Various Artists
“Covered in Filth: A Tribute to Cradle of Filth”
(Deadline Music)
This album isn’t a bad listen because the songs are all expertly written, but they’re all better in the hands of their original creators, the bold, beautiful bastards known as Cradle of Filth. I can’t complain about the songs. They’re great. The bands who cover them are all quite competent, but, and I’m afraid the question must be asked, why? Covering Cradle of Filth is a bit like screwing a live tiger in the ass: very painful and it opens you up to all sorts of harsh criticism from your political opponents.
I really don’t know who’d want this thing. I’m amused to see that one of the bands decided to cover Cradle of Filth’s cover of the Sister of Mercy’s song “No Time to Cry.” I’m not going to break this album down song by song or proclaim one of the cover bands victorious over all their covering brethren, but I will say “Born in a Burial Gown” got all assed the fuck up.
