album : Midnight in the Labyrinth
artist : Cradle of Filth
genre : Extreme Gothic Metal
year : 2012
Midnight in the Labyrinth is a re-recording of ten old Cradle of Filth tracks. The album has two compact discs, one of which is purely instrumental. This time the ten tracks have not been recorded as complete songs, but only used as backgrounds scores to the lead scream-ist Dani Filth narrating something that wouldn’t interest you. One can only like him when he is abnormal, and screaming the shit out of his throat. Joining him in boring the listeners is Sarah Jezebel (ex-Cradle of Filth) who occasionally says a thing or two on a few tracks. All of this on disc 1.
The songs that have been chosen to be recorded again in a different ‘format’ are –
A Gothic Romance (Red Roses for the Devil’s Whore)
The Forest Whispers My Name
The Twisted Nails of Faith
The Rape and Ruin of Angels (Hosannas in Extremis)
Funeral in Carpathia
Summer Dying Fast
Thirteen Autumns and a Widow
Dusk and Her Embrace
Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids
Goetia (Invoking the Unclean)
Filth had stopped growing with every release long back, but I did find traces of old-Filth in Darkly Darkly Venus Aversa. The gong did ring loud enough to take notice of the band. Always expect the unexpected from them, as they have managed to take you through the shittiest of the shit, and even the best of the best. When Thornography and Godspeed on the Devil’s Thunder struck the Cradle of Filth camp like Hiroshima and Nagasaki (the two albums were successful though), it became clear that the wait is not going to bear any fruits. Apart from being a terribly boring live band, the band is not left with any ability to write pummelling music anymore as well. Look at what they released in 2011, which again strengthens the fact that they do not want to be forgotten. I wouldn’t be surprised if they have another release lined up in the next six months. How about complete silence on the next one, Dani?
Disc 2 is an instrumental / orchestral recording of nine of the tracks from the above ten. Goetia (Invoking the Unclean) has been skipped. What I fail to understand is this – Cradle of Filth is a fit band with sharply talented musicians then why doesn’t the band just sit down and go back in time to comprehend the reasons that got them noticed in the metal scene in the first place. Probably doing that would save me (and this world) from putting myself through albums like these that really don’t strike a chord. The reason I give a fuck even now is because I always believed they were an astounding ensemble at some point in time. I’m almost getting to a point where I’m going to give up on them and join the other haters who fall in this category, just that I’d have a solid reason to do so!
Rating : 2/5
MUST READ –
Reviews of Destroyers of the Faith tour, Boltfest and The DesertFest
Paradise’s Lost new album ‘Tragic Lost’ reviewed here
album review : Rise of the Phoenix (2012) by Before the Dawn
Absurd History 