LIVE REVIEW: Cradle of Filth @ Academy 2, Manchester
CRADLE OF FILTH are arguably one of the most successful extreme metal acts to have originated in the UK, and are still growing in popularity. Throughout their discography, they have demonstrated what the UK really has to offer in terms of extreme metal, and helped crave the path for more acts to come. Their most recent release, Cryptoriana – The Seductiveness Of Decay, was received rather well, and their dedication to live performances and theatricals make them an incredibly exciting act to see live. We caught their show at Academy 2 in Manchester, with SAVAGE MESSIAH supporting, to see how well their new material is met with the fans, and to see how their show fares up.
Being the only support for a band as iconic as CRADLE OF FILTH is no easy task whatsoever, so there was a lot of pressure on SAVAGE MESSIAH to perform at their very best tonight. In comparison to the infamous black metal outfit, the up-and-coming melodic thrash quartet had little common ground, so the band had to give a lot to the crowd. Doing just that, SAVAGE MESSIAH put on an incredibly energetic and powerful performance, focusing on material from their previous two albums as opposed to their earlier material, the latter of which consists of more in-your-face thrash. Sticking to their new-found melodic thrash battleground, the band provided plenty of sing-along moments and an abundance of energy for the crowd, which was well-received. Material from their latest album, Hands of Fate, especially went down well, as it’s a clear marker of a band on the rise and pushing the boundaries of thrash. While they may have been a strange support choice for CRADLE OF FILTH on paper, SAVAGE MESSIAH performed excellently, and warmed the crowd up for the main act of the night.
Rating: 8/10
CRADLE OF FILTH have been known to put on strong, dominating shows as they’ve progressed through the years, and tonight was no exception to that claim. Opening with the powerful Gilded Cunt from the Nymphetamine era sent a wave of nostalgic brutality through the crowd, as this album has become one of CRADLE OF FILTH’s most popular albums with tracks such as Nemesis and Nymphetamine, the latter of which graced the closing end of the band’s set. Haunting vocals from keyboardist Lindsay Schoolcraft tied Nymphetamine together, and demonstrated that some of CRADLE OF FILTH’s most popular tracks are infinitely more powerful live than they are on record. Alongside this, the theatricals CRADLE OF FILTH offer, be it the incredibly dynamic lighting or the costumes donned by the band to give a dominating and menacing presence, are part of what makes their set quite special. Vocalist Dani Filth was on top form as he performed his signature piercing shrieks and faster, sharp vocals, backed by the signature CRADLE OF FILTH sound perforating from Richard Shaw and Marek’s riffs. While falling flat a couple of times during the set, Dani’s voice overall sent chills down the spine as he performed tracks from Cryptoriana – The Seductiveness Of Decay.
Overall, CRADLE OF FILTH‘s set was quite strong, however some moments that fell flat made the show lose momentum somewhat. It’s clear the band are iconic and are excellent at performing live, and are nowhere near running out of steam any time soon. With the release of Cryptoriana – The Seductiveness of Decay, we can only see CRADLE OF FILTH continuing to push forward and be one of the beacons for extreme metal music in the UK.
Rating: 8/10
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