Twice as big, twice as grotesque, twice as gothic. That is our column Twice as Heavy. We had to wait four years for the successor to Existence Is Futile and that is quite a long time by Cradle of Filth standards. Album number fourteen, The Screaming of the Valkyries, is saddled with the arduous task of at least equaling its more than excellent predecessor. Whether supreme Valkyrie Dani Filth (since the debut classic The Principle of Evil Made Flesh more than thirty years at the helm of this ghost ship ) and his ilk will succeed, you can read below. Will The Screaming of the Valkyries become the new Valhalla for lovers of symphonic, gothic black metal, or should we send the new creation back to Helheim immediately? Zware Metalen tries to find out for you, but new work from such an iconic band simply demands to be viewed from more than one angle. The editors have fought it out to determine who would ultimately get their hands on the golden ticket, but editor-in-chief Remco Faasen (favorite genre: black metal) and editor-in-chief Tafkads (favorite genre: also black metal) were ultimately given the honor of introducing The Screaming Of The Valkyries to you.
“A synthesis of the ghosts of Cradle of Filth’s past and a bold step towards the future.” This is how Napalm Records announces the new album. The label claims that this new record marks the beginning of a new era in the music of Great Britain’s most successful extreme metal band. Dani Filth is once again surrounded by a slightly modified line-up: on guitar, Richard Shaw is replaced by the American Donny Burbage (Æther Realm) and the keyboards and female vocals of Anabelle Iratni have been taken over by the also American Zoe Marie Federoff, who (spicy detail) now goes through life as Mrs. Marek “Ashok” Šmerda, guitarist in the band. Romanticism, gothic and melancholy: in Cradle of Filth, it’s all close together…
Our editor-in-chief Remco Faasen praised Existence is Futile for its tasteful mix of thrash, gothic, heavy metal and melodic black metal. The heyday of Dusk and Her Embrace (1996) and Cruelty and the Beast (1998) are long gone and it is a fact that the band has changed considerably since Midian (2000), both in style and line-up. Yet Cradle of Filth remains an institution with a recognizable sound, a band that does not get stuck in the past but bravely looks to the future. That the bar remains high and the Brits still deliver quality has been proven time and again since Hammer of the Witches (2015). We’re curious to see if this newcomer can continue the positive trend…
Does The Screaming Of The Valkyries immediately hit like a bomb or is it more a record that needs to grow on you? What insights did a first listen provide?
Remco: With a Cradle of Filth album, setting the mood is usually very important. Almost always, it starts with an intro to get you into the feeling of the album. None of that with The Screaming Of The Valkyries, however: we go full steam ahead with To Live Deliciously, so this bomb is there as far as the start of the record is concerned. By the way, I would be surprised if this song – despite the video that was made for it – makes it to the setlist or stays there for long: it’s just not that impressive. And that also applies to Demagoguery, which follows and is actually of lesser quality. Both songs are in line with Cradle of Filth from Hammer of the Witches onwards: a little bit of thrash, a bit of heavy metal, some melodic black metal, all with a gothic edge. Quite nice, but not earth-shattering. It does sounds great, by the way. Crystal clear, with the instruments in complete harmony. The band has been working with Scott Atkins for years, who works the controls, as he did for the last albums of Vader and Benediction.
Tafkads: The Screaming Of The Valkyries is by no means an instant hit machine. The album gets off to a slow start. That may sound contradictory when you listen to the raw, thrashy guitar offensive of opening track To Live Deliciously (which, by the way, was released in January as the first teaser for the album). This energetic track is stylistically completely in line with what Cradle of Filth has released in recent years, but despite the high tempo and the powerful, mean thrash charges, it remains a bit too flat as an opener in my opinion. I listened to Cryptoriana (The Seductiveness of Decay, from 2017) this week. For me personally the best thing this band has released since Godspeed on the Devil’s Thunder (2008), and To Live Deliciously lacks the layering, the creative and vocal richness and the emotional depth of the introductory duo Exquisite Torments Await / Heartbreak and Seance. Despite the occasional melodic leads, the song doesn’t linger as long as its counterparts on Cryptoriana (The Seductiveness of Decay). Fans of blackened thrash with a thick sound and a more brutal approach will enjoy this one.
So it takes some time getting used to when it comes to The Screaming Of The Valkyries. What about the songs after the first two?
