Cradle of Filth continue to evolve with each new release. With their fourteenth album, The Screaming of the Valkyries, the band welcomes guitarist Donny Burbage and keyboardist/vocalist Zoe Marie Federoff, yet still delivers tracks that echo the spirit of classics like Dusk and Her Embrace. A flawless addition to the band’s discography, the album is a must-listen for both longtime and new fans alike (read our full review here). With the record out now, Metal Insider caught up with Federoff to discuss her role, the album, and more.
The Screaming of the Valkyries marks your first album with Cradle of Filth. What was the recording and creative process like for you?
Like a lot of modern bands, we created this album together mainly over long distance via email, drop box, and even 12 hour Zoom conferences! It was a lot of fun to build songs with the guys and the distance gives everyone a moment to pause and ponder before reacting and contributing. I really enjoyed it.
What was the biggest challenge you faced while writing or recording this album?
I wanted to create compositions that reflected what I love best about Cradle as a fan. That’s a lot of pressure when you think about the epic classics like Her Ghost In The Fog or Nymphetamine. The haunting gothic elements and epic beauty and the beast characteristics of Cradle’s discography are both inspiring and daunting when considering all a new record has to live up to. I definitely lost a lot of sleep in the process of trying to do the legacy justice.
Which track on the album do you feel is the most personal or emotionally powerful?
Hands down, Non Omnis Moriar. I cried while recording vocals in the studio and I still cry when I hear this song. In my personal opinion, it’s some of Dani’s most potent lyrics and I imagine I’ll be listening to it years down the road with the same emotions.
With this being album number fourteen, which song or record got you into Cradle of Filth and why?
Midian. I love the heaviness and blackened extremism of Cradle but I also love the melodic and gothic atmospheric side, and for me Midian has the best of everything.
From auditioning for the band to playing your first show, touring, and now recording an album, how has your journey with Cradle of Filth been so far?
I think a lot of people are surprised when I tell them how straightforward it’s all been. Dani Filth is a gentleman, and quite fun to be around. I am now married to Ashok the guitarist, who is the greatest man I’ve ever met- and I get to create music with him! I don’t know a better love story than ours. Beyond that, Dougal (Daniel Firth) and Donny are two of my best friends and I love working with them. It’s just a really cohesive group, great friendship exists here and the band family is extremely healthy at the moment.
How do you feel your presence as a keyboardist and vocalist has influenced the new chapter for Cradle of Filth?
I bring both a nostalgic perspective as a fan from the Midian era but also I come from other realms of metal- mainly symphonic and melodeath, so I’ve brought elements of those subgenres into my contributions. The beautiful thing about Cradle of Filth is that it’s truly genreless. It’s not black metal, it’s not anything really except itself, and not being inhibited by genre barriers is great fun for us all.
If you could turn one song from the album into a short film, which would it be and why?
Non Omnis Moriar or When Misery Was A Stranger. Both are these epic journeys through dark and light, the despair mingled with the hope, and I think they are quite comparable to the album singles in terms of theatrical potential.
What’s next for Cradle of Filth after this album cycle? Do you have any side projects, collaborations, or new creative ventures?
The next Cradle album is being written as we speak, so it won’t be a long wait for number 15. I also front symphonic metal band Catalyst Crime, and there’s a new record due this year for us as well.
Is there anything else you’d like to say or add about the new album?
I hope this album pays tribute to the glorious past of Cradle while also offering a taste of the future, and that fans like myself are satisfied with the blend of old and new. At the end of the day, I want to do justice to the legacy of Cradle of Filth.
Feature Image Photo Credit: Jakub Alexandrowicz
