CRADLE OF FILTH - Vempire on sale

CRADLE OF FILTH - Vempire
The second release from this infamous band, and probably their best effort. Not only does it capture them at a time when their marketing machinery had yet to take control of their destiny, it features a highly talented group laying down a truly progressive mixture of traditional black metal, purely British melancholia, and enough destructively savage bombast to put the likes of Manowar to shame. This is also the record that really set their entire collection of themes before the public eye for the first time: vampirism, bloodlust, dark, fevered sexuality, and the 'perverse' eroticism (and its related imagery) they have become renowned for. There is some really excellent material here, and those of you who have, until now, approached this group's output with trepidation, outright disgust, or a sneering lack of respect would be well advised to start your education here. Highly recommended.