Hammer Of The Witches is the latest offering from Cradle Of Filth and whilst it doesn’t exactly tread new territory when it comes to the band’s music, it is nevertheless a great listen.
The album is in a similar style to the outfit’s past few albums and whilst it’s clear that Cradle Of Filth have mastered the art of writing dark-sounding tracks with the right balance of melody and in-your-face aggressiveness, they have played it quite safe and haven’t taken any risks this time round. It’s a shame because it does feel like Cradle Of Filth are capable of more than this.
Nevertheless, for what it is, Hammer Of The Witches is still a great listen and a particular highlight of the album is the stunning Blackest Magick In Practice. There’s something very haunting about the female vocals as the song begins and the half-whispered, half-screamed vocals for the first verse are absolutely stunning. Additionally, the repeating guitar riffs really add a lot to the song and the keys add more body, resulting in a track that really knocks you for seven.
As a whole, Hammer Of The Witches is another strong album from the band and although it may not bring anything new to the table, as the saying goes – if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it!
7/10
