Cradle of Filth was formed in Suffolk, England, in 1991. The band's original members consisted of vocalist Dani Filth, guitarist Paul Ryan, keyboardist Ben Ryan (Paul's brother), bassist John Pritchard and drummer Darren Gardner. With this line-up, Cradle of Filth recorded a demo in 1992, titled Invoking the Unclean. Soon after, they recorded their second demo, Orgiastic Pleasures Foul with new guitarist Robin Eaglestone (aka Robin Graves) and new drummer Was Sarginson. Robin left the band shortly afterwards, but following the departure of John Pritchard, Eaglestone returned to take his place as bassist. Guitarist Paul Allender joined the band at the same time. Following these changes, another demo was recorded, titled Total Fucking Darkness (released commercially in 2014, bolstered with rehearsal sessions and a surviving track from the abandoned Goetia album). Sarginson left the band soon after, paving the way for the entry of drummer Nick Barker.
Cradle of Filth signed with Cacophonous Records in 1994, releasing their debut, The Principle of Evil Made Flesh. A series of differences between band members arose, and there were also problems between the band and the label. Their second work, the EP V Empire or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein, issued in 1996, saw further changes in the line-up. The Ryan brothers and Allender left, and Stuart Anstis (guitarist) and Damien Gregori (keyboardist) joined. While writing material for a new album, the band negotiated their departure from Cacophonous, and in November 1996, signed with European label Music for Nations and guitarist Gian Pyres joined. Later that year, they released Dusk... and Her Embrace, an album that substantially expanded the group's growing cult following.
Their next album was Cruelty and the Beast, released in 1998 featured new keyboardist Les Smith. Next year the group returned with From the Cradle to Enslave, an EP that featured new drummer Adrian Erlandsson (formerly of Sweden's At the Gates and The Haunted), as Barker had departed to join Dimmu Borgir. The band's several lineup changes continued apace as Paul Allender rejoined the group and Martin Powell (ex-Anathema and My Dying Bride) replaced Smith on keyboards for the full-length album Midian, Cradle's last for Music For Nations, which was appropriately released on Halloween 2000. Bitter Suites to Succubi was released on the band's own Abracadaver label in the UK and Spitfire Records in the US in 2001. The group signed to Sony for one album in 2003, adding a choir and orchestra for Damnation and a Day, and moved to Roadrunner Records for 2004's Nymphetamine, 2006's Thornography, and 2008's Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder. 2010's Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa was independently released by Abracadaver through Peaceville. In 2015 the band released Hammer of the Witches. In 2016 the original version of Dusk and Her Embrace (recorded with the line-up of The Principle of Evil Made Flesh but abandoned) was released for the first time.
As of 2009, Cradle of Filth had sold about 800,000 albums in the United States and four million records worldwide. Metal Hammer magazine called them the most successful British metal band since Iron Maiden.
