I can never forget the memories of how I first discovered CRADLE OF FILTH. I was 13 years old and I had just arrived home on a sunny Saturday with a copy of "Bitter Suites To Succubi" in hand. I inserted the disc, sat down, put on my headphones and just watched myself sink into a never ending abyss of horrors. From that particular day ladies and gents, I became a dedicated fan of these English vampires, and even with their shift in sound throughout half of their discography they were still a force to be reckoned with.

Let's recap on how the band's overall sound has changed with 3 stages, to put the "The Manticore And The Horrors" in the proper level of evolution in the band's ever changing sound. The first stage begins from 1994 to 1998 where the band introduces an extreme Gothic approach to their unique Black Metal formula. The second one starts from 2000 and ends at 2008, CRADLE OF FILTH here continue to expand and experiment with their musical abilities and create 4 different sounding Gothic Metal records while maintaining their signature sound introduced since their inception. Finally, with the release of "Darkly Darkly Venus Aversa", CRADLE OF FILTH proved to the world they still had what it takes to be original and unique with their amazing intake on heavy metal and a new approach towards Gothic Metal. In the end let's face it, who the hell was able to emulate what this band has unleashed so far?

Now with the arrival of "The Manticore and Other Horrors", CRADLE OF FILTH show a somehow nostalgic return to their glorious roots. Also, the main approach to the music is now more Punk oriented and aggressive than anything they have released since their brilliant "Midian". And as usual, the theme is unique, interesting, and Dani Filth is a poet at what he does, with now concentrating on stories of ancient mythical creatures like the chimera and the manticore. So grab your silver sword and put on your mythril armor, for this album is surely going to a mythical journey.

The album's defining points are in tracks like "Illictus" were the symphonic elements blend in perfectly with the sheer brutality CRADLE OF FILTH summons into your ear holes, and in the mind blasting "Huge Onyx Wings Behind Despair" where instrumental construction couldn't have been any better. Surely you will find your favorites, because the album is good enough to have something for every fan of the band.

CRADLE OF FILTH has kept on releasing record after record, and each with its unique personality, theme, and professionally written music and lyrics. If you're going to hate on the band, I won't stop you, but don't you dare deny the fact that talent is overflowing in the blood of this band's members, past and current. "The Manticore and Other Horrors" is a must listen for fans of this band, and for anyone willing to experience an extravagant CRADLE OF FILTH sound.

SALVADOR AGUINAGA II (8/10)

I've been so left behind by their releases that another album is just too quick! The latest CRADLE OF FILTH album I've heard, was "Nymphetamine" released about 8 years ago. I still remember remaining passive and indifferent when both "Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa" and the EP, "Evermore Darkly" came out. I was fooled into thinking another full-length came out when the EP emerged but these guys definitely don't waste any time releasing material for the general public.

Upon hearing their new album, they seemed different from the last time I heard them. I've mislabeled by calling them exclusively as Gothic Metal but that isn't so the case now as they've embraced a more extreme style. Even though we can see this change somewhat in "Nymphetamine", the memories of "Cruelty And The Beast" and "Midian" still ring strong that I somewhat overlooked this change. I also took it upon myself to listen to their album, Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa, so I'd have a far more recent release in comparing and contrasting. I feel safe in saying, "The Manticore And The Other Horrors", is a better crafted, more interesting, and a more nicely structured album than the previous.

Each track that went by left me more interested to hear what other elements were going to comprise and compile. "The Veiling of O" and "The Abhorrent" are good starters for leading you into a chamber that consists of a world different from the last, a door after door trial where you have to comprehend the essence before proceeding into the next room. The point of this album is not to be flashy or to be speedy but accomplish a certain ground that leaves you open to a vast mysterious curiosity and you yourself are given a key and you decide where it belongs. The overall riffs are thicker and somewhat a fusion between Allender and Galder's (DIMMU BORGIR and OLD MAN'S CHILD) signature sound. The style sounds clean and heavy as if you could stretch out your hand and touch it. Allender's riffs have substance and with each transition you can feel the atmosphere comprised riff after riff whereas on the previous album there really wasn't much feeling into it rather plain onslaught and relied on orchestration to carry it through while this album you get a shift, it sinks in and it sets into place rather creatively. On "For Your Vulgar Delectation", the solo was different I would say Irish-influenced, I imagined a leprechaun being quite fond of it perhaps on the lines of tap dancing to it in a slow and steady ball dance. The orchestration throughout this album is well thought out, it isn't a forced deviation as a pretentious way to be symphonic and supports this point with females getting excited and having orgasms as the orchestration transitions on this track.

