Band:	Cradle Of Filth
Album:	Cryptoriana: The Seductiveness Of Decay
Style:	Extreme gothic metal, Symphonic metal
Release date:	September 22, 2017
A review by:	Daniell

01. Exquisite Torments Await
02. Heartbreak And Seance
03. Achingly Beautiful
04. Wester Vespertine
05. The Seductiveness Of Decay
06. Vengeful Spirit
07. You Will Know The Lion By His Claw
08. Death And The Maiden
09. The Night At Catafalque Manor [bonus]
10. Alison Hell [Annihilator cover] [bonus]

We go way back, Dani and I. When I first heard The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh in 1995, I was put off by the vocals, but I thought the music was too good to let the shrieking spaz spoil it for me. Once I heard Vempire the following year, I was hooked. Years later I was sad to see that after Midian Cradle Of Filth began to tumble into mediocrity. 2015's Hammer of the Witches was surprisingly good, but it had me wondering whether it was a one-off, or the band was really back in top-notch form. I'm very happy to report that the increase in quality seems to hold. Or even rise.

Mr. Davey must've come to a conclusion that delving into the territories of accessibility, and thus slowing and dumbing down the band's musical style at the beginning of the noughties was not a good idea. Instead he decided to build further on what made Hammer of the Witches so good, and add a bit too. Listen to the title track, Iron Maiden makes an appearance there. Check "Heartbreak and Seance" for some well-done bridge tapping. But these are only small embellishments to what is the core of the album - very strong songwriting, deeply rooted in the musical style of their heyday, somewhere between Vempire and Cruelty And The Beast.

Each and every song contains numerous hooks that make it stand out. How is this possible? There are no two similar compositions on the album. The very gothic "Heartbreak and Seance" boasts some of the meanest riffs on the album and some outstanding, delicate female singing laid against a backdrop of super-fast drum blasts. The blistering neck-breaker that is "Achingly Beautiful" simply reeks of "Dusk and Her Embrace", but what a sweet reek it is - it's building upon the old sound, not mindlessly copying it. The atmospheric "Vengeful Spirit" brings back Liv Kristine to form the lightest song here. Add to that the monumental, ultra-heavy juggernaut that is "Death and the Maiden", the riff-fest called "You Will Know The Lion By His Claw", and my personal favourite, "The Night At Catafalque Manor" - a direct homage to Cruelty And The Beast (listen to "Thirteen Autumns And A Widow" to verify). Every single song is a win. If I were to nitpick, "Wester Vespertine" is slightly less impressive, but only slightly.

It takes a while to get into Cryptoriana. The dainty songwriting and rich textures that every song comprises are not too apparent after a few listens. But said guitar hooks make you listen to the album again and again, to catch all of them. The chase after the hooks reveals layers and layers of rich arrangements, and even more great riffs - kudos to the still-kind-of-new duo of axemen, Ashok and Richard Shaw. The drummer is great as usual, his cymbal work is exquisite, even though his drum fills could use a bit of variety. Dani Filth is in great shape too, showing his usual vocal versatility.

You might complain that the band is going back to their roots to appease the fans. I myself am glad that they returned to what they can do best. So did Overkill, Kreator, and many, many more bands (take a hint, Opeth!). After all, during their long and impressive career Cradle Of Filth managed to craft their own, unique style. It's great to see, that after so many years they can still squeeze a lot of quality from that style. The style that made them a band that they are now. One of a kind.