Review by Jeger on June 2, 2025.

Is Cradle Of Filth a Black Metal band? The answer is no, even considering their first two albums: The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh and Dusk And Her Embrace that are renowned by foolish enthusiasts who believe that these two records are seminal Second Wave BM recordings. They both just sound like Cradle Of Filth - an Extreme Gothic Metal band. Anyway, Cradle is just one of those bands that transcend the typicality of genre categorization. To label them as a Black Metal band simply does the band no justice! Aside from their first two albums, Cradle Of Filth are best known for 2004's Nymphetamine, 2006's Thornography and 2015's Hammer Of The Witches. Their discography is a vast one that consists of 16 LPs with their latest album, The Screaming Of The Valkyries atop the totem. It was released on March 21 via Napalm Records.

Every one of Cradle Of Filth's albums are feasts - shameless, gluttonous and debauched volumes of Extreme Metal that thematically span concepts pertaining to erotica, vampirism, literature/poetry and various forms of mysticism and philosophy. Not always everyone's cup of tea, especially the aforementioned Thornography - one of Extreme Metal's most polarizing releases. I happen to think that it's their best album… Geared towards the mainstream? You could say that. One thing is for certain, and that is the fact that Cradle has not ventured down the same road since. The Screaming Of The Valkyries is no exception, or is it? Tracks like "Demogoguery" and "Non Omnis Moriar" - compositionally redolent to the temped nature of "Thornography" and equally as catchy. Others like "The Trinity Of Shadows" and "White Hellebore" are of a swifter variety, as they unfold to thrashy riffs and captivate with memorable, anthemic choruses. Textbook Cradle Of Filth so far; everything we've come to appreciate over the years.

This is great stuff… Everything from the solos to the choruses just sweat a classic sort of perspiration. Like it heavy? "Ex Sanguine Draculae" pulsates with blackened tremolos, thunderous rhythms and dense-as-fuck riffs. And production quality is just perfect; mixed to a Master's standard and toned for clarity. Definitely one of this band's most haunting records. Much to appreciate, very little, if nothing at all to admonish. As always, a grande and epic affair. Cradle Of Filth fans have undoubtedly been creaming their black lace silkies over this one. Not knocking back brews, but debauching Merlot from a box to it like a Vampire lush. Literally every enchanting element of their style to imbibe here. Drink it up! Savor the night and rejoice. Cradle Of Filth, despite all of their mixed reviews from dickish critics, continue to please and offer up the very best Gothic Metal you could ask for. It's Thornography meets Hammer Of The Witches in this, one of Cradle Of Filth's greatest feats.

Despite their being tested by time and countless shifts in the industry, Cradle just never gets old! Behold the majesty of midnight castles forlorn and heed the allure of the Vampire's call. Indulge yourself in the richness of real Goth culture and tantalize your mind with timeless stories of the night. The time for reveling in nightly things is once again upon us! 16 albums… What an achievement, what an experience. With The Screaming Of The Valkyries, Cradle Of Filth simply remind us all of who they are - the cream of the Gothic Metal scene and the most talented as well. Enjoy.

Rating: 9.3 out of 10

Review by Carl on December 15, 2023.

Back to the early 90's underground with this one. Featuring a band from Japan and another one from Singapore, both dealing in extreme metal mayhem, so you just know that this is not going to be for the faint of heart in any way.

Abhorer signal the start of the charge on the A side with a windswept spoken word intro that gives way into a barrage of black/death/thrash metal, infuenced by acts like Beherit, Sarcofago and Blasphemy, as well as the early works of Bathory, Sepultura and Kreator. The guitars and bass keep it simple and straight forward, just chainsawing through the abrasive compositions that rely for most part on battering, no frills velocity and barbaric execution. These parts are interspersed with slower midtempo parts, that give way to another bout of chaotic jackhammer rage soon enough, keeping proceedings volatile and aggressive throughout. Guitar leads are performed in the best dive bomb tradition of Slayer, and come roaring through the music with all the subtlety of a tank driving over a poodle, tearing through the compositions like psycho. The production is pretty rough, with the roaring vocals and pneumatic hammering percussion getting precedence over the guitars humming in the background. It must be said that even if this production is unbalanced and certainly unrefined and gruff, the psychotic energy it still exudes can't be beat. I have a hug, HUGE soft spot for old school underground stuff like this, so I am totally on board with what Abhorer do here, but if your tastes lean more toward the cleaner and polished side of extreme metal, you'll probably like this a lot less.

