Cradle Of Filth
Copenhell - 2024
Text: Tobias Nilsson Photo: Lunah Lauridsen
Cradle Of Filth, representing the truly old black metal, or whatever they are calling themselves these days, lived in that magic window between light and dark here at Copenhell.
Starting their show at a little to 8 pm, they both got to see the sun up and about, and they were still there when the relative darkness that the Danish summer has to offer, started creeping in.
“Greetings Copenhell! We are the scum and villainy commonly known as Cradle Of Filth!”
- Dani Filth (vocals)
Having a band such as this portray their craft in broad daylight isn’t necessarily the best for them, but that didn’t seem to deter either band or fans from trying to work this out. I especially enjoyed seeing Marek ‘Ashok’ Šmerda’s new persona as a cenobite with strong hints of Pinhead. He even entered the stage bearing a Lament Configuration, and later I noticed another one on his guitar strap. Well, I say new, but we haven’t seen Cradle Of Filth since 2018, so it may have been around for a while for all I know.
Ashok was also the one who looked to have the most fun playing here, as contrary to his persona and the general band style, he was seen smiling pretty much throughout the show, and that was actually a nice change of pace.
I should mention that the entire band brought a good deal of energy to the show, and everyone not tied to a specific spot because of their instrument moved about the stage vigorously throughout. The top of the stage was of course reserved for Dani Filth, but the rest of them often used the lower levels to stand on as well, and Donny Burbage surprised me with jumping high from them, resembling one of the many hardcore bands visiting the festival than what I had ever imagined from Cradle Of Filth.
“We’ve already made the sun go down, what the fuck else do you want?!”
- Filth (vocals)
Yes, the band tried, and as far as I could see, the crowd was on their side, but despite dishing up a fairly good mood, an energetic show, and a setlist of well-known tracks, I just couldn’t seem to get truly invested in the show. It just didn’t feel really present, and that despite them moving about a lot and all, there was a heart lacking behind it. Dani Filth did try to keep it relevant with his little comments between songs, but even when he brought up the football game between England and Denmark that day, saying he hoped England beat us, there wasn’t much of a positive response from the crowd - go figure, right?
“This goes back to our debut album, made 30 years ago. I don’t know how that happened as I’m only 25. Some form of immaculate misconception.”
- Filth (vocals)
I wasn’t the only one not entirely grabbed by the show, as Lunah Lauridsen was fast losing interest as well, and she has after all been a far larger fan of them in the past than I ever was. For us, it came to an end by Nymphetamine (Fix), which was when we decided to go and see what the other stages of the festival held of entertainment for us.
Setlist:
Existential Terror
Saffron’s Curse
She Is A Fire
The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh
Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids
Dusk And Her Embrace
Nymphetamine (Fix)
Born In A Burial Gown
Her Ghost In The Fog
From The Cradle To Enslave
Starting their show at a little to 8 pm, they both got to see the sun up and about, and they were still there when the relative darkness that the Danish summer has to offer, started creeping in.
“Greetings Copenhell! We are the scum and villainy commonly known as Cradle Of Filth!”
- Dani Filth (vocals)
Having a band such as this portray their craft in broad daylight isn’t necessarily the best for them, but that didn’t seem to deter either band or fans from trying to work this out. I especially enjoyed seeing Marek ‘Ashok’ Šmerda’s new persona as a cenobite with strong hints of Pinhead. He even entered the stage bearing a Lament Configuration, and later I noticed another one on his guitar strap. Well, I say new, but we haven’t seen Cradle Of Filth since 2018, so it may have been around for a while for all I know.
Ashok was also the one who looked to have the most fun playing here, as contrary to his persona and the general band style, he was seen smiling pretty much throughout the show, and that was actually a nice change of pace.
I should mention that the entire band brought a good deal of energy to the show, and everyone not tied to a specific spot because of their instrument moved about the stage vigorously throughout. The top of the stage was of course reserved for Dani Filth, but the rest of them often used the lower levels to stand on as well, and Donny Burbage surprised me with jumping high from them, resembling one of the many hardcore bands visiting the festival than what I had ever imagined from Cradle Of Filth.
“We’ve already made the sun go down, what the fuck else do you want?!”
- Filth (vocals)
Yes, the band tried, and as far as I could see, the crowd was on their side, but despite dishing up a fairly good mood, an energetic show, and a setlist of well-known tracks, I just couldn’t seem to get truly invested in the show. It just didn’t feel really present, and that despite them moving about a lot and all, there was a heart lacking behind it. Dani Filth did try to keep it relevant with his little comments between songs, but even when he brought up the football game between England and Denmark that day, saying he hoped England beat us, there wasn’t much of a positive response from the crowd - go figure, right?
“This goes back to our debut album, made 30 years ago. I don’t know how that happened as I’m only 25. Some form of immaculate misconception.”
- Filth (vocals)
I wasn’t the only one not entirely grabbed by the show, as Lunah Lauridsen was fast losing interest as well, and she has after all been a far larger fan of them in the past than I ever was. For us, it came to an end by Nymphetamine (Fix), which was when we decided to go and see what the other stages of the festival held of entertainment for us.
Setlist:
Existential Terror
Saffron’s Curse
She Is A Fire
The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh
Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids
Dusk And Her Embrace
Nymphetamine (Fix)
Born In A Burial Gown
Her Ghost In The Fog
From The Cradle To Enslave
Cradle Of Filth
