants, adding to both their originality points and overall impression. So I think it's what Cradle owns, it's not possible that you'll come across an act such as this one, and while not fitting exactly in the meaning of what most folks believe a normal Black Metal band should be, the Filths produce music that will not only appeal to most Gothic Black metal fans but also numerous who don't typically dig the classic metal sound.

But honestly, I can say that these Filths have tried to be as well as possible on Nymphetamine, but in this period of widespread, available professional recording labels, there's merely no excuse for Cradle of Filth to sound so poor. I'm really sorry for Cradle's fans, but I have to confess, there are millions of bands out there that have tried this style and whose product fell agreeably upon the ears, and now you have near you Nymphetamine which is so hard to recommend to anyone. I hope that Thornography will be better, because now, Immortal as well as Abbath's I side project are on the road again.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 2
Songwriting: 2
Originality: 4
Production: 3

Written by Mindheist | 10.10.2006




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.

Staff review by
jupitreas
Rating:
7.0
Believe me, reviewing the new album of a band which is so universally judged by almost every metal fan is not an easy thing to do. Most people have already long ago made up their minds about Cradle Of Filth and I don't think I can change the attitudes of either the lovers or the haters of this band. Instead, I will try to describe the album to these two groups separately.

Read more ››
published 13.10.2004 | Comments (12)

Staff review by
KwonVerge
Rating:
9.0
The long awaited new release of Cradle of Filth is finally out. Dani and his "slick perverted wraiths" return with a dynamite album, "Nymphetamine," an opus, a piece of grim art, a portrait of morbid colors. The guitar work is, as always, fabulous, accompanying Dani's demonic projections and evoking a bittersweet melody through aggression throughout the whole duration of the album. Martin Foul (a.k.a. Powell), the "unwashed pianist," evokes a macabre beauty in the air and nightmares turn to reality through his nocturnal melodies. What about the drumming? We all know who the "Norseman of the Apocalypse" is, Adrian Erlandsson, and we surely know his glorious past, so all I can say is that his drumming is unerring, stunning and lending groove to the album along with David Pybus' grim bass lines. And we reach the mysterious persona of Dani Filth, a poet of shadows breeding darkness and unearthly beauty. For one more time his lyrics are utterly elegiac and uniquely poetic, his voice is so various as never before and his interpretation reaches the peak of perfection.

Read more ››
published 29.07.2005 | Comments (9)


Comments page 2 / 2

Comments: 33   Visited by: 173 users
12.12.2023 - 09:29
Rating: 9
elekctric

I happen to love this album >>> guess i missed the memo on how bad it was. Maybe i need to catch up lol ....
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14.12.2023 - 17:10
Duke Eternal

I do not agree with many sentiments placed on this album or band. many comments have done nothing but slander the music without really taking into account the more poetic nature of the lyrics and melodic sections of the riffs. The album itself is something that should be inspected closer than just a singular listen because many of the more subtle nuances are what bring beauty to the sound of this album. For songs like Nymphetamine Fix, just the lyrics show an innate poetic sense of loss and regret that leaves much to be questioned. The overlapping feel of the longer tones with the guitar brings about an atmosphere that feels like it shepherds you into the world of the music. A quite lengthy review by Mindheist calls the album "childish" and states that "an idiot man" was "attempting to make a new sub-genre called vampire metal" but I cannot see how that is bad. Not only did Mindheist do nothing but rip into the band simply because he did not like the sound but they neglected to realize that metal is an ever-expanding genre with many strange subgenres. most reviews on here are shorter and deliver their point concisely and clearly but I am unable to see the point behind the review made by Mindheist. The album described by Mindheist is nothing like what the Nymphetamine album is. I suggest giving it another listen and paying attention to what Dani Filth wanted to convey emotionally through the sounds.
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14.12.2023 - 20:26
A Real Mönkey

^I ain’t reading all that.

I’m happy for you though.

Or sorry that it happened.
----
"Change the world. My final message. Goodbye."

~Last words of Harambe, seconds before he was shot, according to child he shielded from gunfire
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