Review by Mandeep Arora on April 26, 2024.

Cradle of Filth is probably the most divisive metal band of all time this side of the mighty Metallica. Sure, they have a solid chunk of hardcore fans who swear by their unique playing style and gothic sound but that's not without an equal number of detractors who label them as pretentious and straight up garbage. Ouch. I think this very strong sentiment is kind of understandable - considering the band's ambitious ventures - if not entirely justifiable, and a good part of that also comes from the fact that they're sometimes labelled as a black metal band. If there's anything more unproductive and futile than a bunch of angry grown-up men dilly dallying online about genres, then I'd like to know. I personally don't think they've the strongest or most consistent discography, as most of noughties was spent churning out albums that are kind of overblown and repetitive, but they have also given us some truly fantastic albums early-on in their career and a later resurgence post-2015 cannot be ignored too. Cruelty and the Beast, in my opinion, is their finest work. It's one of those albums where I'm in complete awe of the entire package, right from the album art to the lyrics to the musical aspects; I'd put it right up there with Agalloch's The Mantle or King Diamond's Abigail where I want to derive as much information as I can about what led to the conceptualisation of the album, the recording aspects of it, the band's thought process during the recording, any interviews or unseen footage from around that time and the like...

If there's one thing we can all agree on, or most of us at least, it's that Cradle of Filth has always had some of the most poetic, erotic, thought-provoking and beautiful lyrics in all of music. So poetic, in fact, that they can a bit too knotty sometimes; having to search the meaning of every other word or reference isn't the most convenient but once you have an understanding or interpretation of the work, it's actually immensely satisfying. The nature of the lyrics has always been macabre and sometimes outright nasty, and that's no different here; a pretty dense concept record because of the intricate and never-ending lyrics. Based on all the intrigue and mystery surrounding the Bloody Countess, Elizabeth Bathory, and her alleged serial killings in medieval Hungary, the story tries to recapture the events in a sequential format. It's of course not absolutely true to the events and a good portion of it explores a different side of Bathory's character, a deeper dive into her cerebral matter and what her perspective may have been in those chilling times. I think it's a fantastic imaginative setting and the artist's interpretation of the events. More so than the sound, which is no slouch, it's the lyrics that fascinate me the most, and always have in this band's case.

This beautiful concept and the chilling lyrics are brought to life by Dani Filth's haunting and, sometimes, pesky shrieks. I know, he gets lambasted a lot for his vocal style and there's some credibility to that, but he can also get the work done when he's in his element; I think he sounds sublime here (to serve the purpose of the sound at least). Yes, it does get excessive when he's unabated and keeps going on but that's a given for whenever you want to listen to Cradle of Filth. Keeping a mental note beforehand that the vocals aren't going to be the prettiest makes things a bit more palatable. But it's also totally understandable why someone would struggle getting into the band because the vocals are reminiscent of nails scratching on a blackboard surface. Anyway, Dani's hilarious shrieks aren't the only ones doing the heavy lifting here; seductive female vocal harmonies and choirs have been an integral part of the band's sound too and find their way in a rather prominent setting on this album. These amplify the gothic and atmospheric overtones when coupled with the dominant keyboards and their overpowering efffect is seamlessly integrated with the ferocious riffs and boundless drums. The band members don't overdo their part in any way, which ensures that the album’s not trying too hard to make an impact on the listener. I wouldn’t say that for most of their other stuff. Interestingly, they even hired a renowned enough actress from the seventies horror flicks to narrrate Bathory's dialogues on the 7th and 8th tracks. She's in fine fettle here and does a spectacular job on Bathory Aria especially - her chilling narration to close out the song has a perfect heft to the voice and the way it keeps getting slower, gradually and eventually resorting to a deep demonic voice, presumably highlighting the inner demons of Bathory herself, is one of the finest, most beautifully executed moments on this album. It's pedantic attention to detail like this that affirms the band left no stone unturned while recording this album and made sure every small bit was executed to the highest levels of quality.

Hereon, I'll base my review on the Re-mistressed version for everything sound-related. I have listened to the original mix ad infinitum and didn't dislike a lot about it minus the drum sound and the somewhat muted backing vocals, but once I discovered the Re-mistressed version and noticed all the love it was getting, I could understand the hype after experiencing it myself; I haven't looked back at the original mix for about five years now. The remaster injects a new lease of life into the sound and makes it relevant and punchy for our modern times - the kick drums, the bass, the choirs and the voice have all been stroked a good bit to reach their maximum potential and I cannot stress enough about how massive and wonderful the drums sound in this remaster. Nicholas Barker isn't the most renowned metal drummer in my opinion but he sure is an underrated and badass unit. His finest hour is observed on the opening sections of Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids where his persistent and uninterrupted fills make way for some absolutely gorgeous and wicked blast beats when the guitars start roaring. He gets quite technical when needed, upping the ante, and quickly resorts to linear blast beating when there’s a tsunami of atmospheric and majestic riffs. The new sound's done him justice for sure, I can confirm.

