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Cradle Of Filth - Nymphetamine review



Reviewer:
9.0

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)

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.

"Nymphetamine," the beauty in black on the cover of the album surrounded by gentle hellfire shows the morbid beauty of CoF's music. The female figure tempts you to follow her and you proceed, helpless, bewitched by her unearthly beauty, her well-kept secrets, her untold mysteries. Are you ready to drink "absinthe with Faust?" Let "Nymphetamine" caress you; let her breathe her eerie desires, her twisted symphonies in secret entwine with your soul?

"Syriasis" gives birth to the nightmare with its eerily beautiful symphonies preparing the listener for what will follow. The choir's nocturnal chants along with the Vulgarian Philharmonic's dreadful symphonies welcome the misty grim soundscapes to reach "Gilded Cunt." Dani, whether he howls, screams or recites, gives meaning to every single word as the fiery guitar riffs evoke visions of Hell creating a wonderful up-tempo head banging live song. "Nemesis," the holy power that punishes the unfair ones, follows. Wonderful heavy guitar riffing along with a strange melancholy let Dani interpret his poetic lyrics in the vivid way only he knows. Powell's gothic overture evokes an unearthly devout feeling in the opening of "Gabrielle," continuing the album in a theatrical way filled with beautiful symphonies but also fierce heavier moments with Dani in ecstasy and Powell painting the grim portrait with misty colors as the guitars mourn the fate of "Gabrielle."

The keyboard melodies literally kill you as you drink "Absinth with Faust," another dramatic act by the sextet from the UK showing that the absinthe of knowledge can lead to utterly inspired compositions. "Nymphetamine" follows and I can say that this 9-minute opus is filled with inspiration; the aggressive beginning with static fiery riffing and Dani's ecstatic screams is being followed by the darkly romantic interpretation of the sweet Liv Kristine. Along with Dani they form a beautiful duet in macabre dance as the guitars play a novembrine waltz in the shadows of dusk. The album continues in an intense way as the Philharmonic's summon the spirits of the dead painting their horror where "Painting Flowers White Never Suited My Palette."

The album flows with "Medusa and Hemlock," a lyrically pagan magic/witchcraft based composition. Wonderful guitar work, the choir's chants echoing here and there along with Powell's eerie melodies that evoke a mystic feeling in the air. "Coffin Fodder" follows with awesome guitar riffing with Dani summoning his darkest spells as the full moon rises in the distant night sky. Definitely another great song has ended to begin another one, "English Fire," another composition lyrically inspired by witchcraft. The piano and the Philarmonic's pieces evoke a devout atmosphere whilst the guitars lend an aggressive sense to the song. The album goes on with "Filthy Little Secret" and a heavy metal philosophy in the air. Heavy guitar riffing with outbursts and wonderful solos command thy head to bang!

The mourning piano piece and a wailing female voice can be the perfect opening for a composition such as "Swansong for a Raven" with all the Filthies in synthetic and playing ecstasy. The composition is utterly inspired and everyone in the band shows by what he's made of! The curtain falls as it opened, with a weeping piano piece to slowly reach the end of "Nymphetamine" in nocturnal supremacy summoning the "Mother of Abominations." The razorblade guitar riffing accompanies Dani's mystic manoeuvres in the dark along with Powell's morbid hell born symphonies evoking a grim feeling in the air. "Nymphetamine" is about to end; and thus silence fell after darkness?

I could never imagine that "Nymphetamine" would sound so various, utterly inspired and great after the personal disappointment of "Damnation and a Day." "Nymphetamine" is filled with inspiration, elegiac ideas and a beautifully eerie feeling and I can say that it has no weak moments, this is something more than music and I'm pretty sure you'll adore this release!





Written on 29.07.2005 by "It is myself I have never met, whose face is pasted on the underside of my mind."

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)

Guest review by
Mindheist
Rating:
2.8
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.

