Gothic extreme metallers Cradle Of Filth have chosen “The Screaming Of The Valkyries” as the title for their fourteenth studio album. The veteran British outfit intend to have that album out in early April with an exact release pending. Vocalist Dani Filth confirmed the news recently to Metal Hammer. During that discussion he also confirmed that the group’s years in the making collaboration with multi-diamond singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, which they completed in 2022, won’t appear on that effort.
Speaking of the record to the aforementioned publication, Filth shared:
“It’s called The Screaming Of The Valkyries and it should be out at the beginning of April. It’s got elements of everything we’ve done, really. It has a few head nods to works like Midian and Dusk…, especially in the atmosphere and the subject matter. It’s also got a very brilliant production, courtesy of Scott Atkins.”
When asked about the record adhering to any particular theme, he replied:
“No, I wouldn’t say so. They’re tricky things, concept records. You have to have tunnel vision and you can’t veer from that path. So this is just an album. It’s not an album with filly bits attached, like intros and outros. No guest appearances. Just nine songs. It’s still quite a lengthy running time, obviously. We can’t write a short song to save our fucking lives.”
Speaking on if the band’s collaboration with Sheeran will grace the record, Filth offered the following of its continued absence and its eventual release:
“No, because we don’t want it to overshadow the record. But we are going to bring it out. Originally, everybody wanted us to bring it out to glorious fanfare but Ed’s management weren’t keen on that. We’re not absolutely sure how it will emerge, but it’s been done, mixed and it’s sitting on the shelf somewhere… you know, virtually. And it’s fucking fantastic. But only a handful of people have actually heard it. My mum hasn’t even heard it.”
As for what it sounds like, Filth stated:
“Like a cross between Ed Sheeran and Cradle Of Filth! You hear it and go, ‘Oh, my God, fuck me, acoustic guitar, that’s Ed Sheeran.’ Then at the same time, you can flip the coin and go, ‘Fuck me, this is a Cradle Of Filth song: blastbeat, Dani screaming.’ Obviously, he wouldn’t put his name to a technical death metal track and we wouldn’t put our name to a song that sounded like Galway Girl part 2. It’s catchy, though. It’s a good marriage.”
