Hammer of the Witches | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 10 July 2015 | |||
Recorded | November 2014 – May 2015 [1] | |||
Studio | Grindstone Studios (Suffolk, England) | |||
Genre | Extreme metal | |||
Length | 56:11 68:47 (Deluxe edition) | |||
Label | Nuclear Blast | |||
Producer | Scott Atkins | |||
Cradle of Filth chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Hammer of the Witches | ||||
|
Hammer of the Witches is the eleventh studio album by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth. It was released on 10 July 2015 and is their first release under record label Nuclear Blast. Hammer of the Witches features the band's new line-up following the departure of Paul Allender and James McIlroy, which includes new guitarists Marek 'Ashok' Šmerda and Richard Shaw and new keyboardist and female vocalist Lindsay Schoolcraft.
Hammer of the Witches is the first Cradle of Filth album since 1998's Cruelty and the Beast to not feature work from longtime guitarist Paul Allender. Work on the album began in early 2014, with frontman Dani emphasizing that the band planned on taking their time with it. [2] In an interview in 2016, Lindsay Schoolcraft stated that she was pleased with the fan-response and that the band had actually finished work on the album quicker than they had expected to. [3]
Vocalist Dani Filth stated: "The artwork for Hammer of the Witches was created by Latvian artist Arthur Berzinsh and is a lavish walk-through of the lyricism, drawing on rich renaissance themes and displaying them in beautiful-yet-unsettling scenarios. Half of the detailed pieces are totally original for the release, others are Berzinsh classics cunningly tailored to the themes of the album, which are themes rife with heady witchcraft, be it persecution, retribution or unfettered spiritual liberation. The female form is rampant throughout the artwork, unashamedly displayed in its classical rendition of beauty... and horror." [4]
The first single and video for the track "Right Wing of the Garden Triptych" was released on 14 May 2015. [4] [5] [6] Hammer of the Witches was released on 10 July.
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 75/100 [7] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [8] |
Consequence of Sound | B− [9] |
The Guardian | [10] |
Kerrang! | [11] |
MetalSucks | [12] |
Record Collector | [13] |
Sputnikmusic | [14] |
Hammer of the Witches has received a favourable response from critics, who appreciated its change in direction. It has also received a more positive fan response than previous releases in recent years such as The Manticore and Other Horrors and Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa , with many praising it as the band's best album since Cruelty and the Beast (1998). [15] The Guardian called it "both a joyous nod towards past glories and a significant creative rebirth" and wrote "these are the most vital and incisive songs Dani Filth has conjured from the dark ether in a long time". [10] AllMusic wrote "on their 11th studio album, this unholy horde, forever wrapped in corpse paint, leather, and spikes, look back more than they do forward. And that proves a good thing [...] Hammer of the Witches doesn't reach the heights of Dusk of Her Embrace [ sic ], but it does offer proof that there is plenty of fire and creativity left in Cradle of Filth." [8]
All lyrics are written by Dani Filth; all music is composed by Cradle of Filth (Dani Filth, Martin Škaroupka, Daniel Firth, Lindsay Schoolcraft, Richard Shaw, Marek 'Ashok' Šmerda)
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Walpurgis Eve" | 1:29 |
2. | "Yours Immortally..." | 6:01 |
3. | "Enshrined in Crematoria" | 5:46 |
4. | "Deflowering the Maidenhead, Displeasuring the Goddess" | 6:56 |
5. | "Blackest Magick in Practice" | 6:50 |
6. | "The Monstrous Sabbat (Summoning the Coven)" | 1:51 |
7. | "Hammer of the Witches" | 6:29 |
8. | "Right Wing of the Garden Triptych" | 5:54 |
9. | "The Vampyre at My Side" | 5:45 |
10. | "Onward Christian Soldiers" | 6:59 |
11. | "Blooding the Hounds of Hell" | 2:10 |
Total length: | 56:11 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
12. | "King of the Woods" | 6:17 |
13. | "Misericord" | 6:19 |
Total length: | 68:47 |
Credits for Hammer of the Witches adapted from liner notes. [16]
Cradle of Filth
Additional musicians
Production
Chart (2015) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA) [17] | 28 |
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [18] | 57 |
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI) [19] | 5 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [20] | 28 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [21] | 31 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [22] | 38 |
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) [23] | 5 |
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ) [24] | 21 |
Italian Albums (FIMI) [25] | 68 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [26] | 46 |
UK Albums (OCC) [27] | 44 |
US Billboard 200 [28] | 196 |
US Top Album Sales (Billboard) [29] | 76 |
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [30] | 20 |
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard) [31] | 4 |
US Independent Albums (Billboard) [32] | 9 |
Cradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved originally from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic metal and other metal genres. Their lyrical themes and imagery are heavily influenced by Gothic literature, poetry, mythology and horror films. The band consists of its founding member, vocalist Dani Filth, drummer Martin 'Marthus' Škaroupka, bassist Daniel Firth, guitarists Marek 'Ashok' Šmerda and Donny Burbage, and keyboardist Zoe Marie Federoff.
