Review by Adam M on September 23, 2017.

Cradle of Filth brings a very bombastic element to their music. This is theatrical music that has the flair that is necessary to impress the listener. Though the band’s sound hasn’t changed much over the years, it is nice to hear it as vibrant and enthusiastic as it is here. The music is certainly very interesting with a lot of instruments used and Dani Filth’s vocal tirade atop it all. The band has certainly found their muse and a formula that works for them.

The music here is memorable, but really has more of an impact right out of the gates. The entertainment factor is on high throughout the length of this release and it shows very heavily in the tunes found here. The listener will be head banging along with the tracks and it’s very nice to hear this band performing as passionately as they are. There is a serious amount of fun that the band is having and it bleeds into their performances quite nicely. The songs flow into one another and make for a cohesive whole also. Really, most of the pieces come together. It’s just that this is music that Cradle of Filth has performed before and they were never the most compelling band on the block to begin with. Expect music similar to past albums and if one is a fan of the past this will definitely work in their favor.  

People who never gave this band a chance in the past will have to skip this one once again as there is nothing incredibly original on display here. Still, for fans of the band, the best foot has been put forward and the result is another solid slab of symphonic black metal that has a very accessible flair to it. Cradle of Filth have stumbled upon a winner with Cryptoriana.

Rating: 7.6 out of 10