Cradle Of Filth - Principle Of Evil Made Flesh (Vinyl)

Cradle of Filth is most notorious for bringing respectability to the Norwegian black metal template, the band threatening to actually make the genre enjoyable, thanks to acceptable production values and an admirable songwriting ethic mostly absent among the early reptilian belchings croaked forth from dank Norse basements -- and Cradle is British to boot. Utilizing flowery classical flourishes, tangible melodies, nimble death/thrash riffing, a coherent -- albeit crushing -- rhythmic battery, and the deranged, multifaceted caterwaul of vocalist Dani Davey, The Principle of Evil Made Flesh brought a musical sensibility to the black metal table that was absent in early genre releases by Emperor, Enslaved, and Mayhem. Boasting a blatant goth influence -- i.e., lengthy keyboard intros, intermittent operatic female vocals, and Davey's black 'n' blood take on romantic poetry (in meter even!) -- and slightly tongue-in-cheek vampire and occult imagery, Cradle came across as a lean combination o