Customer Reviews

Bitter Suites to Succubi

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

This was my first Cradle of Filth album and I was extremely impressed at the bands speed and aggression. The drummer belts the crap out his his drums and the guitarists are extremely fast. The orchestra and keyboard are pretty creepy as well. Dani's vocals aren't as good as that of later records, where he doesn't always screech so you can't make out a word like in early records (including most of this).

Now the songs. The intro is possibly the best intro ever, or that I've heard anyway. Very creepy and dark, perfect to get you in the mood for things to come.
The second track, All Hope in Elcipse is a FANTASTIC effort. The guitars are extremely fast and the drumming is pretty crazy as well. Alot of people say that Dani is rapping in this song, but I tell them they are fools. There is a huge difference between poetry and rap. Dani is merely saying faster poetry. One of my favourites.
The third track, Born in a Burial Gown is again filled with fast guitars and some pretty good drumming. Dani does a good job changing from deep voice to high voice in less than a second. Very catchy song.
This is the first mistake on the album. Summer Dying Fast is my least favourite song on the album, being that it is very boring and it just failed to impress.
No Time to Cry. Fantastic song, the best cover I have ever heard from Cradle of Filth. Epic guitars, Dani's vocals and perfect drumming make this a perfect song, short and sweet. My second favourite.
The Principle of Evil Made Flesh is not a bad song but it just didn't appeal to me. Good guitars and drumming make this track at least worth a few listens. The start of the track sounded a bit like Angel of Death.
Track 7, Suicide and Other Comforts is an absolutely epic song and is my very favourite on the album. I love the vocals and the keyboards. Also the guitars are very fast and the drumming is insanely fast.
Track 8, Dinner at Deviant's Place is an instrumental. It's a fair instrumental but nowhere near as good as the intro.
The Black Goddess Rises II is a good song, long and a bit slow starting but gets more intense later in the song.
Scorched Earth Erotica is a fantastic song with great guitars and a fantastic performance on the keyboard.

Overall one "bad" song can't chnge the fact that this album is worth five stars. Great group, great album, great songs.

I recommend this to all real metal fans. If you can appreciate good music and aren't used to the vocals, then buy this and you'll get used to them soon and you will learn to love black metal.

Black metal isn't my favorite subgenre of metal, but there's something about Cradle of Filth that keeps my interest. Maybe it's their flawless musical integration, or maybe it's Dani Filth's disturbingly poetic lyrics. But they kick bum, no matter how "commercialized" they've made the genre. Bitter Suites to Succubi does seem a little rushed, and has a good deal of sound contradiction in it, but overall, it's one of my more favored COF albums. "Black Goddess Rises II" is probably my favorite song, and the instrumental "Sin Deep My Wicked Angel" (I love using that phrase) is good as are most COF instrumental segues. "Suicide and Other Comforts" is one of the better songs as well. Basically, there aren't any really bad songs, but instead of taking all the negative criticism as definitive, I'd listen to some samples or maybe go to one of those music stores that lets you sample the CD before you buy it, and then make your final decision. That's what you should be doing anyway. But if you're truly a Filth fan, you will probably find it at least somewhat appealing to your darkside.

I heard a lot about this band from my boy Kyle, and since we share similar musical tastes, I figured I'd give it a listen.

This is what is known as "black metal". To me, it's really no harder than, say, early Metallica. The music is okay, think of Fear Factory, but not quite as heavy. But the vocals? Hmmm... how to describe the vocals. Well, think of a chipmunk on amphetamines. There you go! I thought they were pretty hilarious.

Overall, this band is okay. I give them 3 stars because of a few reasons:
1. They don't belch.
2. As previously stated, their music sound like a lighter Fear Factory.
3. The vocalist's voice is funny. I picture a little chipmunk yelling into the microphone and I almost wet myself with laughter.

Still, stick with bands like Tool.

(I know this review will probably net me about 10,000 "Not Helpful" votes, but ehh... so be it.)

I gave this 3 stars, becuase it was ONLY AN EP. And it has 2 awesome songs on here. 'No Time To Cry' is a very good Sisters Of Mercy cover. The other is 'Suicide And Other Comforts', this epic song goes for 7 minutes. And the first 2 verses have a beautiful, yet dark and gothic piano. The rest of the song is pure Cradle. The Principle Of Evil covers are hopeless. Most of the songs on here are too heavy and fast. I'd only download those 2 songs and put them on a CD mix for $... Don't spend too much money on this EP.

