Back in the 80s and 90s, no one could think of bands with careers lasting more than 10 years and keeping its relevancy in the Metal scene. Today, it’s common to see bands that lives more than 30 years still releasing albums and facing long tours. It’s obvious that long careers are filled with albums that aren’t as good as many fans would like to hear, but CRADLE OF FILTH seems to be living a great moment on their career, as heard on “The Screaming of the Valkyries”, the sextet new release.

The band had two changes on the lineup with the coming of Donny Burbage (former member of ÆTHER REALM) to the guitars and Zoe Marie Federoff to the keyboards and female vocals. The other members are the same. This time, unlike what s delivered on “Hammer of the Witches” (2015), “Cryptoriana (The Seductiveness of Decay)” (2017) and “Existence is Futile” (2021) - releases that evoked the formula of the band’s early releases - a Thrash/Death Metal set of elements - influences that are presented on the band’s music, and are clearer on “Midian” (2000) and “Damnation and a Day” (2003) - are clear (as heard on “To Live Deliciously”), and even some Post-Punk/Gothic Rock nuances can be felt as well (“Malignant Perfection” shows such thing clearly). But once thing must be said: the quality imposed on the work is truly amazing, the songs sound inspired and great. It means that even richer on influences and nuances than the past releases, the sextet kept things coherent and solid as granite, what brought the fans another great moment.

Scott Atkins again worked with the band on the production, recordings, mixing and mastering, helping the band to find a sonority that would fit on the musical ideas that are expressed on the songs. Here something a bit more ‘drier’ is heard (what makes the Thrash Metal influences clearer), but still aggressive and full of weight. And the graphic aspects worked by Roberto Diaz (artwork) and Dan Goldsworthy (design, layout) is another thing that is changed, but kept the sinister and degenerated appeal. As guest, here is Sam Wale on the keyboards, synthesizers and programming.

Getting things back again to write about the songs: the band is using again influences that were absent or subjective on its past three full-lengths. But to face moments as “To Live Deliciously” (a brutal and aggressive song filled with horror-like touches and Thrash Metal riffing entwined by furious blast beats), “Demagoguery” (here the keyboards parts contrasts with intense riffing and vocals going from growls to shrieks easily), “The Trinity of Shadows” (a bit more brutal, on its beginning the influences of Thrash Metal and NWOBHM are clear on the intense riffing, but soon something more Gothic-like appears, with fine singing and many contrasts on the vocals), “Non Omnis Moriar” (the Ultraromantic/Gothic Horror-like aesthetics is presented here with very introspective moments, with intense work on bass guitar and drums in the rhythms and charming female vocals), “White Hellebore” (here is a brutal song with influences from Thrash Metal and Hardcore contrasting with the silk aggressiveness that’s usual for the band, with tender contrasts between the shrieks and female voices), “You are My Nautilus” (the drums are fantastic on the rhythmic sustain to the elegant appeal of the song, with NWOBHM and Gothic influences entwined), “Malignant Perfection” (the first Single of the album that is filled with Gothic Rock/Post Punk touches, especially on the bass playing, and what lovely keyboards parts), “Ex Sanguine Draculae” (a typical CRADLE OF FILTH song filled with macabre elements and brutal parts) and “When Misery Was a Stranger” (another song that bears the band’s musical DNA, full of changes between melancholic parts, melodic moments and brutal takes, and what great guitar duels) is a true delight.

CRADLE OF FILTH created another masterpiece - yet a bit different from its recent releases - and  “The Screaming of the Valkyries” really is a strong candidate for the best album of the year! 🤘🏻 🤘🏻 🤘🏻