Cruelty and the Beast

This was the last Cradle of Filth album to feature guitarist and songwriter Stuart Anstis and drummer Nick Barker, the first to feature guitarist Gian Pyres and the only full-length album to feature keyboardist Lecter

The production and mixing for Cruelty and the Beast has attracted some criticism, particularly for the sound quality of the drumming. Sarah Jezebel Deva revealed on the band's official messageboards: "[The production is] absolute rubbish. I remember when I first heard it – Dani played it – I walked out with tears in my eyes. I had spent twenty-five hours working in the studio on that album and it sounded like I had my head in a toilet [...] most of my vocals you couldn't hear."{{cite web |url=http://cradleoffilthonline.yuku.com/sreply/62285/Cruelty-and-the-Beast-special-edition |title=Cruelty and the Beast special edition in To Eve the Art of Witchcraft Forum |last=Jezebel Diva |first=Sarah |website=Cradleoffilthonline.yuku.com |date=22 November 2007 |access-date=27 August 2012}} After walking out of the room after Dani played it to her, she claimed to have bumped into drummer Nick Barker, who also expressed his dissatisfaction. In an interview with Scars and Guitars in 2020, Barker stated he cried when he heard the mix and demanded that the album release be postponed. Barker also stated that the main songwriters, Stuart Anstis, Les Smith and himself wanted either Andy Sneap or Peter Tagtgren to record the album and were overridden by the label.{{cite web |title=Scars and Guitars - Nick Barker (Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Lock Up, Old Man's Child, Brujeria) |url=https://scarsandguitars.com/cradle-of-filth-conversations/|access-date=19 August 2022}}

Released on 5 May 1998 by record label Music for Nations, Cruelty and the Beast reached number 48 in the UK Albums Chart.{{cite web |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/386/cradle-of-filth/ |title=Cradle of Filth | Full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company |publisher=Official Charts Company |access-date=29 June 2016}}

The album was reissued in a two-disc Special Edition by Koch in 2001 and by The End in 2012.{{cite web|url=http://theorderofthedragon.com/notes/Cradle_Of_Filth_To_Release_Eight_Album_Reissues |title=Cradle of Filth to Release Eight Album Reissues – Cradle of Filth |last=Woodley |first=Laura |date=20 June 2012 |work=theorderofthedragon.com |access-date=7 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120920034402/http://theorderofthedragon.com/notes/Cradle_Of_Filth_To_Release_Eight_Album_Reissues |archive-date=20 September 2012 }}

A completely remixed and remastered re-release of the album was planned for its 20th anniversary in late 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://search.blabbermouth.net/news/cradle-of-filths-dani-filth-on-upcoming-cruelty-and-the-beast-reissue-it-sounds-fantastic/|title=CRADLE OF FILTH's DANI FILTH On Upcoming 'Cruelty And The Beast' Reissue: 'It Sounds Fantastic'|date=9 March 2018|website=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=21 December 2021}} Producer Scott Atkins confirmed on his Instagram page on 9 October 2018 that the remix had been completed:

"Vinyl test pressings have arrived and all the mixes sent off. It’s been an endeavour. Lots of restoration work needed to be done, noise reduction, hum and hiss, crosstalk and bleed. No additional recording has taken place, myself and Dani wanted it faithful to the original just sonically better. The songs are really killer and finally have some real weight to them, which the original sorely lacked."{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/|title=Login • Instagram|website=Instagram.com|access-date=21 December 2021}}

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/cruelty-and-the-beast-mw0000037117 |title=Cruelty and the Beast – Cradle of Filth : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic |last=Ankeny |first=Jason |website=AllMusic |access-date=12 August 2012}}

| rev2 = Chronicles of Chaos

| rev2score = 8/10{{cite web |url=http://www.chroniclesofchaos.com/Articles.aspx?id=2-833 |title=CoC : Cradle of Filth – Cruelty and the Beast : Review |last=Azevedo |first=Pedro |date=6 July 1998 |work=Chronicles of Chaos |access-date=7 September 2012}}

| rev3 = Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal

| rev3score = 8/10{{cite book |last1=Popoff |first1=Martin |author-link1=Martin Popoff |title=The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 3: The Nineties |publisher=Collector's Guide Publishing |year=2007 |location=Burlington, Ontario, Canada |isbn=978-1-894959-62-9 |pages=90–91}}

}}

The album ranked tenth in Kerrang!'s list of the top ten "essential black metal" albums in 2000.{{cite web |url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/kerrang_p2.htm#gigs |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060214233916/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/kerrang_p2.htm#gigs |url-status=usurped |archive-date=14 February 2006 |title=Rocklist.net...Kerrang! Page 2 |website=Rocklistmusic.co.uk |access-date=27 August 2012}}