The real highlight of this album is the Sisters of Mercy cover(The Sisters of Mercy version is just as good), asside from that there is only a few good tracks, I recommend 'Dusk ....and Her Embrace'(being my favourite release)...or 'Cruelty and The Beast' over this...even 'From The Cradle To Enslave'.This album is a much more mainstream stab at Goth Metal (yes Cradle of Filth are Goth metal, NOT Black metal!!) Honestly I am not really a fan of Metal, but Cradle of Filth are not your typical band...I just think this album is a poor representation of their work and should only be purchased if you want to complete your collection, or, it is worth the price for the Sisters cover alone...but indeed there are a few other good tracks on this...I just think this was a tired and messy effort(hence the fact they rerecorded three older Cradle of Filth songs on this, which was a huge mistake, but the new songs are okay...a few are even very good)Midian (the previous album) also had the mainstream 'Goth Metal' sound but was far more creative and artsy than this one...my advice - Avoid this if you are new to Cradle of Filth, but purchase it if you already own other (Better) material by this band.Overall- 3 stars.

David Painter 1334

It sounds a little different, but it still sounds good. The best song is probaly Born In A Burial Gown. This cd is definetly one of Cradle's best and i've heard all of them. My favorite is Damnation And A Day, its their newest and best release. But back to Bitter Suites. All the songs on this cd are incredible. There is now a dull or boring song on this cd(but there is not one boring cradle song.)

I'm a big fan of Cradle of Filth. The first cd of theirs that I heard was "Dusk and her Embrace", and I fell in love with it quickly. True, this is not a hardcore black metal band like In Flames, Burzum, Mayhem or Emperor. But then...I'm not interested in supporting lunatic ...church burning so-called "pagan" murderers, no matter how good their music sounds (although not all "true" black metal bands actually fit that bill). I like my "Gothic Romantic Black Metal" (Cradle, Dimmu Borgir, Opeth, Old Man's Child etc) just fine.

That said, there's something WRONG with this album. It's the first cd by them that I just plain don't like. "No Time to Cry". What? I mean. I never expected THAT. It's perfectly fine and all that they're proud of their influences, but personally that is not my taste. "Born in a Burial Gown" is pretty good, and other highlights include "Suicide and Other Comforts". Truth be told, those are the only two songs (besides a lot of their redos) that I genuinely like. This album, overall, is very weak. I would not reccomend it to people who are picking up Cradle of Filth for the first time. Rather, buy almost anything else. I'd have to say that "Cruelty and the Beast" is my favorite one, followed by "Midian" and then "Dusk and Her Embrace".

It appears, however, that "Bitter Suites to Succubi" is only a fluke. I listened to the clips Amazon has for the new Cradle cd, "Damnation and a Day" and ordered it immediately. I am anxiously awaiting its arrival in the mail and I think I'm probably going to like it very, very much.

Let's get the negatives out of the way." Principle" and " Goddess" make the band sound dated and tired " Summer Dying "
is only good at the end when the synths , bass and drumms take over. These were immature when they were first put out and this magnificant band should not waste revisting the past, but venture forward.

And venture forward they do with the rest of the songs! As a seven track EP, this album continues the brilliance of " Midian "
Two wonderfully dark iinstrumental pieces by Martin Fowl on keys
( " Sin Deep My Wicked Angel ", " Dinner at Deviant's Palace " )
" All Hope in Eclipse and Born in a Burial Gown " scorching rockers with scathing guitars, pounding drumms and drowning synths. " Suicide and other Comforts " a very moving Cradle " ballad " that moves THIS reviewer and fellow muscian to tears.
" Scorched Earth Erotica " is a melodic malestorm of genius muscian ship; and at last " the Sisters cover " No Time to Cry "?
I'm a HUGE Sisters fan and I dare share this version matches the original. Dani's voice failing? Bullocks that. He sounds better and better and easier to follow with each release. And again this is Goth metal: forget black metal. Highly recommended; just skip tracks 4, 6, and 9. Without these tracks it's a five star easy!

Kaenan 1340

I was very disapointed when i heard cradel of filth's "Bitter Suites to Succubi" because it was not only boring but had no good guitar sound whats so ever. The most horrible record by this guys todate. In-case you just purchase cof's "Bitter Suites to Succubi" and thought that cradel of filth was not a good black metal band buy albums like "dusk & her embrace" , " From the cradel to enslave " and my personal favorite "midian" those are worth buyin albums unlike this worthless piece of sorry garbage. Ok ? Don't buy it !

Cruelty & the Beast is a true masterpiece, and Vempire Or Dark Faerytales in Phallustei is also good, I am nevertheless extremely disappointed with this album. No melodic guitars and no rich arrangements as in Cruelty, this one only got a few repeated patterns to bore you to death. This is one of the few amongst my 400+ CDs that, after having listened to it for once, I don't have even the slightest impression about any of its songs. Just like hearing some sound, not music. This one will not appear in my CD player again.

Indeed I like COF a lot after having listened to the former two CDs. Although I only got 3 of their albums and don't know much about the band, I do notice the change of certain members in this album and, if this is the reason for producing such a poor album then I would have to say: Get lost, you've spoiled the name of COF!

If you are a big fan of COF you may consider to buy this one just to complete your collection. If you are new to COF then forget about this one; go and get Cruelty & the Beast instead.

** Added on 27 March 03: now I got their "Dusk & her embrace" and "Midian", and have to say that this one is STILL their WORST album.