CRADLE OF FILTH needs little introduction, since any Metalhead should have at least heard of the world's arguably most substantiated (and mainstream) black metal act, the latter a moniker which has arguably been distorted further on in the discography. A re-release of their very first demo, complete with over twice the original tracklist in bonuses, shows fans and non-fans the very first, truly black, incarnation of the band.

"The Black Goddess Rises" begins as a relentless, raw and twisted mix of Black and Thrash, which soon utters forth haunting atmospherics and formal semblance of song structure. It is needless to point out the recording quality; this is a Black Metal demo we're talking about. But then again, what other kind of demo holds the same level of nostalgia and novelty? "Unbridled at Dusk" is a much tighter recording with emphasis on evocative melody and atmosphere, and was perhaps a glimpse into CRADLE's future, conveying many of the same Gothic-inspired ideas we hear in their more recent releases.

It is easy to hear that "Devil Mayfair (Advocatus Diaboli)" was recorded in a separate session, with an even more significant degradation in recording quality. Far removed from any of their black metal material, it could be put closer to CARCASS' earlier brand of Grind. "The Raping of Faith" is, in part, another track yet again steeped in atmospherics. Here we hear Dani's percussive, serpent-like shrieks creeping through, as he would later become famous for performing. The musical value in this release lies in its nostalgic, sentimental novelty as a collection of rarities. However, as opposed to most compilations (released by almost every Black metal band in existence), this collection is almost entirely composed of unique rareties, as opposed to repititions and previous incarnations.