As previously reported, CRADLE OF FILTH are currently on tour in Europe in support of their new album, Thornography. The latest in an ongoing series of tour updates can be found below:

Lisbon, Portugal - Paradise Garage:

"What an extremely long day today has been!

Awoke early-ish in the hotel thanks to the delights of a local building site and the nagging persistence of Spanish traffic and then went downstairs to find out that breakfast was not included on the room. Bah!

Lobby call is ten as we have to go via the bus (which is awaiting repair in a workshop somewhere) and then onto the airport for our flight, which, as it happens is delayed by an hour. Still, at least we get business class for the sixty five minute journey which basically means we can move our ankles and we get better, more wholesome sandwiches. There is a mind-numbing wait at the carousel for our luggage (Dan's is last and twenty minutes behind everybody else's) and so when we eventually arrive at the venue it's pretty much as-close-as-dammit to five o'clock. The crew arriving here about twelve.

Everything seems very chaotic from the start and people's nerves seem teetering close to collapse, so I opt, after sound check and dinner at a local restaurant, to hot foot it to the hotel. Best move of the day for sure.

In contrast to the cramped smelly conditions of the backstage cave at the Paradise Garage, the hotel is very stylish and incredibly modern. Due to the chaotic nature of the day, the stage time has been pushed back to ten thirty, so there's plenty of time to shower, watch TV and spread my touring bomb site out across the double bed.

At last, I find a clean pair of socks and some new tights. Plus raid the mini-bar!

Tonight's show despite all the odds being stacked against it being one of the better ones, is actually just that. Amazing.

The band play extremely tightly and look great and it's clear to see from the side of stage that the band are really enjoying themselves. A huge mosh pit accompanies the majority of the set and I have a bit of a giggle with Dani and Joe during the instrumental when Dan comes off to freshen up and drink tea, tickling Rosie from behind during her piano break (much to her annoyance).

The full set is again played tonight ignoring curfew regulations and so it's not until nearly one when the band finally all regroup back in the bar of the hotel where the concierge is actually playing 'Nymphetamine' behind the front desk (!) and all the signing (for some very polite fans, I hasten to add) has petered out beyond the last straggling photographer.

Here all eight of us (and Steve, acting as managerial spy) relax and beat off the adrenaline of the show by tucking into a few 'Superbock' beers, before the bar shuts down at around two. The band, despite the rigours of the day and all the insufferable travelling, are in high spirits and everything, from Charles heroic stage presence through to the intended set amendments for the forthcoming US tour, is discussed and dissected. It seems that the tour bug has bitten deep and everyone is very much looking forward to the American tour kicking off at the end of January in Philadelphia.

Rumour has it that the band will fly over a few days early to shoot a video with friend Bam Magera and may even appear on his new TV show, Bam's Unholy Matrimony. But, like I say, this is just hearsay at the present. All I know is that January is going to be a busy month for the band, what with Paul flying out to the NAMM trade show in LA and Dani finishing the mixing of the special edition bonus tracks with Andy Sneap.

I actually hit the sack about three thirty when the TV no longer robs me of my idle concentration and all trace of my three room service dirty martinis have been guzzled with aplomb.

Tomorrow is a twelve o'clock lobby call, so until then...Sweet dreams."

Click the following links to check out tour updates from Strasbourg, Clermont-Ferrand and Madrid.

Remaining dates on the tour are as follows:

November

26 - Alcatraz in Milan, Italy
27 - Volkshaus in Zurich, Switzerland
29 - Boogaloo in Zagreb, Croatia
30 - Petofi Hall in Budapest, Hungary

December

1 - Planet Music in Vienna, Austria
2 - Novesta Hall in Zlin, Czech Republic
4 - Live Music Hall in Köln, Germany
5 - Georg Eiser Halle in Munich, Germany
7 - Alte Reithalle in Dresden, Germany
8 - Progresje in Warsaw, Poland
10 - Markthalle Klosterwall in Hamburg, Germany
11 - Train in Aarhus, Denmark
12 - Rockefeller in Oslo, Norway
13 - Amager Bio in Copenhagen, Denmark
14 - Karen in Gotheborg, Sweden
16 - Antwerp, Belgium at Hof Ter Lo
17 - Manchester, UK at Academy**
18 - Birmingham, UK at Academy**
19 - London, UK at Astoria**

** with SABBAT