Cradle Of Filth -Harder, Darker, Faster: Thornography Deluxe

Artist: Cradle Of Filth
Album: Harder, Darker, Faster: Thornography Deluxe
Release: 02/05/08
Runtime: 1:31:43 (not including the dvd extras)

Cradle Of Filth are no strangers to re-releasing albums as "limited" or "special editions" (though I believe it's more of a label thing than the bands decision) as they have done it twice before (Cruelty And The Beast and Nymphetamine), well three times if you count Eleven Burial Masses, which is basically Live Bait For The Dead without the extra disc, and the dvd of the concert, which itself was released as Heavy, Left-Handed And Candid, but you don't get all the extras. These "limited" editions usually contain extra tracks recorded during the original sessions that didn't make it on the original album. Remixes and covers seem to be the majority of what goes on these "extras". Thornography Deluxe is different in that you get a buttload of extras as opposed to a few extra songs and maybe a music video. First off what everybody probably already knows is that it is the entire Thornography album on a second disc, which is a waste if you already have Thornography, but oh well. The first disc is the MVI dvd thing. Which has the entire Thornography cd plus all the bonus stuff.

MVI stands for Music Video Interactive, and plays on all dvd players and roms, but will not play on a cd player, which is probably why they have the second disc, but the second disc doesn't have any of the extra songs, though they wouldn't all fit on a regular disc anyway. Some of the nifty extras include something called NU-Myx or something like that, where you can re mix in your own way two of the songs (Lovesick For Mina and Under Huntress Moon) by taking out any part like Dani's high pitch vocals or the bass tracks or whatever. Or simply leave them in and rearrange them into any part of the song you like. It is kinda fun, I made a crappy mix of Under Huntress Moon myself, you can check it out on my myspace profile at www.myspace.com/fishass. Anyway that is only one of the nifty features. I am slightly not impressed with the custom ringtone feature. You pick from one of two songs (Dirge Inferno and Temptation) any part of the song to make a custom ringtone, then you have to PAY for it. Why couldn't they let it be free? Maybe at least one free ringtone, to avoid folks making a shitload of ringtones at least. But because you have to "buy" the ringtone once you finish it I didn't even bother with the feature.

Other features include downloadable mp3's of each song, three music videos (Temptation, Tonight In Flames and Foetus Of A New Day Kicking) a making of Foetus featurette, lyrics, a complete cd booklet pdf file, wallpapers, buddy icons and other crap. Some places have it on sale for about 15 to 17 bucks, but the retail is like 25 bucks or so, unless you are a diehard COF head like me (though I already got it at the sale price), you probably will be better off spending the 25 bucks on something else. Or take in your copy of the original Thornography album as a trade in save a few bucks that way.

As for the songs, I have said this before on other forums that although I totally dig this album, it is my least favorite of all their albums. The intro track "Under Pregnant Skies She Comes Alive Like Miss Leviathan" was written and performed by Chris and Tommy Rehn of Angtoria, so you basically get an Angtoria song to open up the album. I don't believe any members of COF performed on that track. Not that there is anything wrong with it, for a short intro it is one of the better songs on the album. "Rise Of The Pentegram" an instrumental written by Paul Allender, and Under Huntress Moon are the best of the best on the album (along with "Under Pregnant Skies). While good the other songs are just so-so. As for the bonus songs, they too are just so-so, still good, "Murder In The Thirst" another short instrumental epic sounding song written by Daniel Presley, another non COF song on a COF album. Basically these two instrumentals by other artists were written FOR this album so in a sense you can call them COF songs even though no member of COF had anything to do with them.

Their cover of "Stay" by Shakespears Sister in my opinion is pretty damn awesome but like "Temptation" lacks any thing really heavy, it comes off as a "pop" kinda tune if you catch my drift. Not that I don't like them as I said I totally dig those songs. "Halloween II" is basically a remix of the same song that was originally released on the Underworld Evolution Soundtrack (and as a Japanese bonus track on Thornography). You really can't tell much of a difference, but it does sound cleaner and better produced. Average Joe listeners listening to both versions back to back may not notice anything different at all. Like I said it is different but only in the new production, not really easy to tell a difference.

All in all this is a great "special edition" and worth it to fans who are still fans of COF and still like them new stuff and all. If you have heard Thornography and hate it, than you will be wasting your money on this. Unless you just want the extra songs which are still Thornographyish, or the videos or the u-myx thing or whatever.