And the rough production continues on the B side, where the delightfully monikered Necrophile pulls open their collective briefcases. Dealing in a more traditional sort of death metal that has me thinking of the debut albums of acts such as Deicide, Pungent Stench, Morgoth, Grave and Disharmonic Orchestra, with a touch of Napalm Death added, Necrophile unleashes their assault. These songs also rely on high velocity and a gruff growling vocal approach, but sound more controlled than what Abhorer put on display previously. A big factor in this is not only the more refined execution of the music, that is focused more on riffs than on blunt power, but also the more fist-pumping slower midtempo parts that are built into the compositions, adding heaps of variation into the deal. However, do not be mistaken, when they pull open all registers, Necrophile still plow forth with seething rage and menace, with as only intent to batter and bruise. Apart from the first track, that sounds rough but still has somewhat of a semblance to a production, I suspect that those following it come from a rehearsal tape. These tracks have that 'a bunch of guys in a really hot stinky room' vibe and sound to it, and it is raw and unpolished, even more than what Abhorer had in store. With the guitars pushing the vocals and drums into the background, this is one of the crudest recordings I have ever heard on a vinyl record. But even sounding as if it were recorded on sandpaper, these tracks still deliver the goods, giving a more than adequate idea of the abrasive death metal style that Necrophile had on offer. Except that instrumental track "Gruesome Cruelty". That one's just as boring as it is redundant.

So, two doses of high octane death metal mayhem, sounding raw and unpolished in true underground fashion. If you are willing to listen through the unrefined production (if any, in Necrophile's case), there is a heady dose of bulging aggression, brought with psychotic energy, waiting to be uncovered. It's one of those releases that is strictly for underground consumption only, but if you're into this sort of stuff, you have a total banger on your hands, despite its flaws.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by Fernando on April 3, 2022.

If there's one subgenre within metal which has the most, "infamous" reputation that would definitely be "war metal". Within the surprisingly nebulous tag of "black/death" metal or blackened death metal, we have the style pioneered by the mighty Blasphemy and popularized by Revenge, and in recent years, people are paying attention to the war metal scene of India. Which brings me to today's subject, the band Aparthiva Raktadhara and their debut album Adyapeeth Maranasamhita (আদ্যাপীঠ মরণসংহিতা), to be released through Iron Bonehead.

Aparthiva Raktadhara, who for the sake of brevity I'll refer as AR, are indeed a war metal band, though they describe themselves as "Kalikshetra Death Metal", who came from the Kolkata scene which has pretty much become a hotbed of war metal in recent years. They caught a lot of people's attention with their debut release Agyat Ishvar (অজ্ঞাত ঈশ্বর), which displayed a raw and aggressive style of war metal that also leaned heavily into death metal-ish riffs and an oppressive atmosphere. Four years later and with their debut the band have successfully sharpened and tempered their style into a deadly blade.

The main thing people that were already familiar with AR, and even newcomers is the production. The band had a massive improvement in sound quality and audibility. That's something to be expected, since their previous and only other release was basically a demo that sounded accordingly, but that doesn’t mean the band lost any grit or edge. Adyapeeth Maranasamhita (আদ্যাপীঠ মরণসংহিতা) is still a relentless and punishing record that holds no bars, takes no prisoners and the production while much more audible than their debut still has that oppressive and murkiness that enanches the music's chaotic brutality. The speed, intensity and aggression the band displayed in their debut are still present (if not stronger than before) and furthermore the band's playing and technical prowess has also improved significantly. Their death metal influence is solidified and while this might be a cliche heap of praise, the best part of this records are the riffs courtesy of band member Takshaka, who also handles the bass. The guitar riffs steal the show, they keep the raw brutality that every good war metal record should have, and which was a highlight of the earlier EP, but with much more finesse and skill, which makes the riffs more complex and technical, and as such, the music sounds more intense and overwhelming, without devolving into distorted noise.

The drumming is also excellent, and like the guitars, it's a blend of raw aggression with technical prowess. V. Hydra truly displays the full extent of his drumming and it complements the music accordingly. The bass is the only instrument that doesn't shine as bright, but then again, it doesn't really need to, Takshaka still managed for the bass to match his excellent guitarwork, so while the seeming absence of bass is a personal gripe, I can't fault the band for it. Which now brings me to the vocals of Nahas, which are mostly the same as their demo, but then again, that's all the band needed. Nahas has a very distinct raspy growl which suits the band's music, but it also completes the band's overall sound. While war metal vocalists usually switch between a high pitch screeches or very low pitch growls, Nahas is in an ideal inbetween where his vocals sound demonic enough to be recognizable, but are also in line with the overall performance of each song, and that's one of the strongest aspects of this record, and of AR as a whole. The band are a unified and well oiled machine, as each member is an integral component of the music, the only real gripe is the near inaudible bass, but as I stated, the rest of the band's performances compensate for it.

