Cradle of Filth’s circus of horrors returned to Glasgow on November 7th for the second-to-last night of the UK By Order of the Dragon tour. It’s been a long time since we last saw Cradle at The Garage in 2019 on the Cryptoriana tour, with a comeback delayed by the writing of two albums, several line-up changes, a world tour—and, of course, the global COVID-19 lockdown. But now, with all that in the rearview mirror, they were back, playing the SWG3, a venue they’d never performed in during their 30 years of visiting Scotland’s largest city. Located on the banks of the River Clyde, this former shipbuilding yard has been building a reputation as a respected music and events venue. While there’s still room for improvement, such as better house lighting, making full use of the warehouse’s space, and enabling card payments at the cloakroom, SWG3 holds promise to fill the gap left by the O2 ABC’s closure.
Doors opened at 6 pm, and shortly after, we were greeted by the night’s opening act, Black Satellite, a New York-based band making their debut outside North America. They brought high energy to early arrivals in the Galvanizers Yard, delivering a European-tinged nu-metal sound that’s a bit like Joan Jett fronting Lacuna Coil, and finished with a blistering cover of Rammstein’s “Sonne”.
Up next was High Parasite, a new project led by Aaron Stainthorpe of doom metal legends My Dying Bride, and former Paradise Lost guitar tech “Tombs.” They describe their sound as “death pop,” and it’s certainly more upbeat than Stainthorpe’s other work—though that’s not saying much. Playing through most of their debut album, Forever We Burn, Stainthorpe’s powerful, fresh voice complements their catchy rock songs. Sporting a white kilt and shirt, he’s a visual standout, while the masked, enigmatic Tombs adds intensity on bass, driving their sound forward with an electric stage presence.
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Then came the Butcher Babies, who turned up the tempo. They brought riffs, hair spins, strobes, and a manic 45-minute set that left fans clamouring for autographs and photos at the merch stand. Their raw energy and Heidi Shepherd’s striking looks make them highly marketable. With stronger songwriting to match their enthusiasm, they could be one of the biggest names in metal, but as it stands, they’re more “the guy who picked on you at school for your lunch bag” than Arch Enemy.
At 9 pm, tonight’s headliners, Cradle of Filth, stormed the stage and launched into “Existential Terror,” the opening track from 2021’s Existence Is Futile. They put on a showcase of their 30-year back catalogue without even needing fan favourites like “Queen of Winter, Throned,” “Lord Abortion,” “Dusk and Her Embrace,” or “From the Cradle to Enslave.” Instead, the set included classics like “Saffron’s Curse,” “Born in a Burial Gown,” “Nymphetamine,” and “Heartbreak and Séance.” Newer songs like “She Is a Fire” and “Malignant Perfection” fit in seamlessly, even if they didn’t match the strength of the other tracks. Frontman Dani Filth kept the energy high, throwing in humorous quips like “Och Aye” and “FREEEEDOM,” and asking the crowd to imagine “William Wallace being garrotted in twain.”
The encore featured “Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids” (still their best song after 26 years) and “Her Ghost in the Fog,” with the rarely performed “Scorched Earth Erotica” in between. The band demonstrated why they command a cult following worldwide, especially in Glasgow. It’s been five years since they played here, and the pandemic contributed to the delay, but with a new album planned for 2025, we hope they won’t wait as long to return. Thanks to Dani’s leadership and the talented young musicians in the line-up, Cradle of Filth could easily come back with an entirely different set and deliver yet another unforgettable performance.
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Photos by Angela Heeb
