Belched from Hell’s depths into the rustic charms of the Witch County, Suffolk thirty long and disturbing
years ago, CRADLE OF FILTH are undisputed giants of the heavy metal realm. Imperious
purveyors of a perennially unique strain of dark, dastardly and wilfully extreme metal, with deep
roots in the worlds of gothic horror and occult curiosity, the band led by Dani Filth has weathered
three decades of tumult and trial, earning a formidable reputation as both a singular creative force
and one of the most riotously entertaining live bands the metal world has ever produced.
From primitive early works like 1992 debut »The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh« to more expansive
and theatrical classics like »Cruelty And The Beast« and »Midian«, CRADLE OF FILTH defied
trends and constructed their own idiosyncratic world of foul grandeur, becoming one of the UK’s
most notable metal bands in the process. Since then, they have traversed the world countless times,
hoovering up plaudits and praise from an ever-expanding international fan base. Resolutely prolific,
the band’s catalogue has grown in depth and stature all the while, irrespective of line-up
changes or the whims of the faithful.
In more recent times, CRADLE OF FILTH have hit an unmistakable hot streak of creativity and
urgency. Asa new line-up coalesced around the creation of 2015’s »Hammer Of The Witches«,
fresh impetus propelled the band to new heights, as the revitalised crew became more in demand
around the world than ever before. 2017’s »Cryptoriana -The Seductiveness Of Decay« repeated
the trick with even more explosive flamboyance. Until a global pandemic brought the music
industry to a jarring halt, CRADLE OF FILTH were almost permanently on the road and absolutely
fucking flying. As a result, it should surprise no one that the band’s brand new album, »Existence Is
Futile«, is yet another monumental and electrifying journey through the dark.
“We’ve enjoyed that sense of momentum since this line-up came together,” states Dani Filth. “It
was a team we needed to put together quickly for a tour and because the band worked so much
better than before this way, we decided to keep it. More recently 2019 was our busiest year ever,
we were literally everywhere.”
Buoyed by these recent triumphs, CRADLE OF FILTH recorded »Existence Is Futile« during 2020,
piecing the record together in isolation, at Grindstone Studios in Suffolk with studio guru Scott
Atkins (Devilment/Benediction/Vader). Although instantly recognisable as the work of these
veteran blackhearts, the thirteenth CRADLE OF FILTH album is a wholly different beast from its
immediate predecessors. Pitch-black, perverse and at times absurdly brutal and extreme, it hangs
together with mesmerising fluidity. It is also absolutely rammed with giant, rousing melodies and
moments of jaw-dropping invention. No one could mistake the venomously catchy likes of ‘How
Many Tears To Nurture A Rose?’ or monstrous ballad ‘Discourse Between A Man And His Soul’ for
anything other than CRADLE OF FILTH, of course, but »Existence Is Futile« confirms that the band’s
exploratory instincts remain as sharp as ever.
“The previous album was very ornate and fiddly and meandered all over the place,” Dani notes.
“We attempted to drop the ingredients of all the CRADLE records onto one album. And with that
flushed out of our systems, we endeavoured to experiment a little bit this time. Though I do so
hate that word, because you know what happens when bands of previous good tenure announce
they’re ‘experimenting’! It usually goes totally tits up! [Laughs]. Naturally there’s really stupidly
brutal songs on the record but then we go and toss something more balladic into the mix. But
despite the extremes prevailing, we still wanted to do something really catchy. So there are, god
forbid, sky-punching choruses too!”
Underpinned by its huge and disarmingly organic production, »Existence Is Futile« is plainly the
darkest and most unsettling album CRADLE OF FILTH hav
