Album · Cradle of Filth
Cruelty and the Beast by Cradle of Filth
Cruelty and the Beast is an album by Cradle of Filth, released in 1998. 1 song from it has charted on rock radio countdowns, with 1 countdown appearance in total. The biggest is “Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”, on 1 list with a best position of #48.
Cruelty and the Beast, Cradle of Filth's third album, came out on Music for Nations on 5 May 1998, and the Suffolk extreme metal band went all in on the gothic horror show: a full concept record built around Elizabeth Báthory, the Hungarian "blood countess" of legend. For extra Hammer Horror authenticity, actress Ingrid Pitt, who first played Báthory in Countess Dracula back in 1971, turns up to narrate in character.
Dani Filth shrieks and snarls his way through the tale, with Stuart Anstis and Gian Pyres on guitars, Robin Eaglestone on bass, Nicholas Barker's drums in overdrive, Les Smith on keyboards and Sarah Jezebel Deva on backing vocals. "Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids" tangles black metal fury with symphonic pomp. The band produced it themselves, and even though the album was well received, its murky sound drew grumbles from fans, critics and the musicians alike; a remixed, remastered Re-Mistressed edition finally arrived in November 2019.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
Songs from Cruelty and the Beast on radio countdowns
| # | Song | Strength | Lists | Best | #1s | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids | 1 | #48 | – | 2013 |
Only songs that appear on at least one countdown are listed. Release data from MusicBrainz.