Cradle Of Filths Australian invasion tour brings them to their sellout Melbourne show at the Northcote theatre, accompanied by the ferocious black metal warriors Hybrid Nightmares and the powerhouse as contagious as the name suggests, Infected Rain.
The night got straight to business from the moment doors opened as the line flowed in smoothly and the venue filled with bustling anticipation, the wait was only short before Hybrid Nightmares took to the stage, clad in corpse paint and enough devilish markings to remove any doubt of what they intended to deliver. this Melbourne 5 piece showed their prowess in effortlessly switching between terrifying dissonant guitars and punishing riffs, all supported with an onslaught of high-octane blast beats from the drums and genre trademark screams from frontman ‘Loki’.
after shredding out their first songs they called to the crowd for movement, the crowd roaring in response eagerly screaming for more, as they delved further into their set mosh pits began, circle pits ensued and hell was let loose by all members on the stage. Showing no signs of slowing hybrid nightmares powered through continuing to build momentum for the night complimenting the lineup perfectly.
Hailing from Moldova and bringing a world-class performance with them Infected Rain came out swinging guitars and dreadlocks, slamming riffs and tearing the sound space open with their captivating blend of extreme metal and modern electronic rhythms. From the very first lyric vocalist Lena stole the attention of everyone in the venue as she delivered slick line after line with pure power and intent and the unyielding support of the music behind her. Greeting the crowd, they received an extremely warm welcome with roars coming from the balcony down to the moshpit. calling for a wall of death, the crowd split with haste, before colliding with almost as much impact as Infected Rain delivers every time. Pairing perfectly with the massive sound of Infected Rain was the incredible showmanship of the members themselves, with Lena cementing herself as a true force to be reckoned with as a frontwoman in the modern metal world, guitarists carving to the marrow with steel conviction, only slowing the attack to make room for the enthralling melodic contrast and angelic vocals before punching straight back into the aggressive sound they capture so well.
With only the headliners remaining the crowd called for the band to begin, the moment cradle of filth stepped foot on stage the venue filled with screams and applause, it was clear they had waited long enough.
Donning their trademark attire, the members of Cradle Of Filth took to their positions, all but Dani Filth himself who, cloaked in a satanic robe hiding his face, stayed at the rear of the stage as the band began their intro. With anticipation building and the crowd growing restless, Dani stepped forward and threw away his disguise to reveal his unmissable corpse paint and beloved spiked armour, to be greeted by overpowering roars of joy from long-term and new fans alike. Cradle opened with a top-tier selection of songs such as ‘Saffrons Curse’ and ‘She is a Fire’.
Intermissioning to greet the melbournites in attendance Dani Filth displayed that he truly has mastered the art of showmanship, crowd interaction and singing alike. sticking true to the gothic themes and horror-filled tones captured over decades on top of the black metal world, Dani spoke of their demonic journey and sinful enjoyment throughout their tour of Australia before demanding movement from the crowd as they furthered their musical endeavour. Cradle of Filth proved that after all these years they are only bettering themselves at their craft, delivering brutally fast double kicks and unforgettable riffs with true veteran musicianship. Highlighting the set with songs like Nymphetamine Fix and Born in a Burial Gown the show was no letdown, all the way through to the final ever-reaching high scream, Cradle of Filth delivered a night that will be hard to beat in future.
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