Back to back listens between the original and remaster will also highlight the much louder backing vocals and that's all the better for the album sound. There are proper interludes in the form of short instrumental tracks to build tension and the atmosphere in these, somehow, is more wicked due to the mysterious, grandiose nature of their sound, be it the slow build of the opener's enormity or the sheer terror of Venus in Fear - those terrified shrieks of young women, apparently virgin, and Bathory's uproarious moans giving way to her climax is sure to prevail in your head as one of the album's most memorable moments. It suddenly brings to life the alleged madness from all those centuries ago. This album also has some of the most popular Cradle of Filth tunes like Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids, Beneath the Howling Stars and Bathory Aria. The songs have diverse structures, not quite a novelty for the band honestly, and the time signatures are fluid. It's nothing too progressive or technical and things fall in place rather predictably after what is a good enough build up for a section. The constant and abundant use of keyboards is a joy, a striking effect of a cluster of gorgeous little tunes uplifting the mood and atmosphere, intercepting monotony. Once you pamper yourself with the surprisingly soothing overall effect of the 11-minute behemoth Bathory Aria and its many direction changes, the follow-up instrumental Portrait of the Dead Countess almost seems like the perfect conclusion to the saga and the sound. Except we lumber for seven more minutes, a bit worn out and sapped at this point, in the actual chaotic closer Lustmord and Wargasm. Nothing wrong with the song per se, but I would have liked it if it didn't conclude the album. A rather minor and personal niggle from an otherwise beautifully crafted album with spot on track listing, I'd say.

Cruelty and the Beast, originally when it came out, kept Cradle of Filth's lore alive and matured a sound that was envisioned on the previous album Dusk... and Her Embrace. It adopts the gothic sound from before but infuses a new level of legitimate bloodlust and macabre that's kind of missing in previous or even subsequent releases. Even so, it's still an unmistakably Cradle of Filth album and also their best in terms of overall conceptualisation and execution. The attention to detail for the smallest of moments is palpable and once you have an interpretation of the complete package, you are left in awe of the creative and musical depth these guys were able to achieve. I'm a huge fan of the Re-mistressed version and strongly think it made one of the best metal albums even better - for anyone who likes good heft in the sound with cracking drums and a decently strong bottom-end, go for this without hesitation and savour it for the rest of your life. The original's a bit soulless suddenly when compared to this, though I'm not one of its biggest detractors. Its muted production values may appeal to those who think the sound is a nod to the mystifying gothic age and literature. I also absolutely adore the purely malicious and haunting cover of the original, Elizabeth Bathory in all her vampirical glory, which is replaced with a rather ugly and lame new one that doesn't do much to instill fear or intrigue in you. Look past that and you plunge into a vast reserve of varying sound effects capturing all themes of horror, beauty, evil, despair, pleasure and sorrow. Of course, this is no shade at their musical talent, which they possess a whole lot of, but Cradle of Filth were never able to achieve the same heights of flawless and breathtaking execution as they did with this album. It's unrivalled.

Rarting: 9.5 out of 10

Review by Jack on September 25, 2001.

One wonders, as to why Cradle of Filth gathers so much attention through their avant-garde dark metal exploits? I mean, Dani possesses the most annoying scream/rasp/roar in metal, yet Cradle of Filth remain so commercially viable and loved by consumers everywhere. Maybe it is just me? But I never ever seem to be in the right frame of mind when listening to Cradle of Filth and “Cruelty and the Beast” is no exception.

Chapter IV: “Cruelty and the Beast”. On face value “Cruelty and the Beast” doesn’t seem to depart too far from their past three attempts, but as one does delve deeper into the putrid, perverted record (lyrically), one will find a more subtle, intriguing album from these gothically drive Brits. Whether subtly and intrigue make a worthy album remains to be seen.

“Cruelty and the Beast” does have a well-written topic surrounding the album and its ten epic tracks; that being the tales and exploits of evil countess Elizabeth Bathory and her cruel exploits in torturing and then slaying her victims. I am not completely sure of the intricate details of Bathory’s butchering, but what is of noteworthy consideration is how well Cradle of Filth ties “Cruelty and the Beast” together.

Dani’s vocals and over-the-top shredding and keyboarding maybe let this album down slightly, my biggest gripe with the band, is that they do not take themselves overly seriously, which is disappointing because they could be a really top metal act.

“Cruelty and the Beast” does have good attributes, as Cradle of Filth are talented musicians. Nick Barker’s flaying of skins with his drumming is quality, the guitars while over-the-top are catchy and interesting and Dani’s voice while annoying is varying enough to subside into the rest of the music.

Bottom Line: Cradle of Filth composed a tighter album in “Cruelty and the Beast” than their previous three efforts. “Cruelty and the Beast”, however still retains those trademark; bad Dani Filth vocals and the over-the-top themed dark metal. Recommended for Cradle... fanatics and those who enjoy a good epic story tale.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10