Biography of Cradle of Filth

1991 was the year that could be dubbed ?nativity in black?. That label could be applied because that was the year that Cradle of Filth was born. The original lineup was Dani Davey (later to be known as Dani Filth), Paul Ryan, Ryan?s brother Benjamin}, John Richard and Darren. This was the lineup that began their career of evil with the first demo Invoking The Unclean. By the time they recorded the follow up Orgiastic Pleasures the group had been augmented by the addition of Robin Eaglestone. Although Eaglestone originally joined as a guitarist and left in short order, when Richard left the group he returned as their bassist. Two more lineup changes followed resulting in Paul Allender becoming the band?s guitarist and Nicholas Barker sitting behind the drum kit. It was this group that recorded their third demo Total Fucking Darkness. All the demos eventually paid off with the group getting a contract on Cacophonous Records and releasing their first full album The Principle of Evil Made Flesh in 1994.Although Cradle of Filth had now reached their next plateau. the lineup changes had only just begun. In fact it was not long before Allender and the brothers Ryan had all left. Allender was replaced by Stuart Antsis and Jared Demeter and Damien Gregori stepped in to fill the siblings shoes. The next release, the EP V Empire (1996) was a product of this grouping. The lineup was still far from stable, though. In fact, by the time the next album Dusk and Her Embrace (featuring guest appearance by Venom?s Cronos) was released later that year Demeter was out with Gian Pyres filling his shoes. The group had also changed labels, now recording on Music For Nations. As the revolving personnel door continued to turn Gregori left shortly after the release of Dusk..). His replacement was {$Les Smith. It would be two years before the next Cradle of Filth album. This one would bear the name ?Cruelty and the Beast?. The disc, like the last, featured another guest appearance, this one a bit more unusual in music circles. The guest was Hammer horror film queen Ingrid Pitt. Although their had been no more lineup changes by that point it was not to last. By 2000 when they released From The Cradle to Enslave the drum chair was being filled by Adrian Erlandsson. After that release bigger changes happened. One part of the shift involved the return of Allender. The other change happened when Martin Powell took over the keyboard spot vacated by Smith. This was the lineup which recorded Midian. Bitter Suites To Succubi followed later the same year. Their most recent release is 2002?s DVD Heavy Left Handed and Candid. ~ Gary Hill