Cradle Of Filth
Nimphetamyne

Cradle of Filth: is there any other band (metal, I mean) more talked about? Let me start by saying I'm an avid fan, but I can admit when they produce an Honorary Crap Album, which includes the present Nymphetamine. After giving Sony the boot, our heroes move on to another major label, Roadrunner. And here is what was missing in the previous album: the commercialization of the band. The album, to be clear, wouldn't be bad if it weren't so ridiculously out of place and out of time (meaning it should have been made at most in '85).

My cozy cd player sets off the much less cozy cd, which starts with Satyriasis, a poor symphonic intro (??), which then gives way to Gilded Cunt (to all you holy souls (?): what does cunt mean?), a song that immediately shows us the new direction: minimal use of keyboards, extensive use of guitars, and Dani sounding much calmer than usual with his voice. The track isn't terrible, but it has nothing to do with the Cradle; moving on, we encounter Nemesis, which, despite some good ideas, proves to be far below expectations and too "squared". Material for two or three listens at most.
With Gabrielle spirits are lifted: still in the new course, the keyboards are much more convincing and in a "Cradle-like" style, complete with a semi-symphonic central part. So far, the best song. Absinthe With Faust tries to recuperate the good intentions of Gabrielle, but succeeds only partially, and despite a good start, is very repetitive.
The title track is a monumental colossus with feet of clay, repeating according to the scheme A-B-C-B-C\A-B-C, but without saying anything interesting despite its nine-plus minutes of duration. Noteworthy is the guest vocalist Liv Christine. After another symphonic piece, we find Medusa And Hemlock, which attempts to redeem the situation, but although the beginning gives a good impression, is decidedly mediocre, with a classic scheme of riff-vocals-badly-executed-solo-vocals. Surprisingly, after so much barrenness, Coffin Fodder appears, showcasing a nice guitar counterpoint and a very well-integrated solo in the track; the song has the same structure as Medusa And Hemlock, but succeeds much better. Unworthy of being written by Cradle are the subsequent Filthy Little Secret and English Fire, ugly and repetitive, also heard countless times in countless bands. Swansong For A Raven is, along with Gabrielle, the most Cradle-style song, but is decidedly less successful than its sister. Mother of Abominations speaks for itself in the title. Nimphetamyne Fix is the single from Nymphetamine, the shortened version of the title track.

To make it short, the album is very disappointing compared to expectations, a likely prelude to an artistic decline. The entrance into the style of Paul Allender (already heavily present in the composition of the previous masterpiece Damnation And A Day) removes from the Cradle those strong gothic atmospheres that had characterized the group's sound until now. A curiosity: after the album, the group saw the departure of bassist Dave Pybus, lead guitarist James McIlroy, and keyboardist Martin Powell. In the future, for an expected reunion of the legendary At The Gates, drummer Adrian Erlandsson should leave to rejoin his historical band.