Album Review: Cradle of Filth – Dusk… and Her Embrace [30th Anniversary]

Album Review: Cradle of Filth – Dusk… and Her Embrace [30th Anniversary]

Reviewed by Dan Barnes

This year sees the thirtieth anniversary of Cradle of Filth’s sophomore album and their Music for Nations’ major label debut, Dusk… and Her Embrace. Having already released the EP V Empire, or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein in 1996, Cradle’s second full-length embraced the vast, cinematic feel of the EP before turning everything up to eleven.

The 1996 version of Dusk… isn’t the first, with an earlier rendering of these tracks recorded for Cacophonous Records by the Cradle line-up responsible for The Principle of Evil Made Flesh debut and eventually released in 2015 suffixed with the title ‘The Original Sin’.

Dayal Patterson, in his book Black Metal: Evolution of a Cult (Port Townsend: Feral House, 2013), believes Dusk… is quintessentially an English gothic vampire themed record, as opposed to the overt-Satanism of Principal… through the grandiose symphonic aesthetic and lyrical theatrics. Further to this, Gavin Baddeley, writing in the thoroughly encyclopaedic The Gospel of Filth (Godalming: FAB Press, 2009) states “true Gothic is centrally concerned with the lost, the neglected, the forbidden, and condemned” (page 142)

It is this notion of the Gothic that is most brought to mind by the synth-driven scene-setting introduction, Humana inspired to Nightmare, including an ominous tolling bell that no self-respecting horror outing could do without. Used by the band as the show opener at Damnation 2024 for their Old School Ritual set, it is swiftly followed by the fire and flames of Heaven Torn Asunder’s slow, measured beginning and Dani’s introductory screams. Alternating between the blistering and a classic metal feel, this one is understandably still a staple of the band’s live shows to this day.

Whirlwind guitars from the late Stuart Anstis dominate the start of Funeral in Carpathia, as does Damien Gregori’s epic and atmospheric keys, which give a gothic dirge; the recently resurrected A Gothic Romance (Red Roses for the Devil’s Whore) has been finding it’s way into the live set of late, complete with a horn section and a plethora of styles and tempos, this is Cradle of Filth firing on all cylinders. Other live favourite, Malice Through the Looking Glass, comes with a statement opening and a grandly ominous atmosphere, with Dani presenting at his most diabolically seductive. The title-track is full-blooded Cradle, with the angelic voice of the incomparable Sarah Jezebel Deva proving she’s the perfect fit for the band’s aesthetic.

The Graveyard by Moonlight is an atmospheric instrumental, complete with choral accompaniment; Beauty Slept in Sodom feels less adventurous than some others on the record, but it is still worthy of the time, and closing tune, Haunted Shores holds even greater poignancy as its speed metal delivery has Dani at full throttle and features an additional vocal by the late Cronos.

The rhythm section of Robin Graves and drummer, Nick Barker, keep everything ticking along nicely and anchor the madness to the dark ground.

There’s nothing particularly new with this anniversary release, no remaster or bonus tracks, though a coffin-shaped 2 CD boxset will include additional tunes Carmilla’s Masque, a beautifully rousing three-minute instrumental which will also be available as a limited edition numbered 12” backed with The Graveyard by Moonlight; the other bonus track is the cover of Slayer’s Hell Awaits. Both these have previously only been available on the 2002 compilation Lovecraft & Witch Hearts, and as bonus track on Dusk…’s Japanese version.

Music for Nations are offering a range of vinyl options for the discerning Cradle fan, with black, white, transparent green, splatter and picture disc, as well as a liquid vinyl limited to just one-hundred copies. And, if you’re that way out, there’s a standard CD version too.

Dusk… and Her Embrace was the first of the mighty trilogy of albums that continued with Cruelty and the Beast and concluded with the imperious Midian; Cradle of Filth have been great since: Hammer of the Witches and Cryptoriana (The Seductiveness of Decay) proves the band still have the creative chops, but it was these pre-millennial platters that truly defined the band as, to borrow from Lady Caroline Lamb’s comment of Lord Byron, “mad, bad and dangerous to know.”

For all the latest news, reviews, interviews across the heavy metal spectrum follow THE RAZORS’S EDGE on facebook, twitter and instagram.