Remco: For me, this record starts with The Trinity of Shadows, with its thrashy start and then Dani Filth who comes in screaming in. Not as scary as on previous records, but hey, the guy is 51 already. The song is wonderfully constructed, with its tempo changes (including a wonderfully choppy middle section), sing-along chorus and the first real contribution from Zoe Marie Federoff. For Ashok too, it is the first time to distinguish himself as a guitarist and Dani Filth can spit out his unique lyrics so wonderfully: Gargoyle-stanced at the edge of night/The blushing skies/Set their silhouettes to dreadful sight/On a flush of gushing brides. This is Cradle of Filth in optima forma, including subtle keyboard playing by Federoff (or secretly just drummer Marthus again): a mini-opera that tells a whole story in six minutes. The Trinity of Shadows/Turn to black these Gothic dreams!
Tafkads: It is only with The Trinity of Shadows that Cradle of Filth reaches the level that we are used to (and may expect) from the band, in my opinion, and the gentlemen and lady succeed in sucking us into the music by means of an atmospheric, varied and harmonious track. The Trinity of Shadows excels in musical and substantive coherence: the compelling song overflows with melodic opulence and it has an attractive flow, with logical and interesting transitions. Thrash metal is integrated much more organically here than in the previous two songs and even in the faster pieces the band succeeds this time in retaining its finesse and inherent bombast (by means of a subtly incorporated Phantom of the Opera theme). The pleasantly catchy voice of Zoe Marie Federoff is fully appreciated for the first time on this album and we finally hear something of the dark romanticism that this band has excelled in for years. Content-wise, they once again fish in the age-old pond of sultry, exotic seduction, eroticism, mythology, doom and death. And how terribly cool and dramatic is the chanted “Nymphs, Moirai, Erinyes”? Goosebumps guaranteed every time: a real first highlight (but more about that below)…
The Trinity of Shadows is the first act of The Screaming Of The Valkyries’ excellent middle section. The central tracks on this album also stand out on the first listen, but still need some time to fully mature. To be honest: because of the somewhat hesitant opening (although these tracks also get better the more you listen to them), I was initially put on the wrong track, which also made it harder to get through to those stronger songs. It was only after a few listens that I started to feel the album better. In that sense, this album is definitely a record that must grow. That being said, I would like to compare The Screaming Of The Valkyries with Hammer of the Witches: also an album that in my opinion has a hard time getting started and only shows its true colors after a few tracks. Because yes, what follows are definitely a few highlights…
What are the highlights of this new album?
Remco: With The Trinity of Shadows we are on our way on this album and the upward trend is continued with Non Omnis Moriar, for which I will leave the translation to my esteemed colleague. Dani Filth and Zoe Marie Federoff battle together vocally and Ashok puts wonderful guitar work underneath. It is an emotional song, in which a farewell is sung and not because one is going on a ski trip and the other is staying at home with the dog and cat. It is of course a theme that goes back to the debut album The Principle of Evil Made Flesh and for which lyricist Filth pulls out his entire Gothic dictionary.
White Hellebore is an absolute highlight, also because of the penetrating clear vocals of Federoff. This song has everything: bombast, thrash, rage, blastbeats, a venomous Filth and mighty keyboard playing. An instant classic. The following You Are My Nautilus is the longest track on the album with its 7:39 minutes and worth every second. It is an epic in itself that takes you in all directions as a listener and of which I look forward to how Ashok will bring this live, because he now really demands a leading role. At the same time, it is not really typical Cradle of Filth. With a few adjustments here and there (and a big one on vocals) this could easily have been Iron Maiden. The variation, the guitar playing, the emotion that is processed in it… it is pure heavy metal. And it works very well.
With Malignant Perfection I then get some Born In A Burial Gown vibes, which was hidden on the 2001 EP Bitter Suites to Succubi (although with almost 50 minutes of playing time it is actually a full-fledged album) and a bit further on I catch myself on the thought that it sounds a bit easy, typically Cradle of Filth-esque, with Dani Filth giving himself cues to throw out a growl every time. Just when I wonder if the song is still going somewhere, it does go somewhere and the band works towards a beautiful and ferocious finale.
