Bitter Suites to Succubi
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Bitter Suites to Succubi
| type = ep
| artist = Cradle of Filth
| cover = Cradle of Filth - Bitter Suites to Succubi.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Cover art by John Coulthart
| released = 22 May 2001
| recorded = New Rising Studios, Peldon, England, February–April 2001
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Extreme metal
| length = 49:34
| label = Abracadaver (Europe)
Spitfire (US)
| producer = Doug Cook
| prev_title = Midian
| prev_year = 2000
| next_title = Lovecraft & Witch Hearts
| next_year = 2002
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Bitter Suites to Succubi
| type = EP
| single1 = Born in a Burial Gown
| single1date = 2001
| single2 = No Time to Cry
| single2date = 2001
| single3 = Scorched Earth Erotica
| single3date = 2001
}}
}}
Bitter Suites to Succubi is the third EP by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth. It was released on 22 May 2001, through the band's own Abracadaver label.
Content and recording
According to frontman Dani Filth, Bitter Suites to Succubi is a "transitional mini album; essentially an EP",{{cite video |people=Filth, Dani |title=Heavy, Left-Handed and Candid}} bridging the gap between Midian and Damnation and a Day while the band negotiated their label change from Music for Nations to Sony Records. It features six new compositions (two of which are instrumentals), but is bolstered to album-length with three reworkings of songs from The Principle of Evil Made Flesh ("The Principle of Evil Made Flesh", "Summer Dying Fast" and "The Black Goddess Rises") and a cover of The Sisters of Mercy's "No Time to Cry". It was the band's first release on their own Abracadaver label.
"Dinner at Deviant's Palace" features a recording of Paul Allender's son reading The Lord's Prayer played backwards.
This would be the last studio release to feature guitarist Gian Pyres and long-term bassist Robin Eaglestone.
Release
Bitter Suites to Succubi was released on 22 May 2001 on the band's own record label Abracadaver. It reached number 63 in the UK Albums Chart.{{cite web |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/cradle%20of%20filth/ |title=Artist Chart History - Cradle of Filth |publisher=Official Charts Company |accessdate=2014-04-26 }}
The Special Edition features a teaser for the video for "Born in a Burial Gown" as ROM content, along with a trailer for Cradle of Fear and a "Gallery of the Grotesque" (containing the sleeve art). The Special Edition's track listing misspells "Scorched Earth Erotica" as "Scorched Earth Erotics". Early copies of the CD subtitled "The Black Goddess Rises II" with "Ebon Nemesis".
In October 2011 it was awarded a gold certification from the Independent Music Companies Association which indicated sales of at least 75,000 copies throughout Europe.{{Cite web |url=http://www.impalamusic.org/arc_static/docum/04-press/2011/PR%20-%2020111012.htm |title=Color |access-date=2017-10-30 |archive-date=2017-11-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107023149/http://www.impalamusic.org/arc_static/docum/04-press/2011/PR%20-%2020111012.htm |url-status=dead }}
Reception
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/bitter-suites-to-succubi-mw0000587684 |title=Bitter Suites to Succubi - Cradle of Filth : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic |last=Serba |first=John |work=AllMusic |accessdate=12 August 2012}}
| rev2 = Chronicles of Chaos
| rev2score = 7.5/10{{cite web |url=http://www.chroniclesofchaos.com/Articles.aspx?id=2-2013 |title=CoC : Cradle of Filth - Bitter Suites to Succubi : Review |last=Noll |first=Matthias |date=8 December 2001 |work=Chronicles of Chaos |accessdate=28 August 2012}}
| rev3 = Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal
| rev3score = 8/10{{cite book |last1=Popoff |first1=Martin |last2=Perri|first2=David|author-link1=Martin Popoff |title=The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 4: The '00s |publisher=Collector's Guide Publishing |year=2011 |location=Burlington, Ontario, Canada |isbn=9781-926592-20-6 |page=92}}
| rev4 = Exclaim!
| rev4score = favourable{{cite web |url=http://exclaim.ca/Reviews/Metal/cradle_of_filth-bitter_suites_to_succubi |title=Cradle of Filth - Bitter Suites To Succubi • Metal Reviews • exclaim.ca |last=Palmerston |first=Sean |date=August 2001 |work=exclaim.ca |accessdate=28 August 2012}}
|rev5 = Kerrang!
|rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine |last=Lawson |first=Dom |date=June 16, 2001 |title=Albums
|magazine=Kerrang! |location=UK |publisher=EMAP |issue=857 |page=34}}
}}
AllMusic described it as "a somewhat illogically tossed salad of Cradle of Filth tracks" and "uneven at best".
Track listing
{{Track listing
| all_lyrics = Dani Filth
| all_music = Cradle of Filth (Dani Filth, Gian Pyres, Paul Allender, Robin Eaglestone, Martin Powell, Adrian Erlandsson), except "No Time to Cry" written by Andrew Eldritch, Wayne Hussey, Craig Adams and Gary Marx from The Sisters of Mercy
| title1 = Sin Deep My Wicked Angel
| length1 = 2:23
| title2 = All Hope in Eclipse
| length2 = 6:39
| title3 = Born in a Burial Gown
| length3 = 4:46
| title4 = Summer Dying Fast
| length4 = 5:21
| title5 = No Time to Cry
| note5 = The Sisters of Mercy cover
| length5 = 3:22
| title6 = The Principle of Evil Made Flesh
| length6 = 4:49
| title7 = Suicide and Other Comforts
| length7 = 6:57
| title8 = Dinner at Deviant's Palace
| length8 = 2:59
| title9 = The Black Goddess Rises II
| length9 = 7:22
| title10 = Scorched Earth Erotica
| length10 = 4:56
}}
Personnel
; Cradle of Filth
- Dani Filth – lead vocals
- Paul Allender – guitars
- Gian Pyres – guitars
- Robin Eaglestone – bass
- Martin Powell – keyboards
- Adrian Erlandsson – drums
- Sarah Jezebel Deva – female vocals
; Guest/session musicians
- Kian Rulten-Allender – voice
- Libitina Grimm – cello
; Technical
- Doug Cook – producer, engineer, mixing
- Ray Staff – mastering
Charts
References
{{Reflist|2}}