Cradle Of Filth guitarist Richard Shaw has checked in with the following update:

"Five years ago today, Marek 'Ashok' Smerda and I performed our first show with Cradle of Filth in Munich on a co-headlining tour with Behemoth! Personally, I thought I was only going to be in the band as a session guitarist for that European tour. Two albums and numerous tours later, we're still here. What an amazing five years we've had.

To Dani, Martin, Daniel and Lindsay....thanks for keeping us.

Strangely enough, I'm celebrating by seeing Behemoth, At The Gates and Wolves in the Throne Room in Birmingham."

Cradle Of Filth will perform their 1998 album, Cruelty And The Beast, on a string of exclusive European dates in April. Support on the shows listed below comes from The Spirit.

April
24 - Karlsruhe, Germany - Substage
25 - Paris, France - La Machine
26 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z-7
27 - Parma, Italy - Campus Industry
29 - Warszaw, Poland - Progresja
30 - Bratislava, Slovakia - MMC

Tickets at cradleoffilth.com/tour.

Cradle Of Filth recently announced their return to North America in support of their latest album Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness of Decay. For the second leg of their North American onslaught, the band has enlisted industrial/metal shock rocker Wednesday 13 as well as theatrical metal new comers Raven Black. Check out a trailer promoting the tour:

For the first time in years, Cradle Of Filth's set will feature an all new, massive stage production.

Comments Cradle Of Filth vocalist Dani Filth: "As a band, we are very much looking forward to the upcoming second leg of our US/Canadian Cryptoriana World tour. The first, at the beginning of last year, was such a success that we decided to come back armed with a bigger, better show coupled with two awesome bands in support. We can’t wait to bring the noise back to our favorite hunting ground! Ia! Ia! Cthulhu Fhtagn!"

Tickets on-sale here. Confirmed dates are listed below.

March
7 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
8 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues
9 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades
11 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
12 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
14 - Billings, MT - Pub Station Ballroom
15 - Calgary, AB - Marquee
16 - Edmonton, AB - Starlight Room
18 - Winnipeg, MB - Burton Cummings Theatre
20 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theatre
21 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave
22 - Flint, MI - The Machine Shop
24 - Grand Rapids, MI - Intersection
25 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
26 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
27 - Toronto, ON - Opera House
29 - Guelph, ON - Guelph Concert Theatre
30 - Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre
31 - Quebec City, QC - L'Imperial Bell

April
1 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
2 - Huntington, NY - Paramount Theater
3 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
5 - Asbury Park, NJ - Stone Pony
6 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage
7 - Newport News, VA - Boathouse Live
9 - Greensboro, NC - Cone Denim Entertainment Center
10 - Charleston, SC - Music Farm
12 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Revolution
13 - Pensacola, FL - Vinyl Music Hall
14 - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
15 - San Antonio, TX - Aztec Theatre
17 - Houston, TX - House of Blues
18 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues