Cradle of Filth gets seal of approval from headbangers

Sporting black leather costumes and gruesome makeup, the U.K.-based band Cradle of Filth descended upon Firestone Live on Saturday night to the roaring approval of an Orlando metal fan base.

Known for its chilling stage presence and twisted attire, the six-piece metal act not only gave their fans a night of dark music, but put on a show, as well.  

"We try to represent what Cradle of Filth is in our live act," said lead guitarist Paul Allender. "We like to take it one step further and make [the crowd] feel involved in the atmosphere."

The band played in Orlando as part of their "Creatures from the Black Abyss" tour and has recently been supporting their newest album Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa, which was released in November, 2010.

Engulfed in smoke and dramatic lighting, the band played cryptic compositions filled with heavy guitar riffs, haunting keyboard interludes, and dynamic drum parts.

From behind a microphone stand made of black, charred bones, frontman Dani Filth spat lyrics of dark mythology and legends at the crowd of loyal supporters. With vocals ranging from low growls to high shrieks, Filth's voice in combination with the instruments gives the band a sound that is both unique and difficult to categorize.

Tyler Futrell, an 18-year-old senior at Seminole High School in Sanford, believes that the lyrics are the best quality of Cradle of Filth and that other bands don't focus enough on the lyrical message.

"Their choice of diction makes them unique. I really like the way the lyrics roll," said Futrell, who was seeing Cradle of Filth for the first time. "Every other band is solely content on being as brutal sounding as possible. Cradle likes to tell a story. You've got to go with bands that do that."

Another fan who appreciates the bands lyrical content is Zachary Cole, a student at Stetson in DeLand.

"I like their songs because they help get me through rough times," said Cole. "When I'm depressed or having a bad day, their music gives me a source of power."

Though the Orlando show was the second-to-last date on the 31-city trek, Cradle of Filth showed no sign of fatigue and played through a well-rounded set list of material spanning most of their albums. Some of the songs played included "Nymphetamine," "Her Ghost in the Fog," and "The Forest Whispers My Name."

Trevor Aabal, a 23-year-old fan from Sarasota, went out of his way to make his first Cradle of Filth show count by securing himself a VIP meet-and-greet pass.

 "Dani's vocals are just so unique," Aabal said. "They're melodic keyboard aspect gives them a very signature sound. The music sounds brutal, yet beautiful."

Allender said that overall song writing ability is much more important than playing quickly or showing off technical skill.

"I get bored when I see people shred on guitar," Allender said. "It's more important to write good songs and trying to get an atmosphere than performing fret board gymnastics."

In addition to playing guitar for Cradle of Filth, Allender also designs the artwork on their merchandise and has his own graphic art company called Vomitorium. He does merchandise for the band Dawn of Ashes as well, modifying pictures into grotesque images with his Photoshop skills.

"If I can't think of a riff then I'll just start painting," said Allender, who feels that his dark artwork and music go hand in hand. "It's all in good fun, just a part of being creative."

After playing through a long set of epic tracks accompanied by mysterious images of flames and ghostly figures from a video screen, the band left the stage with the crowd begging for one more song.

After a few minutes the band returned for an encore, finishing the night with two more songs and leaving every fan saluting with horn signs high in the air.

Opening up the show for Cradle of Filth were metal acts Nachtmystium, Turisas, and Daniel Lioneye.

Allender said that the band plans on touring a lot more in the coming months ahead and that they intend on writing a new album at the end of the year.