Albums Studio albums Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales UK AUSPeaks in Australia: All except noted: Nymphetamine: Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa: Cryptoriana – The Seductiveness of Decay: Existence Is Futile: AUT BEL FIN FRA GER NLD SWE SWI US The Principle of Evil Made Flesh Released: 24 February 1994 Label: Cacophonous Format: CD, LP — — — — — — — — — — — Dusk and Her Embrace Released: 18 November 1996 Label: Music for Nations Format: CD, LP 107 — — — 24 — — — — — — WW: 400,000 Cruelty and the Beast Released: 27 April 1998 Label: Music for Nations Format: CD, LP 48 — 24 — 13 34 47 37 — — — US: 108,119 WW: 600,000 Midian Released: 30 October 2000 Label: Music for Nations Format: CD, LP 63 — — 47 11 50 30 41 57 — — US: 71,971 WW: 450,000 Damnation and a Day Released: 10 March 2003 Label: Sony Format: CD, LP 44 47 43 37 10 37 15 51 30 81 140 US: 100,000 WW: 500,000 Nymphetamine Released: 28 September 2004 Label: Roadrunner Format: CD, LP 92 53 56 59 32 44 25 29 23 64 89 US: 150,000 WW: 750,000 Thornography Released: 17 October 2006 Label: Roadrunner Format: CD, LP 46 35 20 58 16 48 27 48 37 71 66 US: 55,000 Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder Released: 28 October 2008 Label: Roadrunner Format: CD, LP 73 46 53 50 24 64 37 53 49 56 48 US: 11,000 (1st week) Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa Released: 1 November 2010 Label: Peaceville Format: CD, LP 95 89 50 64 18 55 43 83 — 61 99 US: 5,800 (1st week) The Manticore and Other Horrors Released: 29 October 2012 Label: Peaceville Format: CD, LP 106 — 63 92 24 94 56 — — — 96 US: 4,500 (1st week) Hammer of the Witches Released: 10 July 2015 Label: Nuclear Blast Format: CD, LP 44 28 57 28 5 76 23 38 — 46 196 US: 3,575 (1st week) Cryptoriana – The Seductiveness of Decay Released: 22 September 2017 Label: Nuclear Blast Format: CD, LP 50 53 20 35 8 110 15 111 — 24 — US: 4,000 (1st week) Existence Is Futile Released: 22 October 2021 Label: Nuclear Blast Format: CD, LP 68 82 12 43 4 70 9 38 — 20 — The Screaming of the Valkyries Released: 21 March 2025 Label: Napalm Records Format: CD, LP — — 4 49 29 — 5 — — 17 — "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country.
Live albums Title Album details Peak chart positionsUKFRALive Bait for the Dead Released: 19 August 2002 Label: Abracadaver Format: CD 175 134Live at Dynamo Open Air 1997 Released: 31 May 2019 Label: Fret Format: CD — —Trouble and Their Double Lives Released: 28 April 2023 Label: Napalm Format: CD — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Compilation albums Title Album details Peak chart positionsUKGERLovecraft & Witch Hearts Released: 13 May 2002 Label: Music for Nations Format: CD 96 95Midnight in the Labyrinth Released: 21 April 2012 Label: Peaceville Format: CD — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Extended plays Title Album details Peak chart positionsUKAUTFINFRAGERNLDV Empire or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein Released: 22 April 1996 Label: Cacophonous Format: CD, LP — — — — — —From the Cradle to Enslave Released: 2 November 1999 Label: Music for Nations Format: CD, LP 84 — — — — —Bitter Suites to Succubi Released: 18 June 2001 Label: Abracadaver Format: CD, LP 63 36 17 89 45 73Evermore Darkly Released: 17 October 2011 Label: Peaceville Format: CD — — — 177 — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Demos Title Album details Invoking the Unclean Released: 20 January 1992 Label: Self-released Formats: CS Orgiastic Pleasures Foul Released: February 1992 Label: Self-released Formats: CS Total Fucking Darkness Released: 1992, 19 May 2014 (rerelease) Label: Tombstone Records, Mordgrimm (rerelease) Formats: CS, CD, LP Dusk and Her Embrace: The Original Sin Released: 8 July 2016 Label: Cacophonous Format: CD
Singles Year Title Peak chart positions AlbumUKFRA 1998 "Twisted Nails of Faith" — — Cruelty and the Beast 2000 "Her Ghost in the Fog / Dance Macabre" — — Midian 2001 "No Time to Cry" — — Bitter Suites to Succubi 2003 "Babalon A.D. (So Glad for the Madness)" 35 — Damnation and a Day "Mannequin" — — 2004 "Nymphetamine" — — Nymphetamine 2005 "Devil Woman" — — 2006 "Temptation / Dirge Inferno" — — Thornography 2007 "The Foetus of a New Day Kicking" — — 2008 "Tragic Kingdom" — — Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder "Honey and Sulphur" — 98 2009 "The Death of Love" — — 2010 "Forgive Me Father (I Have Sinned)" — — Darkly, Darkly Venus Aversa 2011 "Lilith Immaculate" — — 2012 "Frost on Her Pillow" — — The Manticore and Other Horrors 2013 "For Your Vulgar Delectation" — — 2015 "Right Wing of the Garden Triptych" — — Hammer of the Witches "Blackest Magick in Practice" — — 2017 "Heartbreak and Seance" — — Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness of Decay2021 "Crawling King Chaos" — —Existence Is Futile "Necromantic Fantasies" — —2024 "Malignant Perfection" — —The Screaming of the Valkyries2025 "To Live Deliciously" — — "White Hellebore" — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country.
