CRADLE OF FILTH – Brisbane, Australia 7th September 2019
Gothic black metal fans rejoice as they prepare their eyes and ears to see the legendary Cradle of Filth play the 1998 classic “Cruelty and the Beast” in full. They performed at the Valley Drive In which is a newer outdoor venue and has already homed many metal headliners since its opening. Cradle of Filth’s cult status has allowed them to play in front of thousands of fans across the globe. Although a much smaller venue than they would be used to, the energy Brisbane fans show rivalled even the biggest crowds.
Hybrid Nightmares were a perfect support choice as they complement gothic black metal with an infusion of their own heavy styles. The venue was only at half capacity during their set, but due to the nature of the slim yet long space of the venue, seeing bands here when it is at full capacity is an actual nightmare. Having enough space to walk through the crowd and not being crammed together like a can of sardines, was a much more enjoyable experience.
Hybrid Nightmares have catchy dark choruses and it is clear all the members have fun on stage. They transition from blackened death to very funny banter between the songs. It is apparent they love what they do and they have fun with the crowd. During the set the front man Loki ordered the crowd to hold up their beers and pointed to a patron “That guy has two beers and I have none”. The drummer had noticeable mass amounts of energy and the bass player’s low backing vocals complimented the front man’s deep harshness.
Their stage attire was uniformed and included matching singlets, jeans and corpse paint. It was an interesting choice of attire considering the band’s sound but it reflected their comedic and genuine personalities which shined between songs. Being Australian, singlets and jeans are definitely acceptable attire for melodic black metal bands outside of Europe. Overall their contrasting brutal carnage and comedy flowed seamlessly, and were entertaining to watch on so many levels.
The venue filled up when Cradle of Filth were close to hitting the stage. Opening with the first track from the album “Once Upon an Atrocity” it was instantly noticeable their 30 years of experience and professionalism was conveyed through their stage performance. Dani Filth’s vocal range of piercing high to deep screams and talent, have made him an incredible frontman. From the perfect way he screamed into his microphone was so simplistic yet impressive.
Dani Filth loved being a showman and danced through the entire show when he wasn’t singing. He was a storyteller at times and it became impossible to look away from him. He didn’t outshine the rest of the band and they all offered a harmonious annihilation when brought together.
The keyboardist Lindsay Schoolcraft complimented Dani’s voice with her mellifluous operatic notes. She was wonderful, and at times she did steel the show with her beautiful soprano overlaying the symphonic black metal.
Dani Filths stage attire of leather chained pants, studded armour and cape was captivating. Watching the 6 piece ensemble was liken to witnessing a gothic extreme musical theatre experience. The guitarist was in character and creepily stuck his pick to his forehead while he delicately played with his fingers.
After “Cruelty and The Beast” finished, they concluded with classics such as “Nymphetamine”. It didn’t seem to have as much punch live as the other songs in their repertoire, but being such an iconic song it could never be excluded from the set list. They ended on a high, and brought the most energy for “Her Ghost in the Fog” and the crowd sang along tentatively. They were a band that exceeded any preconceived expectations and prove why they hold such an iconic title.
Reviewer: Nikki Christina
Photographer: Charlyn Cameron @chuck_stuff