"Illicitus" was an eye peeler. It starts off with eerie keys as if rooted amongst the gates of an abandoned cathedral. This track seemed to be EMPEROR-influenced, the keys were different from CRADLE OF FILTH's usual conjurations. Marthus did a good job to diversify the keys on this album. In addition you'd get a couple of Black Metal riffs which was really nice, a couple of other songs had these moments as well. Ah track 5, "Manticore" had to be my favorite. It's almost as if CRADLE OF FILTH heardKarl Sander's solo project and called him in to contribute a piquancy of middle eastern music and the sweet dry taste of a desert. Although, you have to be focused or else it can seem like an illusion, easy to miss so take a drink before taking the journey. The iconic Dani Filth angry squirrel growl, as I call it, has made an appearance on this track. Filth having a range of fifty voices or so, I felt like I heard two more to add to the chorus morgue of crying banshees. "Frost on Her Pillow" had an odd Synth reminiscent of the grunge scene in the early 90s. On "Huge Onyx Wings Behind Despair", the keys sounded smack dab from the Prog scene shedding light in the 60s. However, this was very much like an OLD MAN'S CHILD song and the drums sounded as if they were going to war, a colossus of drummer boys playing not too fast but intense, a foreshadowing of carnage. "Pallid Reflection" had that evil laughter from "Midian", almost like a time machine guiding me back to a high renowned pinnacle but also having the pounce of DETHKOLK's melodic fury. Brutal Death Metal vocal breach detected, "Siding with the Titans" get ready for a "Tomb of the Mutilated" low growl but also for setting sail on a MESHUGGAH seasickness influenced subdivision. Maybe or maybe not "Succumb to This", the melodic riffs take on the appearance of SEPTIC FLESH's atmospheric style of melody. Finally, you step into a corridor, walk to the last door and the final room to experience their second instrumental, "Sinfonia".

Dani Filth seemed to have gained wisdom and you could hear it in his voice. He sounded like an maturing old warlock, walking around with a cane protesting his own cause and filling in the pieces. One cannot remain indifferent once you hear this album, it gives you the notion that CRADLE OF FILTH is an evolving band and doesn't limit itself to barriers. I can say with confidence that I can't wait for what they have in store for us next.

FEMME METALE (4/10

CRADLE OF FILTH strikes me as the METALLICA of the Black Metal world. Hear me out before you throw eggshells in my direction. In my two years as a Heavy Metal fanatic, I always hear shit being thrown around about CRADLE OF FILTH, about how they are the sellouts of the Black Metal genre, yet seemingly all conversations about CRADLE OF FILTH start by talking about how shitty they are and finish by noting their prominent influences on their hordes of dedicated fans. These previous sentences should have provided you with an overview of my scarce background of CRADLE OF FILTH, so I'm coming from a position that's supposed to be as neutral as possible.

"Manticore And Other Horrors" was exactly that. A bunch of horrors. That I didn't like.  From the watering down of real Metal instruments, to the extreme overkill of orchestra instruments to the overly Victorian-style poet titles, this album is about as melodramatic as the progeny of a Shakespearean drama and a Mexican telenovela. There would be a point in songs such as "Frost On Her Pillow" (the only song off the album I would recommend), where I would really be digging the sinister growling harmonies that sounded like witches chanting over a bubbling cauldron. And suddenly Dani Filth just tossed me off a cliff and let all the amazing music drown in his mousy, shrink-wrapped squeals. At best, songs like "Huge Onyx Wings Behind Despair" could be good soundtrack music for a Tim Burton movie. Maybe if this review was on the re-release of "Damnation And A Day", I'd be having much better things to say.