| Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by Cradle of Filth | ||||||||||
| Released | November 1, 2010[1] | |||||||||
| Recorded | late 2009 - early 2010 | |||||||||
| Genre | Extreme metal | |||||||||
| Length | 62:26 | |||||||||
| Label | Peaceville Nuclear Blast |
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| Producer | Scott Atkins, Doug Cook, Dani Filth | |||||||||
| Cradle of Filth chronology | ||||||||||
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Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa is the ninth studio album by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth. It was released on November 1, 2010 by Peaceville Records. Earlier the album was erroneously referred to as All Hallows Eve,[3] probably because the announced release date was close to Halloween. It is the band's only album to feature keyboardist Ashley Ellyllon.
Contents |
Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa is a concept album in the same vein as its predecessor Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder; this time centering on the demon Lilith, the first wife of the Biblical Adam.[4] Dani Filth revealed to Metal Hammer in September 2010 that it will be a "feminine" companion piece to Godspeed, "which was a very masculine album, obviously due to its protagonist, Gilles De Rais."[5] Unlike previous historically-based concept albums Godspeed and Cruelty and the Beast, Darkly, Darkly will tell an original story. "It's about the resurgence of Lilith into modern society as a deity," Filth said. "There's a bit of Victoriana in there. Essentially, at heart, it's a nice gothic horror story."[5] Reference to Greek mythology and the Knights Templar will also be made, in what's referred to by the label as "a dark tapestry of horror, madness and twisted sex".[6] At an early stage of the album's development in late 2009, Filth hinted that its sound is "creepily melodic, like Mercyful Fate or a dark Iron Maiden".[7] The Metal Hammer interview also likens it to King Diamond.[5]
On August 20, 2010 a free mp3 of the track "Lilith Immaculate" was released by the band as reward for signing up for a mailing list following the album's development. The standard edition of the album will consist of 11 tracks, while the limited edition is planned to have a total of 16.[8]
The new album's website was launched on September 6, 7 o'clock GMT, as a subdomain of peaceville.com.[9] The website, according to Dani Filth's greeting on the front page, will be subject to constant update with news until the release of the album. The site features lyrics for 'Lilith Immaculate', gallery, desktop and mobile phone wallpapers.
The website was updated on September 16. It features a video on the front page, on which all members of the band talk about the upcoming album. Topics include the story behind the title and the album itself. A brief preview of a new song can be heard at the beginning of the video.[9]
The edited versions of the songs were released for streaming on the band's website began on the 22 September, up until the album's release.[9]
On September 29, 2010 Cradle of Filth released the first official video of the album for the track "Forgive Me Father (I Have Sinned)." [10]
The core album is the band's first to not feature any instrumental tracks. The special edition bonus track "Adest Rosa Secreta Eros", is arguably an instrumental, but features extensive narrative excerpts taken from Aleister Crowley's The Book of the Law.
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | [11] |
| Metal Hammer (de) | [12] |
| Rock Sound | [13] |
| Kerrang! | |
| Sonic Seducer | (favourable) [14] |
| Rock Hard | |
| Legacy | |
| Loud Online | [15] |
| Thrash Hits | [16] |
| Lords of Metal | [17] |
The album received mainly good reviews. Thom Jurek at Allmusic.com said that it "is tightly focused, employing COF's trademark orchestral and keyboard elements to fine effect, with wildly intense... blastbeats from Marthus Skaroupka, and screaming guitars... courtesy of Paul Allender and James McEllroy. The concentration on writing and arrangement is disciplined, with a strong set of dynamics, a terrific mix, and great production".[11] Pete Withers at Rock Sound rated it 9 out of 10 and said "Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa displays a masterful control over the multi-faceted Cradle of Filth sound; brutal vocal gymnastics, skull-rattling double-kicks, symphonic flourishes, dramatic narrative and balls-out axe-slinging all make their presence known, but in a manner which routinely serves to bolster the coherency of the greater whole".[13]
All lyrics written by Dani Filth, all music composed by Cradle of Filth.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Cult of Venus Aversa" | 7:07 |
| 2. | "One Foul Step from the Abyss" | 4:53 |
| 3. | "The Nun with the Astral Habit" | 4:55 |
| 4. | "Retreat of the Sacred Heart" | 3:56 |
| 5. | "The Persecution Song" | 5:34 |
| 6. | "Deceiving Eyes" | 6:43 |
| 7. | "Lilith Immaculate" | 6:12 |
| 8. | "The Spawn of Love and War" | 6:19 |
| 9. | "Harlot on a Pedestal" | 5:09 |
| 10. | "Forgive Me Father (I Have Sinned)" | 4:33 |
| 11. | "Beyond Eleventh Hour" | 7:16 |
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Total length:
|
62:37 | |
| Limited Edition Bonus Disc | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | |||||||
| 1. | "Beast of Extermination" | 5:32 | |||||||
| 2. | "Truth & Agony" | 5:56 | |||||||
| 3. | "Mistress From the Sucking Pit" | 7:00 | |||||||
| 4. | "Behind the Jagged Mountains" | 5:44 | |||||||
| 5. | "Forgive Me Father (I Have Sinned)" (music video) (iTunes only) | 4:33 | |||||||
On September 30, 2010 an email was forwarded to all who had subscribed to Cradle of Filth's mailing list on Peaceville Records informing them of the ultimate fan edition of their album Darkly, Darkly Venus Aversa. The fans’s edition comes packaged in a deluxe hard box containing:
| Limited fan edition bonus disc | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | |||||||
| 1. | "Beast of Extermination" | 5:32 | |||||||
| 2. | "Truth & Agony" | 5:56 | |||||||
| 3. | "Adest Rosa Secreta Eros" | 7:25 | |||||||
| 4. | "Mistress From the Sucking Pit" | 7:00 | |||||||
| 5. | "Behind the Jagged Mountains" | 5:44 | |||||||
| 6. | "The Cult of Venus Aversa" (Demo Version) | 6:48 | |||||||
| 7. | "The Nun With the Astral Habit" (Demo Version) | 4:58 | |||||||
| 8. | "Deceiving Eyes" (Demo Version) | 6:44 | |||||||
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart[18] | 89 |
| Austrian Albums Chart | 50 |
| Canadian Albums Chart | 70 |
| German Albums Chart | 43 |
| UK Albums Chart | 95 |
| US Billboard 200 | 99 |
| US Independent Albums | 10 |
| US Hard Rock Albums | 7 |
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