Nymphetamine is the latest in a long line of releases from Cradle of Filth, the British symphonic black/goth metal artistes (the genre will depend on who you talk to). Their heavy, but at times very melodic sound has seen them through over a decade of label and line-up changes, and through generally being criticised by all and sundry. While it's easy to make fun of Cradle of Filth – (their vocalist sounds like Donald Duck dueting with Regan MacNeil at the bottom of a well) - this album is - whisper it - actually pretty good! They might not be very cool, they might not be "proper" black metal, but behind all this lurks a very talented group of musicians.
After the orchestra-driven introduction things kick off with the fast, pounding guitar riffs of "Gilded Cunt". The lyrics are rather silly (My preference leans to killing you quickly / Scissored in the gizzard that a heart no more maintains) as is the manner in which vocalist Dani Filth seems to derive such enjoyment from shouting rude words at the top of his lungs. But behind this is a solid, if slightly unremarkable, song, which helps to set things up a treat.
The next highlight would have to be the title track. While I personally prefer the "Fix" version (essentially the middle section of the track, as used in the promotional video), "Nymphetamine (Overdose)" is undoubtedly the centrepiece of the album. It starts off with a vicious, yet catchy, guitar riff, before things speed up, and the harsh (but comprehensible) vocals kick in, before a complete change of style somewhere around the 3-minute mark. An eerily beautiful keyboard piece kicks off the middle section of the song, which features guest vocals by Liv Kristine (of Theatre of Tragedy & Leaves' Eyes fame). Her luscious, note-perfect vocals provide a pleasing contrast to Dani's shrieks, and this combination of harsh male and clean female vocals works brilliantly. Then, after five minutes of sonic brilliance, things go slightly downhill again, with the return of the predictable guitar parts, which seem all the more mediocre in comparison to what precedes them. So, while this is an excellent song overall, the edited "Fix" version is superior, cutting through the layers of generic heavy metal to the song's sweetly sinister core.
After this point we have a succession of fairly good songs. Another excellent track presents itself after the slightly disappointing "Filthy Little Secret". The twisted & beautiful "Swansong For a Raven" is a perfect showcase for the blend of melody and heaviness that Cradle of Filth can really do well when they try. A bewildering mix of edgy spoken-word parts, frantic piano playing, and sound samples of a fair young maiden being forcibly deflowered by those “nasty black metal types”. Or something like that. While not quite reaching the same pinnacles of excellence as the title track, it's a great song if you give it chance to grow.
Arguably, this album should have ended here. Sadly it ends with the crushingly mediocre "Mother of Abominations". To begin the song with a repetitive chanting section - that played backwards is probably the bassist's shopping list - is bad enough, but to keep it going for almost a minute?? When the vocals finally arrive - they merely seem to hark back to the low points of "Damnation and a Day". Great.
As a result, what is on the whole an excellent album, ends with the weakest and most forgettable track.
Overall a very enjoyable listen. Certainly an improvement on the over-long, over-ambitious sonic ramblings of "Damnation and a Day" - this is an album well worth checking out if you're after some “not-really-black metal” with symphonic touches. Not perfect, but perhaps still worth your hard-earned pennies.
Standout Tracks: Nymphetamine Overdose, Swansong For A Raven, Coffin Fodder.
Overall Score: 7 /10