Damnation and a Day is the fifth studio album by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth. It was released on 10 March 2003 and is Cradle of Filth's only album on a major label, Sony Records, after which they transferred to Roadrunner. It features the one hundred and one-piece Budapest Film Orchestra including the forty-piece Budapest Film Choir. The album is partly based on John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost.
Dusk... and Her Embrace is the second studio album by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth. It was released on August 28, 1996. and is their first release on the label Music for Nations.
Daniel Lloyd Davey, known professionally as Dani Filth, is an English singer who is the lead vocalist, lyricist and founding member of the extreme metal band Cradle of Filth.
Nymphetamine is the sixth studio album by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth. Recorded between February and July 2004, it was released on 28 September by record label Roadrunner. Nymphetamine marks the first recorded appearance of guitarist James McIlroy on a Cradle of Filth album. He would later record guitar for the band's 2010 release Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa. Nymphetamine is also the band's final album to feature keyboardist Martin Powell.
Midian is the fourth studio album by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth. It was released on 30 October 2000, through Music for Nations. The album marks the return of guitarist Paul Allender to the band, as well as the introduction of drummer Adrian Erlandsson and keyboard player Martin Powell. It also features Doug Bradley as the narrator for various songs.
From the Cradle to Enslave is the second EP by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth, released on 30 October 1999 by record labels Music for Nations (Europe) and Metal Blade (US).
Bitter Suites to Succubi is the third EP by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth. It was released on 22 May 2001, through the band's own Abracadaver label.
The Blood Divine were a British gothic metal band, founded in the summer of 1995 by Paul Allender, brothers Paul and Benjamin Ryan, and Darren White. Allender and the brothers Ryan had recently left Cradle of Filth after the release of The Principle of Evil Made Flesh and White had recently parted ways with Anathema. They recruited drummer William A. 'W.A.S.' Sarginson and bassist Steve Maloney and were quickly signed up by Peaceville Records.
Lovecraft & Witch Hearts is a compilation album by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth, released on 13 May 2002 by record label Music for Nations.
Thornography is the seventh studio album by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth. It was released on 17 October 2006, by record label Roadrunner. It was produced by former Anthrax guitarist Rob Caggiano, engineered by Dan Turner and mixed by Andy Sneap, and once again features narration by Doug Bradley. It is Cradle of Filth's second album as a five-piece, as keyboardist Martin Powell left the band in 2005. This would also be the band's final album to feature drummer Adrian Erlandsson, and the only full-length to feature guitarist Charles Hedger.
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, 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 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. Sarginson left the band soon after, paving the way for the entry of drummer Nicholas Barker.
Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder is the eighth studio album by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth. It was released on 28 October 2008, through record label Roadrunner. It is the band's fourth concept album, after Cruelty and the Beast (1998), Midian (2000), and Damnation and a Day (2003), dealing with the life of the 15th-century French baron Gilles de Rais.
Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa is the ninth studio album by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth. It was released on 1 November 2010 by record label Peaceville and is a concept album centred on the demon Lilith. It is Cradle of Filth's only album to feature keyboardist Ashley Ellyllon, and is also the band's final album with Dave Pybus as their bass player and James McIlroy as their second guitar player.
Evermore Darkly... is the fourth EP by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth, released in October 2011. A companion piece to the 2010 album Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa, it contains two new tracks in "Transmission from Hell" and "Thank Your Lucky Scars", plus demo versions of some Venus Aversa tracks. An orchestral version of "Summer Dying Fast" is also included as a taster for the subsequent Midnight in the Labyrinth collection. The CD was originally packaged with a DVD containing a documentary, a live show from 25 June 2011's Graspop festival, and the promo video for "Lilith Immaculate".
The Manticore and Other Horrors is the tenth studio album by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth. It was released on 29 October 2012 in Europe and on 30 October in USA. It is the band's only album as a three-man group rather than its six-man staple. It was also the last release with Paul Allender on guitar, who departed the band for a second time in April 2014.
Reincarnate is the third studio album by American metalcore band Motionless in White. It was released on September 15, 2014, through Fearless Records in the UK and a day later worldwide. It was produced by Dan Korneff and Chris "Motionless" Cerulli. Reincarnate is the last Motionless in White album to be released on Fearless Records.
Cryptoriana – The Seductiveness of Decay is the twelfth studio album by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth. It was released on 22 September 2017 through Nuclear Blast Records. It is the second and final album to feature Lindsay Schoolcraft on narration before her departure in February 2020.
Existence Is Futile is the thirteenth studio album by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth, released on 22 October 2021 through Nuclear Blast. It is the band's only album to feature keyboardist and female vocalist Anabelle Iratni and the last album with guitarist Richard Shaw before his departure in May 2022. This album also saw the return of Doug Bradley to provide narration for two tracks. It is the sixth Cradle of Filth release on which he appears, but the first since 2011's Evermore Darkly.