Thirty-five years ago a couple of demo tapes from across the Channel made their mark on the burgeoning black metal scene. In the shadow cast by brutal black metal and burning churches in Norway, a pack of young wolves from Sussex took it upon themselves to forge a new sound. Cradle of Filth took the foundations of that Scandinavian sound and used a tapestry of gothic keyboards and NWOBHM-inspired metal riffs to create an architecture of its own. The band’s vampire image only added to their appeal, with the lyrical content on Cradle’s concept albums ranging from Vlad Tepes and Countess Elizabeth Bathory to Gilles de Rais and she-devil Lilith. Nowadays screamer Dani Filth is the only remaining founding member but they remain a popular act among a legion of faithful fans. (#GMM26)
