Cradle of Filth returned to New York City to once again to support 2017’s Cryptoriana – The Seductiveness of Decay. While we’ve seen these UK extreme metal legends perform at Irving Plaza roughly one year prior, we had to see them once again on April 4th, 2019. This time around, we had three theatrical acts as Cradle of Filth was joined by Wednesday 13 and Raven Black for support. While the tour has officially come to a close on April 18th in Dallas Texas, this particular run was a must see.
Raven Black
Raven Black opened the night as they brought horror, umbrellas, teddy bears, and more to the stage. Their overall style would remind you of an early 2000s Marilyn Manson-era partially mixed with Jack off Jill. Their performance was like watching a horror film come to life on stage as each song shared a unique storyline. The early-bird crowd engaged with their theatrics as the group went into songs such as “13,” “Sticks N Stones,” “Damaged,” “Twinkle Twinkle Little Scars,” “Dollhouse,” “Break the Box,” “Seven Sins” and their latest single, “Carnival.”
Wednesday 13
At this point in their career, you never know what you’re going to get during a Wednesday 13 performance. However, this time around it looks like the band has moved away from promoting 2017’s Condolences as it seems new music could be on the way from them. It was challenging to take your eyes off of Wednesday as he first appeared as an alien-esque Captain Hook character followed by a skeletal extraterrestrial. As the visuals continued to shock the concertgoers, the band powered through songs including “Hail Ming,” “Come Out and Plague,” “Astro Psycho – Galactic Blood-Drive,” “Serpent Society,” “Prey For Me,” “Get Your Grave On,” “Zodiac,” “What the Night Brings,” and “Keep Watching the Skies.”
Cradle of Filth
With Cradle of Filth, you never know what songs you’re going to hear. Before the show, you may wonder “will they play ‘Born in a Burial Ground,’ ‘The Death of Love,’ ‘Funeral in Carpathia’? While the questions remain, there’s one constant you will see at a Cradle of Filth show: their devoted fanbase. On this particular evening, New York City had a handful of shows happening that night, and it was evident that the event was mostly filled with veteran COF fans. It felt more like a private party for filth devotees as the band continued to impress the crowd both visually and musically.
Sill to this day, we don’t know how Dani Filth continues to pull off his one-of-a-kind vocals for all to hear during their live appearances. However, he once again haunted the room with his dynamic vocal range. Later during the band’s set, they celebrated the 20th anniversary of Cruelty and the Beast as they went into “Bathory Aria.” Despite missing a few favorable songs, the overall setlist was impressive and more than satisfying. Songs included: “Ave Satani,” “Gilded Cunt,” “Nemesis,” “Right Wing of the Garden Triptych,” “Heartbreak and Seance,” “Bathory Aria: Benighted Like Usher / A Murder of Ravens in Fugue / Eyes That Witnessed Madness,” “Wester Vespertine,” “Dusk and Her Embrace,” “You Will Know the Lion by His Claw,” “Creatures That Kissed In Cold Mirrors,” “The Promise of Fever,” “Saffron’s Curse,” “Nymphetamine (Fix),” “Honey and Sulphur,” “Her Ghost in the Fog.”
Overall, you can never get tired from seeing a Cradle of Filth performance. They tend to give the audience a little bit of everything: horror, incredible tunes, fun interactions, and more. Hopefully, they will return next year with a Midian 20th-anniversary celebration by adding “Tearing the Veil from Grace” to the setlist.
