Resonance - Cradle of Filth - Alien Weaponry
- Sparky
- Apr 1
- 3 min read
Cradle of Filth – The Screaming of the Valkyries 8.5/10
England’s Cradle of Filth have endured much over their long and varied career. Surviving the scorn and derision of their ‘peers’’ to build an empire of music that creates utter passion and loyalty amongst its listeners. More extreme than others care to admit from their black metal roots through to their modern gothic nightmares, their thirty-third anniversary is celebrated with their fourteenth full length release, the bombastic ‘The Screaming of the Valkyries’
From the opening “To Live Deliciously”, this is pure Cradle of Filth. Grandiose, bombastic gothic romance dipped in blood and vitriol, The classical annotations are larger and dynamic. Zoe Marie Federoff makes her long-awaited recording debut, her vocals clear and wonderful against one of Dani Filth’s stronger vocals performances. The wicked master of ceremonies, storyteller, king of mischief and the wicked.
Whilst The Screaming of the Valkyries is pure in the sense of gothic meeting the extreme, it is also extremely heavy. The riffs are punishing and “When Misery was a Stranger” is a manic speed-driven tale of excess and musically it represents it with dynamics, passion and a sense of decadence. The guitar work of Ashok and Donny Burbage is quite frankly superb, the solos and harmonies razor sharp, adding dare I say it a speed metal and pure metal ethic to what is already a very busy palette of extremity that is tied together by the always excellent percussion of Marthus.
Gloriously over the top yet lean at only nine tracks, “You Are My Nautilus” is an unadulterated metal NWOBHM inspired stomper and represents their English heritage, Demagoguery is a nightmare imbued marvel with a haunting piano melody. “Malignant Perfection” is another haunting number ‘’Omnis Moriar ” features more of Zoe’s gorgeous vocals, whilst ‘’ Ex Sanguine Draculae” is a return to the Dusk era sensibilities.
Bold, exciting and adventurous.’’ The Screaming of the Valkyries’’ is a masterwork of fury, darkened energy and symphonic grandeur. Confident and powerful, it represents Cradle of Filth perfectly and is a vital addition to any extreme music collection.
Alien Weaponry – Te Ra 8/10
The Kiwi trio of Henry Te Reiwhati de Jong – Drums, Lewis Raharuhi de Jong – Guitars, Lead vocals and Tūranga Porowini Morgan-Edmonds – Bass have had their combination of New Zealand Maori Culture including native vocals combined with modern metal reach new heights of public awareness and acceptance. From being hailed as the future of metal to prestigious festival appearances and even a documentary! Te ra is their third album and is set to increase their already broadening appeal.
Combining clean vocals and death metal chants in both native te reo Māori and English is not only challenging but also dynamic for the listener, combining styles and techniques that represent history, acceptance, knowledge and maintaining tradition. ‘’Mau Moko’’ is a Maori language monster of a track with its aggressive vocals adding a war-like intention that honours Tā moko. ‘’1000 Friends’ is pure metal that benefits greatly from aggressive riffing as does ‘Blackened Sky’’, proof that Alien Weaponry is the master of the massive modern riff with its roots in thrash, and frenetic neck-cracking tempos that reflect a broadening musical template.’ Te Riri o Tāwhirimātea’’ is a groove metal masterwork built around anger and an ever-evolving riff that is a spacious as it is tight and menacing. Sometimes their earlier influences show through, so it is no surprise that ‘’Taniwha’ features Randy Blythe (and a real death metal edge) and there is an authenticity that is reminiscent of prime Sepultura along with the modern reflections of Gojira.
Te Ra is a genuine modern thrash/metal monster of an album tempered by history, knowledge and a need for understanding. It is tough with a clear melodic edge that is memorable combining excellent musicianship with passionate commentary. Confident and self-assured it is another excellent chapter in an ever-evolving legacy.
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