Covers Cradle of Filth are well known for their extensive list of covers (usually included on the special editions). YearTitle Album Original artist(s) 1996 "Hell Awaits" Dusk... and Her Embrace Slayer 1998 "Sodomy and Lust" Cruelty and the Beast Sodom 1998 "Black Metal" Venom 1998 "Hallowed Be Thy Name" Iron Maiden 1999 "Sleepless" From the Cradle to Enslave Anathema 1999 "Death Comes Ripping" Misfits 1999 "Dawn of Eternity" Massacre 2000 "For Those Who Died" Midian Sabbat 2001 "The Fire Still Burns" Twisted Forever Twisted Sister 2001 "No Time to Cry" Bitter Suites to Succubi The Sisters of Mercy 2004 "Devil Woman" Nymphetamine Cliff Richard 2004 "Mr. Crowley" Ozzy Osbourne 2004 "Bestial Lust" Bathory 2006 "Temptation" Thornography Heaven 17 2006 "Stay" Shakespears Sister 2006 "Halloween II" ThornographyUnderworld: Evolution Samhain 2008 "Into the Crypt of Rays" Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder Celtic Frost 2017 "Alison Hell" Cryptoriana – The Seductiveness of Decay Annihilator
Videos Video albums Title Video details Peak chart positions Sales CertificationsSWE PanDaemonAeon Released: 5 October 1999 Label: Music for Nations Format: VHS, DVD —Heavy, Left-Handed and Candid Released: 25 November 2001 Label: Abracadaver Format: VHS, DVD 16 WW: 100,000+Peace Through Superior Firepower Released: 22 November 2005 Label: Roadrunner Format: DVD 12 US: 2,000 (1st week) CAN: Gold "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Music videos YearTitle Director 1999 "From the Cradle to Enslave" Alex Chandon 2000 "Her Ghost in the Fog" 2001 "Born in a Burial Gown" "No Time to Cry" "Scorched Earth Erotica" 2003 "Babalon A.D. (So Glad for the Madness)" W.I.Z. "Mannequin" Thomas Mignone "The Promise of Fever" Paul Allender 2004 "Nymphetamine" Dani Jacobs 2006 "Temptation" Adam Mason 2007 "Tonight in Flames" Paul Allender "The Foetus of a New Day Kicking" Lee Lennox 2008 "Honey and Sulphur" Michael Maxxis 2009 "The Death of Love" Will Wright 2010 "Forgive Me Father (I Have Sinned)" Dani Jacobs 2011 "Lilith Immaculate" Ross Bolidai 2012 "Frost On Her Pillow" Stuart Birchall 2013 "For Your Vulgar Delectation" Ross Bolidai 2015 "Right Wing of the Garden Triptych" Sam Scott-Hunter "Blackest Magick In Practice" 2016 "Sleepless" Joe Latham2017 "Heartbreak And Seance" Arthur Berzinsh "You Will Know The Lion By His Claw" (Lyric Video)— "Achingly Beautiful" (Lyric Video)—2021"Crawling King Chaos"Vicente Cordero"Necromantic Fantasies"2022"How Many Tears To Nurture A Rose?"2023 "She is A Fire"2024"Malignant Perfection"2025"To Live Deliciously""White Hellebore"Shaun Hodson
See also Cradle of Fear The Gospel of Filth Dominator
Footnotes Re-released in 2007 by Peaceville Records, with the new title of Eleven Burial Masses. The CD & DVD package consists of the entire first disc of Live Bait for the Dead, plus the DVD Heavy, Left-Handed and Candid without its original bonus features.
References
External links Cradle of Filth