Special report and photo by Aaron Small

In an exclusive BW&BK; interview, Cradle Of Filth vocalist Dani Filth revealed that Roadrunner Records will release Thornography Deluxe – Harder, Darker, Faster on January 29th. In addition to the 12 tracks found on the album’s initial release last year, the deluxe edition features new artwork, new music, live material and videos.

According to Dani, the artwork “is just an extension really of what’s gone before. It’s the same artist (Samuel Araya). He’s just furnished it out a little bit more. The actual content is six new tracks. It was going to be seven, due to the fact that we recorded a song for the new Dario Argento film (Mother Of Tears). We were trying to get the rights for that, but it didn’t come through. There’s going to be some live stuff that we recorded in Philly and Worcester. There are videos on there as well (‘The Foetus Of A New Day Kicking’, ‘Tonight In Flames’ and ‘Temptation’). Then there’s this totally new format where you can mix ‘Lovesick For Mina’ yourself.”

The aforementioned new songs “were written during the Thornography session, but actually finished slightly later.” Dani briefly details each of them: “There’s ‘Murder In The Thirst’ - that’s one of our classic intros. The title was stolen from the lyrics of ‘Cemetery And Sundown’. ‘The Snake-Eyed And The Venomous’ is sort of an anti-critic song; it’s metaphorical. ‘Halloween 2’ (a Misfits cover) has been remixed and remastered by Andy Sneap (who mixed and mastered Thornography), so it sounds a bit better than it did on the Underworld 2 soundtrack – which was the only place it was available prior to this. ‘Courting Baphomet’ is another fable-type song in the vein of ‘Her Ghost In The Fog’. Again, it’s metaphorical. ‘Stay’ is a track by Shakespears Sister that we’ve bastardized. Now it sounds a bit more like a symphonic ‘Nymphetamine’. ‘Devil To The Metal’ is a celebration of everything dark and nasty really. It could have come off Vempire; it’s really fast and brutal. It’s got some really nice drop-downs and weird bits.”

To those who question why Cradle Of Filth is issuing Thornography Deluxe, Dani answers, “the reason for wanting to release a special edition, rather than saving them (the unreleased songs) is because they serve as quite a nice bridge or stop-gap between Thornography and the newer material, which is really shaping up to be fast. There’s 30 minutes of totally new material (on Harder, Darker, Faster). It promises to be good. I’m the first to balk at cash-ins and stuff like that. I’m really excited about this! It’ll be a good attribute to our proverbial boat.”

At the end of March, the long awaited book, The Gospel Of Filth – A Black Metal Bible, is due to hit store shelves. “It is totally finished, apart from my chapter. The rest of it is with the publisher at the moment. We’re hoping for an Easter release. The Gospel Of Filth has grown in enormous proportion. When I was going through it, making some amendments to some chapters, I couldn’t believe how in-depth it is! Not only is Gavin Baddeley an occult historian (and an ordained Reverend in the Church of Satan), it’s supplemented by a vast number of contributors: musicians, artists, occultists. There’s a slight dark humour in there as well so it doesn’t all disappear up its own ass. Lavish photos throughout; it’s going to be monumental. The special edition, which I’m doing, is going to be leather-bound and hand signed, with the additional chapter about mishaps on the road.” The basic edition, at 288 pages, is already available for pre-order on Amazon at only $19.77.

Dani is also working on a poetry book as well. “I’ve just been dabbling at it since we’ve been doing Thornography. It’s going to have about 50 poems in it. They range from being eight pages long to a single page. I started it because sometimes I feel held in by the parameters of Cradle. Not only that but I can’t quite express myself enough because I’ve got to consider the music. It’s sort of a foray into my diseased and damaged mind. Quite colourful as well. There’s a Tim Burton feel to some of them and some are a lot darker. The same guy who did the artwork for Thornography (Samuel Araya) has illustrated it. That’ll come out at some point next year between the special edition of the book and the new album.”

As far as the new album goes, Cradle Of Filth will enter the recording studio in February. When asked about the material, Dani replies, “we were intending to write on the road but between sometimes playing stupidly late – or stupidly early – and having sound check first thing in the morning, which to us is 12 o’clock, it’s been harder. But we’ve got some ideas down and two and a half months to fine tune everything and get it working. I’m quite confident our record will be out for the summer.”

The saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. So will Cradle utilize the same team that helmed Thornography – producer Rob Caggiano and mix-master Andy Sneap? “Maybe not Rob ‘cause I think he’s going back to work with Anthrax, but I’m not totally sure, so don’t take that as gospel. But definitely I think we will be recording with Andy Sneap.”

Although COF just finished touring with Gwar, they’re already looking ahead to their next road venture. “We get on famously (with Gwar). We want to do another tour together. They’ve got their 25th anniversary next year, and we’re planning something big next year after our slew of summer festivals. Tentatively titled The Filth Fest at the moment, we’re trying to gather four or five really influential bands and do it our own way. There won’t be any Viva La Bands or Headbanger’s Ball tag to it – just us sorting out everything and bringing some interesting people and perhaps vendors along with us.”