DATE:
VENUE:
CRADLE OF FILTH
Saturday 28th April 2007
Rock City in Nottingham, UK
HANZEL UND GRETYL
Hailing from New York City, American industrial metallers Hanzel und Gretyl open for Cradle of Filth this evening. Invited by Cradle's Paul Allender as sole support act for the band's 2 week long UK tour after Kittie pulled out, these are Hanzel und Gretyl's first ever overseas dates. Appearing on the scene during the mid-90s with the release of their critically acclaimed debut release 'Ausgeflippt' (1995), the band has progressed beyond their industrial-biased sound over the years to develop a more engaging balance between metal and industrial elements, as epitomised by 2004's harder edged 'Scheissmessiah' album. Working their way through a shortish set, Hanzel und Gretyl receive positive crowd reactions with the majority of audience members punching the air and clapping along to the up-tempo groove of each song. The band are impressively tight as heavy guitar riffs sound crisp and clear through the PA layered over the accompanying samples that play on backing tracks. Vas Kallas' powerful death vocals (or 'Über Vox' if you will) are apposite for the intensity of the music while Jon Osterman is one of the most animated drummer's I've ever seen as he pounds his kit with forceful stamina. Hanzel und Gretyl are also an entertaining live spectacle, and convey a fun vibe through their performance that's often lacking with bands playing music in this genre. Kaizer Von Loopy, wearing his trademark goggles and helmet, stage dives into the audience with his guitar towards the end of the set and, in a venue where crowd surfing is strictly prohibited, it's amusing to watch as security seek to retrieve him as quickly as possible! As the band finish playing, Osterman knocks his cymbal stands to the floor and the audience cheer enthusiastically in their appreciation for this hugely enjoyable band. Overall, an awesome performance - Hanzel und Gretyl are great fun and, quite simply, stunning.
HANZEL UND GRETYL
CRADLE OF FILTH
During an interview with Paul Allender earlier in the evening, he commented that it's a strange time to tour the UK at the moment as even bands a lot bigger than Cradle of Filth are failing to sell out venues. With Rock City only around two thirds full tonight, it appears his observations are correct. Nevertheless, those in attendance remain enthusiastically vociferous for this widely respected band, and when the orchestrally epic 'Under Pregnant Skies She Comes Alive Like Miss Leviathan' resonates through the venue, the crowd cheer enthusiastically, then even more so as their idols take to the stage. Launching into 'Dirge Inferno', followed by 'Tonight In Flames', Cradle's setlist, albeit slightly shorter, is much the same as when I caught their Birmingham Academy show in December last year. Glitter cannons explode early on, which seems to excite younger members of the audience, as COF work their way through a set of perennial fan favourites including the ever popular 'Her Ghost in the Fog', 'Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids' and, of course, 'Nymphetamine'. It's also pleasing to hear earlier tracks such as 'Ebony Dressed for Sunset' with its succinct musical intensity and lyrically laconic essence still packing a punch and sounding as fresh as when it first appeared over 10 years ago on 1996's 'Vempire' EP. COF's performance engenders lively crowd reactions throughout with an energetic mosh pit lasting for the duration of their set, and with a night of 80s glam metal cheese taking place simultaneously tonight in Rock City's much smaller basement venue including Faster Pussycat and Enuff Z'Nuff, Dani Filth requests that the crowd make some noise so that those downstairs can hear Cradle's audience are much louder, to which people oblige with ubiquitous cheers and screams. Closing their set with 'The Principle of Evil Made Flesh', they exit the stage, then reappear for 3 encore songs - 'Gilded C*nt'; 'Temptation'; and 'Under Huntress Moon'.
Tonight, Cradle of Filth are stunning, both collectively as a band, and as individuals. Dani Filth's polyvocal performance impresses with a wide array of 'voices' ranging from his characteristic and inimitable death screams/growls to menacing narration, and now even melodious singing such as on the awesome 'Tonight in Flames'. Long-serving backing vocalist Sarah Jezebel Deva, is also in fine voice this evening, with 'Nymphetamine' and 'Temptation' bestowing her the opportunity for some lead vocals in which she excels with her powerful and wide-ranging voice. Paul Allender and Charles Hedger play guitar riffs and leads note perfect, and are effectively tight with their absorbing harmonies. Bassist Dave Pybus, who spends most of the set grinning, also impresses with his skilled playing. Drummer Martin karoupka, who I understand to be suffering from blistered hands, batters his kit with unrelenting energy, and Rosie Smith remains constantly animated behind her keyboards while delivering a flawless display of musicianship. Cradle are generally faultless throughout, though their show is slightly marred by a bass-heavy mix which leaves the guitars and keyboards sounding a little muffled at times. However, this doesn't seem to matter, as the raw energy of their performance and plethora of strong material carries the set.
The more insular minded metal fan that accuses Cradle of Filth of not being 'black metal' enough anymore is ignorant to one key fact - they never were; the influence of early black metal bands only ever partially constituted their overall sound and compositional diversity. Cradle are certainly an 'extreme' band, but in terms of being extremely talented and extremely good, and with a back catalogue of consistently exceptional and critically acclaimed albums, a lot of the criticism aimed at them seems incredibly unjust. The truth is - well, at least in my opinion - Cradle have progressed significantly over the years as a band with their varied compositions, and remain as relevant in 2007 as they ever have been. The metal scene needs bands like Cradle of Filth, so let's hope they'll be around for many more years to come. Tonight, they are, in short, brilliant.
Tonight, Cradle of Filth are stunning, both collectively as a band, and as individuals. Dani Filth's polyvocal performance impresses with a wide array of 'voices' ranging from his characteristic and inimitable death screams/growls to menacing narration, and now even melodious singing such as on the awesome 'Tonight in Flames'. Long-serving backing vocalist Sarah Jezebel Deva, is also in fine voice this evening, with 'Nymphetamine' and 'Temptation' bestowing her the opportunity for some lead vocals in which she excels with her powerful and wide-ranging voice. Paul Allender and Charles Hedger play guitar riffs and leads note perfect, and are effectively tight with their absorbing harmonies. Bassist Dave Pybus, who spends most of the set grinning, also impresses with his skilled playing. Drummer Martin karoupka, who I understand to be suffering from blistered hands, batters his kit with unrelenting energy, and Rosie Smith remains constantly animated behind her keyboards while delivering a flawless display of musicianship. Cradle are generally faultless throughout, though their show is slightly marred by a bass-heavy mix which leaves the guitars and keyboards sounding a little muffled at times. However, this doesn't seem to matter, as the raw energy of their performance and plethora of strong material carries the set.
The more insular minded metal fan that accuses Cradle of Filth of not being 'black metal' enough anymore is ignorant to one key fact - they never were; the influence of early black metal bands only ever partially constituted their overall sound and compositional diversity. Cradle are certainly an 'extreme' band, but in terms of being extremely talented and extremely good, and with a back catalogue of consistently exceptional and critically acclaimed albums, a lot of the criticism aimed at them seems incredibly unjust. The truth is - well, at least in my opinion - Cradle have progressed significantly over the years as a band with their varied compositions, and remain as relevant in 2007 as they ever have been. The metal scene needs bands like Cradle of Filth, so let's hope they'll be around for many more years to come. Tonight, they are, in short, brilliant.
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