Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder

Untitled

Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder (subtitled The Life and Crimes of Gilles De Rais) is the eighth studio album by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth. It is a concept album, based on the life of the infamous 15th century French serial killer, sexual deviant and Satanist, Gilles de Rais, and is planned for release on October 28, 2008 by Roadrunner Records. A special edition of Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder containing bonus material, has been confirmed as well, and will be released on the same day as the standard edition. The title of the album derives from a valediction vocalist Dani Filth signed a letter with.

Recording and production

The album is being produced by Sabbat guitarist Andy Sneap, who previously worked with Cradle of Filth while mixing the band's 2006 album, Thornography.

The band's official message boards recently revealed parts of an interview with guitarist Paul Allender, conducted by MédiaMatinQuébec: "We already have four new songs ready and I have to say that they are... much faster than the songs on Thornography. [They] sound like old Cradle of Filth... A mixture of Midian and Dusk. . ." The interview goes on to state that the album is planned for fall 2008 and will be followed by a European and American tour. Headbanger's Blog recently talked with vocalist Dani Filth about the sound of the band's forthcoming album. The album is a concept record about a legendary serial killer from the 15th century, Gilles de Rais, a French nobleman who fought alongside Joan of Arc and accumulated great wealth before becoming a Satanist, sexual deviant and murderer. Filth also spoke about the song he wrote for Dario Argento's new horror film The Mother of Tears, the horror-themed video he wants to do for the new record, and the long-awaited history book he wrote with Gavin Baddeley, The Gospel of Filth: A Black Metal Bible, which he hopes will be out by Halloween — around the time Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder is planned for release.

Filth has also described the album as, "our most extreme, dramatic and deeply disturbing album to date. The legend of Gilles de Rais has been given fresh, vampyrical life in this conceptual meisterwerk, swathed in pitch-black magic and a viciousness unsurpassed in the annals of Cradle history. Screw what our detractors say, everyone who has heard this album has bruised their jaws on the pentagram-bejewelled floor."

In an interview with Blistering.com, Filth revealed that three additional songs were recorded during the album sessions, among them an instrumental piece and a cover of Celtic Frost's "Into the Crypts of Rays". On the topic of their absence from the album, Filth has stated that "Both of those were taken out to make it not too long. They'll turn up somewhere."

Promotion

During August 27, 2008, one song from the album, "Tragic Kingdom", was made available for free download by the band's record label, Roadrunner Records.

Track listing

1. "In Grandeur and Frankincense Devilment Stirs"
2. "Shat Out of Hell"
3. "The Death of Love"
4. "The 13th Caesar"
5. "Tiffauges"
6. "Tragic Kingdom"
7. "Sweetest Maleficia"
8. "Honey and Sulphur"
9. "Midnight Shadows Crawl to Darken Counsel with Life"
10. "Darkness Incarnate"
11. "Ten Leagues Beneath Contempt"
12. "Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder"
13. "Corpseflower"

Limited edition bonus disc

1. "Balsamic and Anathema"
2. "A Thousand Hands on the Maid of Ruin"
3. "Into the Crypt of Rays" (Celtic Frost cover)
4. "Devil to the Metal"
5. "Courting Baphomet"
6. "The Love of Death" (remix)
7. "The Death of Love" (demo)
8. "The 13th Caesar" (demo)
9. "Dirge Inferno" (live)
10. "Dusk and Her Embrace" (live)

Personnel

• Dani Filth – vocals
• Paul Allender – guitars
• Dave Pybus – bass
• Martin Škaroupka – drums
• Mark Newby-Robson – keyboards
• Sarah Jezebel Deva – backing vocals
• Andy Sneap – producer