Overall Aparthiva Raktadhara did everything a band should do with their first full legnth album, display all their talents, improve upon the shortcomings of their earlier releases and expand upon their better qualities. My only disclaimer is of course approach this record's music for what it is, a grim and oppressive style of metal that's only meant for those already in the know. The band may have polished their sound from their demo, but they're still an entity of sonic devastation.

Best tracks: 'Gnostic Arousal Of Shava Lingam', 'Obsidian Noose Of Naag-Paash: Ominous Ophidian', 'Nada Of Creation Collapses Onto Primal Bindu'

Rating: 8 out of 10

Review by Fernando on April 3, 2022.

If there's one subgenre within metal which has the most, "infamous" reputation that would definitely be "war metal". Within the surprisingly nebulous tag of "black/death" metal or blackened death metal, we have the style pioneered by the mighty Blasphemy and popularized by Revenge, and in recent years, people are paying attention to the war metal scene of India. Which brings me to today's subject, the band Aparthiva Raktadhara and their debut album Adyapeeth Maranasamhita (আদ্যাপীঠ মরণসংহিতা), to be released through Iron Bonehead.

Aparthiva Raktadhara, who for the sake of brevity I'll refer as AR, are indeed a war metal band, though they describe themselves as "Kalikshetra Death Metal", who came from the Kolkata scene which has pretty much become a hotbed of war metal in recent years. They caught a lot of people's attention with their debut release Agyat Ishvar (অজ্ঞাত ঈশ্বর), which displayed a raw and aggressive style of war metal that also leaned heavily into death metal-ish riffs and an oppressive atmosphere. Four years later and with their debut the band have successfully sharpened and tempered their style into a deadly blade.

The main thing people that were already familiar with AR, and even newcomers is the production. The band had a massive improvement in sound quality and audibility. That's something to be expected, since their previous and only other release was basically a demo that sounded accordingly, but that doesn’t mean the band lost any grit or edge. Adyapeeth Maranasamhita (আদ্যাপীঠ মরণসংহিতা) is still a relentless and punishing record that holds no bars, takes no prisoners and the production while much more audible than their debut still has that oppressive and murkiness that enanches the music's chaotic brutality. The speed, intensity and aggression the band displayed in their debut are still present (if not stronger than before) and furthermore the band's playing and technical prowess has also improved significantly. Their death metal influence is solidified and while this might be a cliche heap of praise, the best part of this records are the riffs courtesy of band member Takshaka, who also handles the bass. The guitar riffs steal the show, they keep the raw brutality that every good war metal record should have, and which was a highlight of the earlier EP, but with much more finesse and skill, which makes the riffs more complex and technical, and as such, the music sounds more intense and overwhelming, without devolving into distorted noise.

The drumming is also excellent, and like the guitars, it's a blend of raw aggression with technical prowess. V. Hydra truly displays the full extent of his drumming and it complements the music accordingly. The bass is the only instrument that doesn't shine as bright, but then again, it doesn't really need to, Takshaka still managed for the bass to match his excellent guitarwork, so while the seeming absence of bass is a personal gripe, I can't fault the band for it. Which now brings me to the vocals of Nahas, which are mostly the same as their demo, but then again, that's all the band needed. Nahas has a very distinct raspy growl which suits the band's music, but it also completes the band's overall sound. While war metal vocalists usually switch between a high pitch screeches or very low pitch growls, Nahas is in an ideal inbetween where his vocals sound demonic enough to be recognizable, but are also in line with the overall performance of each song, and that's one of the strongest aspects of this record, and of AR as a whole. The band are a unified and well oiled machine, as each member is an integral component of the music, the only real gripe is the near inaudible bass, but as I stated, the rest of the band's performances compensate for it.

Overall Aparthiva Raktadhara did everything a band should do with their first full legnth album, display all their talents, improve upon the shortcomings of their earlier releases and expand upon their better qualities. My only disclaimer is of course approach this record's music for what it is, a grim and oppressive style of metal that's only meant for those already in the know. The band may have polished their sound from their demo, but they're still an entity of sonic devastation.

Best tracks: 'Gnostic Arousal Of Shava Lingam', 'Obsidian Noose Of Naag-Paash: Ominous Ophidian', 'Nada Of Creation Collapses Onto Primal Bindu'

Rating: 8 out of 10