{{Track listing

| all_lyrics = Dani Filth

| all_music = Cradle of Filth (Filth, Stuart Anstis, Gian Pyres, Robin Eaglestone, Les Smith and Nick Barker)

| title1 = Once Upon Atrocity

| length1 = 1:43

| note1 = instrumental

| title2 = Thirteen Autumns and a Widow

| length2 = 7:14

| title3 = Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids

| length3 = 7:18

| title4 = Beneath the Howling Stars

| length4 = 7:42

| title5 = Venus in Fear

| length5 = 2:20

| note5 = instrumental

| title6 = Desire in Violent Overture

| length6 = 4:16

| title7 = The Twisted Nails of Faith

| note7 = narration by Ingrid Pitt

| length7 = 6:50

| title8 = Bathory Aria"

1. "Benighted Like Usher"
2. "A Murder of Ravens in Fugue"
3. "Eyes That Witnessed Madness (narration by Ingrid Pitt)

| length8 = 11:02

| title9 = Portrait of the Dead Countess

| length9 = 2:52

| note9 = instrumental

| title10 = Lustmord and Wargasm (The Lick of Carnivorous Winds)

| length10 = 7:30

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Celtic Cross edition

| title1 = Once Upon Atrocity

| length1 = 1:43

| note1 = instrumental

| title2 = Thirteen Autumns and a Widow

| length2 = 7:14

| title3 = Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids

| length3 = 7:18

| title4 = Beneath The Howling Stars

| length4 = 7:42

| title5 = Venus in Fear

| length5 = 2:20

| note5 = instrumental

| title6 = Desire in Violent Overture

| length6 = 4:16

| title7 = The Twisted Nails of Faith

| length7 = 6:51

| title8 = Bathory Aria"

1. "Benighted Like Usher"
2. "A Murder of Ravens in Fugue"
3. "Eyes That Witnessed Madness

| length8 = 11:02

| title9 = Lustmord and Wargasm (The Relicking of Cadaverous Wounds)

| length9 = 7:48

| title10 = Black Metal

| note10 = Venom cover

| length10 = 3:22

| title11 = Hallowed Be Thy Name

| note11 = Iron Maiden cover. Sub-titled "Shallow Be My Grave" on this edition only.

| length11 = 7:07

| title12 = Sodomy and Lust

| note12 = Sodom cover

| length12 = 4:44

| title13 = Twisting Further Nails (The Cruci-Fiction Mix)

| length13 = 5:32

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Koch Records' 2001 two-disc edition bonus disc

| title1 = Lustmord and Wargasm (The Relicking of Cadaverous Wounds)

| length1 = 7:58

| title2 = Black Metal

| note2 = Venom cover

| length2 = 3:27

| title3 = Hallowed Be Thy Name

| note3 = Iron Maiden cover

| length3 = 7:10

| title4 = Sodomy & Lust

| note4 = Sodom cover

| length4 = 4:47

| title5 = Twisting Further Nails (The Cruci-Fiction Mix)

| length5 = 5:33

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Cruelty and the Beast: Re-Mistressed (2019){{Cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cruelty-Beast-Re-Mistressed-Cradle-Filth/dp/B07X3YG2G3/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=cradle+filth+cruelty&qid=1570637321&s=dmusic&sr=1-1|title=Cruelty and the Beast - Re-Mistressed|access-date=21 December 2021|website=Amazon.co.uk}}

| title1 = Once Upon Atrocity

| length1 = 1:45

| note1 = instrumental

| title2 = Thirteen Autumns and a Widow

| length2 = 7:14

| title3 = Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids

| length3 = 7:18

| title4 = Beneath The Howling Stars

| length4 = 7:37

| title5 = Venus in Fear

| length5 = 2:20

| note5 = instrumental

| title6 = Desire in Violent Overture

| length6 = 4:16

| title7 = The Twisted Nails of Faith

| length7 = 6:49

| title8 = Bathory Aria"

1. "Benighted Like Usher"
2. "A Murder of Ravens in Fugue"
3. "Eyes That Witnessed Madness

| length8 = 11:00

| title9 = Portrait of the Dead Countess

| length9 = 2:51

| note9 = instrumental

| title10 = Lustmord and Wargasm (The Lick of Carnivorous Winds)

| length10 = 7:31

| title11 = Hallowed Be Thy Name

| note11 = Iron Maiden cover

| length11 = 7:13

}}

; Cradle of Filth

• Dani Filth – lead vocals
• Stuart Anstis – guitars
• Gian Pyres – guitars
• Robin Graves – bass
• Lecter – keyboards
• Nick Barker – drums
• Sarah Jezebel Deva – backing vocals

; Guest/session musicians

• Danielle Cneajna Cottington – backing vocals
• Ingrid Pitt – Lady Bathory's narration on "The Twisted Nails of Faith" and Bathory Aria's "Eyes That Witnessed Madness"

; Production

• Jan Peter Genkel – producer
• Dan Spriggs – engineer
• Mike Exeter – Production and additional engineering
• Mark Harwood – orchestral recordings at Springvale Studios, Ipswich
• Stu Williamson – sleeve photography
• Louisa Morando – cover art model

{{reflist}}

• {{Discogs master |11186}}

{{Cradle of Filth}}

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Category:Cradle of Filth albums

Category:1998 albums

Category:1990s concept albums

Category:Music for Nations albums

Category:Cultural depictions of Elizabeth Báthory