V Empire (or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein)
Encyclopedia
V Empire is an EP
by British metal band Cradle of Filth
, and their first release following their 1994 debut album, The Principle of Evil Made Flesh
. It was the band's final release for Cacophonous Records, and was hastily written and recorded for that label as a contractual obligation, before the band jumped ship to Music for Nations
. As such, it is the first of two releases from 1996, the other being Dusk... and Her Embrace. Despite the circumstances in which it was written and recorded, it was well received by critics and a handful of its tracks are staples of the band's live sets to this day.
V Empire sees a step up in production from the band's debut and introduces the fast, highly technical instrumentation that would be the hallmark of the band's next few releases. It includes a re-recorded version of "The Forest Whispers My Name." and includes songs written by both the Principle line up and the new recording line up. This is where the band's lyrics began to manifest more as gothic poetry, fusing the band's brief satanic elements with depictions of macabre romance and vampirism that would encompass their later lyrical themes.
Half of the band was replaced for this recording, with Stuart Anstis
replacing Paul Allender
, Paul Ryan
on guitar, and Damien Gregori
replacing Benjamin Ryan
on keyboards. V Empire is the first recording to feature backing vocalist Sarah Jezebel Deva
. "Jared Demeter", the second guitarist credited in the booklet, is in fact fictional and all guitars were played on this release by Stuart Anstis. The band wanted to maintain its image as a sextet. His picture is a doctored image of other band members spliced together. "Demeter" is the name of the ship in Dracula
used by the titular vampire to travel to England.
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
by British metal band Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band, formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic black metal, and other extreme metal styles, while their lyrical themes and imagery are heavily...
, and their first release following their 1994 debut album, The Principle of Evil Made Flesh
The Principle of Evil Made Flesh
The Principle of Evil Made Flesh is the debut album by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth. Its sound is significantly rawer than the style the band would subsequently develop, and Dani Filth had yet to find the voice he would use on future recordings...
. It was the band's final release for Cacophonous Records, and was hastily written and recorded for that label as a contractual obligation, before the band jumped ship to Music for Nations
Music For Nations
Music For Nations was a British independent record label focusing mainly on rock and metal. They were a subsidiary of the larger label distributor Zomba Records who in turn is owned by BMG....
. As such, it is the first of two releases from 1996, the other being Dusk... and Her Embrace. Despite the circumstances in which it was written and recorded, it was well received by critics and a handful of its tracks are staples of the band's live sets to this day.
V Empire sees a step up in production from the band's debut and introduces the fast, highly technical instrumentation that would be the hallmark of the band's next few releases. It includes a re-recorded version of "The Forest Whispers My Name." and includes songs written by both the Principle line up and the new recording line up. This is where the band's lyrics began to manifest more as gothic poetry, fusing the band's brief satanic elements with depictions of macabre romance and vampirism that would encompass their later lyrical themes.
Half of the band was replaced for this recording, with Stuart Anstis
Stuart Anstis
Stuart Anstis is a former guitarist and songwriter for the British metal band Cradle of Filth. He was in the band from 1994 until 1999, appearing on four releases, as well as in the video for From the Cradle to Enslave...
replacing Paul Allender
Paul Allender
Paul Allender is the lead guitarist of the British extreme metal band Cradle of Filth.-Early life:...
, Paul Ryan
Paul Ryan (agent)
Paul Ryan is a British music agent for The Agency Group, and former guitarist of Cradle of Filth.His first foray into the music industry was as the original guitarist for Cradle of Filth, along with his brother Benjamin Ryan, and school friend Daniel Davey...
on guitar, and Damien Gregori
Damien Gregori
Damien Gregori aka Greg Moffitt is an Irish musician.-Cradle Of Filth:Damien was keyboard player with UK band Cradle of Filth from 1995 to 1997, and appeared on two of the band’s albums, Vempire, Or Dark Faerytales In Phallustein and Dusk And Her Embrace...
replacing Benjamin Ryan
Benjamin Ryan
Benjamin Ryan is a keyboard player and multi instrumentalist from Sudbury, in Suffolk, England.His earliest collaborations were with his guitar playing older brother Paul Ryan, with whom he went on to form Cradle of Filth, along with their school friend Daniel Davey Benjamin Ryan (brother of Paul...
on keyboards. V Empire is the first recording to feature backing vocalist Sarah Jezebel Deva
Sarah Jezebel Deva
Sarah Jane , better known by her stage name Sarah Jezebel Deva, is a British vocalist. She was the female vocalist in Cradle of Filth for 14 years and also fronts her own band, Angtoria. In 2009, Deva started her self-titled solo project. The debut album A Sign of Sublime was released in February...
. "Jared Demeter", the second guitarist credited in the booklet, is in fact fictional and all guitars were played on this release by Stuart Anstis. The band wanted to maintain its image as a sextet. His picture is a doctored image of other band members spliced together. "Demeter" is the name of the ship in Dracula
Dracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
used by the titular vampire to travel to England.
Track listing
Personnel
- Dani FilthDani FilthDani Filth is the lyricist, vocalist and founding member of the metal band Cradle of Filth.-Personal life:...
– vocals - Nicholas BarkerNicholas BarkerNicholas Howard Barker is an extreme metal drummer .- Biography :He was the original drummer for British metal band Cradle of Filth, playing on the first three albums. After leaving in 1999, he joined Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir...
– drums - Stuart AnstisStuart AnstisStuart Anstis is a former guitarist and songwriter for the British metal band Cradle of Filth. He was in the band from 1994 until 1999, appearing on four releases, as well as in the video for From the Cradle to Enslave...
– guitar - Damien GregoriDamien GregoriDamien Gregori aka Greg Moffitt is an Irish musician.-Cradle Of Filth:Damien was keyboard player with UK band Cradle of Filth from 1995 to 1997, and appeared on two of the band’s albums, Vempire, Or Dark Faerytales In Phallustein and Dusk And Her Embrace...
– keyboards - Robin EaglestoneRobin EaglestoneRobin Mark Eaglestone is a British musician.- Biography :He was the bassist for the metal band Cradle of Filth. Also known as Robin Graves, he joined Cradle of Filth in 1992 as 2nd guitarist for the recording of the Invoking the Unclean demo then later changed to bass for the Total Fucking...
– bass guitar - Sarah Jezebel DevaSarah Jezebel DevaSarah Jane , better known by her stage name Sarah Jezebel Deva, is a British vocalist. She was the female vocalist in Cradle of Filth for 14 years and also fronts her own band, Angtoria. In 2009, Deva started her self-titled solo project. The debut album A Sign of Sublime was released in February...
– backing vocals