Read more ››
published 10.10.2006 | Comments (33)


Comments

Comments: 9   Visited by: 88 users
16.07.2006 - 05:16
Rider Of Theli
Account deleted
At 1st i Didnt like how this album sounded like but i just started listening to it more and more..and i take back what i said about it..i still find that "Damnation And A Day"..was a better album..Can't wait for "Thonography" !!!:banger2:
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23.07.2006 - 15:57
Rating: 1
iaberis
Advice Troll
I heard it once and I'm never gonna listen to that sh*t again!!!
The first time I've seen Nymphetamine music video and thought that it was nice. But when I listened to the whole album, I found it ... I can't even say the word. Just a waste of plastic, paper and energy!!! Only the song Nymphetamine is bareable I can say... All the other just suck! But that's me, maybe I don't like this kind of music, maybe I don't like this band, but that's my opinion!
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Bitch! Please
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24.07.2006 - 02:45
Rating: 5
Dangerboner
Lactation Cnslt
Gilded Cunt is a good song, but I hate everything else about this album. This is one of their worst.
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17.08.2006 - 00:03
Dark Snake
Account deleted
The only song that is good on this album is Nymphetamine (Fix & Jezebel Deva Fix) and Gabrielle Rest sucks
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14.12.2006 - 02:15
Talvi

First Cradle of Filth album to hear, and I like them!
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My account on other musical pages:
http://www.last.fm/user/Pozito/
http://rateyourmusic.com/~Talvi
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24.10.2007 - 02:23
4look4rd
The Sasquatch
I got this as a fake birth day present give... It ended up in the microwave
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02.08.2008 - 06:38
Rating: 6
Uirapuru
Liver Failure
its one of the best CoF album in my opinion, along with Midian... its hard to say who will enjoy it and who won't.. we have here three completly different reviews: DerRozzengarten give it a 9, Stonebearer hate it as hell, and jupitreas was moderate in his review.
I posted my opinion here because i agree with DerRozzengarten. My favorite songs are: Nemesis, Nymphetamine and Gabrielle.. the most commercial tracks of the album xD... but still, i'm not a gothic metal huge fan, so i don't care if its too commercial or not, i just wanna enjoy the songs.
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member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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27.12.2008 - 19:39
Rating: 10
Passenger
Lost To Apathy
I suppose this one is slightly more accessible than pre-Midian stuff, but it's still a very complex and varied album. I think there are 2 ways to look at it, you either look at COF as a commercial Black Metal band or as an extreme Gothic Metal band, so I guess I understand why this band is disdained by some and hailed by others. Personally I've come to like them and Nymphetamine might have had a lot to do with it. It's a shame if it draws posers, but I for one appreciate what the band was trying to achieve musically here.
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You don't make up for your sins in church. You do it in the streets. You do it at home. The rest is bullshit and you know it ~ Mean Streets
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18.05.2010 - 21:08
Rating: 10
Vonpire

I'd like to say that i saw the birth on the magnificent CoF. I saw their first concert live in Portugal in 1996, in one of the glorious times for Metal.

Said that, i agree with this review. This album, being not one of the best from them, has really brilliant moments, like gilded cunt and nymphetamine, along others.

I have read the review where some "reviewer" (the 2.8 one) said so much stupid things about this album and the band itself, that clearly he is a hater. Hating CoF these days seems to be cool, but, really , how to hate a band that make such brilliant music? I don't get it , but it's ok for me cause i really don't give a fuck about their opinion. That people are more poser than what they consider posers. It's really sad. Now rating this album with a 2.8 is at least ridiculous, not to say worse..

I don't like Ayreon or Dream Theater for example, and i really don't like that much prog metal (even Opeth, well, i like but not that much) but you don't see me making stupid reviews or telling how much the bands are bad, stupid, mediocre, posers, etc etc etc, cause THEY'RE NOT. I just don't like them, so i don't hear and respect the opinions. For example, i rate it accordingly, without looking only to my tastes. Cause i know there are good music, that i don't like, but still is good music.

But reviews like that one are offensive to anyone who read it, i think even for some of cradle Haters.

BTW I rate Thornography with a 6, so don't say i am a fanatic cof fanboy, cause i am not. But Thornography was clearly a "mistake" in a long journey from CoF as can be proved with the amazing comeback "Godspeed..."

So i finish saying Long Live to CoF and thank for making such moments of pure brilliance in your already long musical journey. I even forgive you about that fucking Thorn some years ago
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Beware the Shadows of Dusk
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