Track Listing:

1. Under Pregnant Skies She Comes Alive Like Miss Leviathan
2. Dirge Inferno
3. Tonight In Flames
4. Libertina Grimm
5. The Byonic Man
6. I Am The Thorn
7. Cemetary And Sundown
8. Lovesick For Mina
9. The Foetus Of A New Day Kicking
10. Rise Of The Pentagram
11. Under Huntress Moon
12. Temptation

Artist:   Cradle Of Filth
Title:    ”Thornography”
Label:    Roadrunner Records

Written By:   Ken Pierce (copyright 2006) for Metal Edge Magazine

This article was originally written for Metal Edge Magazine when I was a contributor to their CD & DVD reviews sections. Writing for a print magazine is very different from that of an online one based on a strict word count and these items had to follow specifics to ensure proper spacing on the pages. With this being the case the review content that you see here is far different from the other reviews presented on PiercingMetal.com – The folding of the magazine in 2/2009 found me listing these reviews on the official site blog as a single article and eventually incorporating them into the main website content for maximum searchability as individual items.

Leave it to the Cradle Of Filth to once again prove why they are continually going to be impossible to classify under one genre specification. For many years, they have been one of the most theatrical groups of them all and they were among the earliest to blend the Symphonic angle into Extreme Black Metal music. The elements of the this brand of music and the over the top dramatics of lead singer Dani Filth led this band to success and to become as much a force of nature as they were a musical group. With Cradle Of Filth, the only constant is change and on their second release on Roadrunner Records, fans will find this definitely to be the case once again. It’s an album that might come as a surprise to the die-hard fans given its moving further away from the style they first blasted on to the scene with. Yet similarly, this release might also gain some fans based on its use of a Gothic essence and the heavy leaning on traditional Thrash Metal vibes. Thornography is a recording that will allow you to redefine your perspective of COF and it’s a great follow up to Nymphetamine. If you had to compare the two you will find an equal part of solid and memorable songs and perhaps you will even agree that the release is the best that the band has ever delivered to the fans. Tracks like “Tonight In Flames” will have you raging with horns raised to the sky while “I Am The Thorn” reflects in style on the bands of Metal’s illustrious past. This feel shows that COF is not as far from the influences of so many as one might think. As in the past so the future as guests appear once again on the new record. We have Sara Jezebel Deva (Angtoria) on one number, while HIM’s Ville Vallo (a most unlikely pairing of singers) makes his mark with “Byonic Man”. There are moments some might find as selling out based on their tempo but be aware that the music is incredibly strong from start to finish. The instrumental “Rise Of The Pentagram” shows just how good these guys can play and thanks to the changes, the world has received their most accessible album of all. It’s a great chance to jump on board if you are not already there

Thoughts about this once great magazine can be left on our original blog about this subject HERE

Official Web Site:   www.cradleoffilth.com