Tafkads: “Nymphs, Moirai, Erinyes”. For me, The Screaming Of The Valkyries finally comes to full maturity at this point. The Trinity of Shadows will also do very well live for that reason. The following songs also reach such a high level that they will gradually develop into new Cradle of Filth evergreens for the listener. The oppressive, deeply emotional Non Omnis Moriar (“Not Every Part Of Me Will Die”), with its dark tragedy, is a gripping, intense duet between Dani Filth and Zoe Marie Federoff. If this doesn’t make you go weak at the knees, you’re simply made of stone.
But hey, the absolute highlight of this album is without a doubt “the darkest song Iron Maiden never wrote”: You Are My Nautilus. Yes, this passionate heavy metal composition is miles away from the songs with which the band managed to charm us in the past, but still: this is already an iconic song that will certainly take a permanent place in the set list of future live performances. The guitars know how to strike the right chords (literally and figuratively) and delight us with rousing, über-catchy leads that stick in your memory like the suction cups of an octopus arm. Halfway through, we literally get the coolest riff ever: headbanging guaranteed! The song also lends itself like no other to screaming along, both with the chorus (“You are my Nautilus. The scourge of the abyss”) and with the chanted “Fates bow before me”. Of course this is not just any heavy metal: Cradle of Filth makes something very atmospheric of it, with warm guitar melodies and Dani who vocally stands his ground without too much effort between all that wonderful instrumental violence. You Are My Nautilus is very impressive. This song is of world class standards!
Dani Filth’s voice has evolved considerably over time. What do we hear vocally this time?
Remco: Mr. Filth’s voice is of course unique, but you have to like it. That said, I think that after a career that started in 1990, he certainly doesn’t have to be ashamed of his vocal performances in 2025, although it is all getting a bit less. Those horrific parts are disappearing more and more into the background and Filth is increasingly focusing on half-whispering/half-talking and his regular, well-understood grunt. His palette is getting smaller, although he still gets a more than adequate grade.
Tafkads: I actually don’t like to be critical of the person who in my personal opinion is the most unique metal vocalist of all time and whose voice has given me as a music lover a lot of auditory pleasure. However, I have to say that Dani varies (too) little vocally throughout the album and mainly relies on the hoarse, throaty screams that he has been using more and more in recent years, supplemented with a half-whispered, half-sung voice and spoken word. Of course, this approach fits better with the thrashy sound that returns on a number of songs, but in that respect there is little innovation or variation to be found. The signature high, icy screams that we know from the heyday are only used sparingly, and I think that is a shame, especially for an album called The Screaming Of The Valkyries (but how wonderful does it sound on White Hellebore?). Call me a romantic who has been stuck in the past for too long, but there’s no denying that there’s been a step backwards in terms of vocal variety compared to Existence is Futile.
What are the biggest plus and minus points of The Screaming Of The Valkyries?
Remco: After the first listen I told myself that this is the most Iron Maiden-inspired album by Cradle of Filth ever. For fans of extreme metal there is enough to get out of it, but there is really a big dose of more traditional heavy metal thrown in. This is not bad, but it seems to have been at the expense of the atmosphere. You really have to listen to a Cradle of Filth album in its entirety to experience it fully. From intro to outtro you are taken on a gothic journey where danger is constantly lurking and you halt at the strange and sometimes bizarre stops.
This album is however mainly a collection of songs that have little coherence. That doesn’t make it any less… but actually it does. There are enough bands that put ten or eleven loose blanks on a record and that can work fine but Cradle of Filth is not really like that. Artwork, theme, lyrics and music are always connected. And the power lies in the whole. On The Screaming Of The Valkyries the individual song counts and that makes the record as a whole a bit more boring.
In addition, the last two songs are really not among the band’s strongest work. I would even dare to say that Ex Sanguine Draculae (Blood of Dracula) is a forgettable trifle. Fortunately, the band does end well with the closing song When Misery Was a Stranger. It is certainly not the best song on the album, let alone in the entire oeuvre, but it is typical Cradle of Filth where everything is pulled out of the closet one more time and everyone is allowed to hear what they have to offer and even delivers a fine finale.
The focus of this album is clearly in songs 3, 4, 5 and 6.
Tafkads: The four tracks in the center of the album are of a particularly high level and are in themselves a reason to buy this album. As the most important “plus point” I would of course put forward You Are My Nautilus, but if you are looking for unfiltered emotion, Non Omnis Moriar is definitely the right place for you. Another plus point is certainly the beautiful artwork; compared to Existence Is Futile it is a considerable step forward. The minus points then. As already said: the first two songs have a hard time getting going and lack the magic (and atmosphere) that makes me return to Cradle of Filth so often. The last two songs are of excellent quality (nothing to complain about; Ex Sanguine Draculae in particular pounds away mercilessly), but they do not excel like those central songs.
In my opinion, this band still comes into its own with an atmospheric, symphonic setting, although Cradle of Filth also convinced me with a more heavy metal-oriented approach (an influence that was always present with them). The lack of sufficient vocal variation with the lead singer (certainly in comparison with the previous albums) costs some points, but the contribution of Zoe Marie Federoff, and especially the interaction with Dani (among others on the beautiful Non Omnis Moriar), also yields something.
Is this album a step back or a step forward (both in time and in terms of quality)?
Remco: Neither. The Screaming Of The Valkyries is a continuation of the Cradle of Filth of the last ten years but it is not the best album from that period. However, that does not mean that it is a step back. It may just be a pause. Although I would rather that they do not use that straightforward approach next time. To really immerse myself in a Cradle of Filth album, more is needed than just a collection of tracks. By the way, compliments to Zoe Marie Federoff, who surpasses the singer of the last albums, Lindsay Schoolcraft. Floor Jansen can be proud of her former pupil, who has also proven herself live.
Tafkads: Where are Dani’s horrifying screams? Where are the strings? Where is the organ? Where are the menacing backing choirs? Where is the poisonous spoken word of the witches that Dani Filth has surrounded himself with for decades? The Screaming Of The Valkyries is much more to the point than its predecessors, but because of that this album lacks two important atmospheric elements: on the one hand the orchestral framework, on the other hand the fantasy element with occult and horror undertones. When I bought The Dreadful Hours by My Dying Bride at the time, there was a sticker on it: “Feverish, Devilish and Relevant” (a witty variation on a line from their song Under Your Wings and into Your Arms). This quote perfectly sums up the music of Cradle of Filth in my opinion. Without wanting to detract from the qualities of The Screaming Of The Valkyries, I can only conclude that the band has lost some of its atmosphere; This album is not feverish and not really devilish/demonic. It does contain some great songs, but it does not overwhelm or swallow me up like Cryptoriana (The Seductiveness of Decay) does. The thrash element was certainly present on that album, but was much better integrated into the dream image that Cradle of Filth evoked there.
Compared to Existence Is Futile, I nevertheless cautiously stick to a status quo. That was a pretty strong album in itself with a number of top songs, but the same can be said of The Screaming Of The Valkyries. There are some subtle style shifts to be noticed, but these have little influence on the delivered quality, which is again high, despite my criticisms above. There is certainly no step back towards the past (although you can clearly hear echoes of Malignant Perfection), but I wouldn’t call it a “bold step towards the future” either.
Will Cradle of Filth still be able to surprise in 2025?
Remco: Surprise is a big word, but that is almost impossible for a band with such a long track record. Or it must be because that the heavy metal influences are getting bigger. It is just a nice album. Not the best, not the worst. Nothing wrong with that.
Tafkads: Cradle of Filth has a tradition of seeking out and pushing boundaries. Experimenting is typical of this band and so we now hear different things than on the previous albums, although you certainly cannot speak of a break in style. Ultimately, their sound remains very recognizable, despite all those line-up changes. Perhaps the most surprising thing is the observation that Dani Filth still delivers top quality after no less than fourteen albums, without getting stuck in the successes of the past. The band continues to evolve and to make this possible, certain choices have to be made, something that will certainly divide opinions.
Does the new album live up to the high expectations? Is this year list material?
Remco: I have been following Cradle of Filth since 1995 and have almost every release on at least one audio medium and this one I also ordered in a super deluxe limited exclusive version and I reserve a spot in my year list in advance. However, I do not think this will reach the first place, for that real black metal records usually qualify. At the same time, this is an album that presents the band excellently. It is very impressive that after all these years quality like this is still being released.
Tafkads: The Screaming Of The Valkyries is currently number one on my year list. There are few bands that consistently deliver this much quality and while there is certainly room for (justified) reservations, you can’t deny that this is yet another very strong release with a number of iconic, unforgettable moments.
Score Remco: 85/100
Score Tafkads: 87/100
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