CRADLE OF FILTH Bassist Talks About 'Nymphetamine' Video Treatment

CRADLE OF FILTH bassist Dave Pybus has shared with the Roadrunner Records web site a little of the thought behind the treatment that was prepared for the group's recently shot "Nymphetamine" video. The clip, which was directed by Dani Jacobs, features a guest appearance by Norwegian singer Liv Kristine (LEAVES' EYES, ex-THEATRE OF TRAGEDY).

Says Pybus: "We wanted to film the band's performance in a way to bring out all the power of the song and also give the band a dramatic look. Various in-camera tricks were used to give the shots a more 'edgy' feel. By deliberately loosening the camera lens there was a controlled effect that dislocates the image and changes the focus between the band and the background. In order to make the performance more dramatic, we were lit so that you don't see everything clearly at first - appearing more enigmatic and more is revealed as the video develops.

"The 'concept' element of the video is a series of staged tableaux with two characters — the 'Nymphetamine' of the title of the song — a beautiful but disturbing siren/dark angel tye of character, and her victim/lover/slave.

"The scenes loosely reflect the lyrics with the woman first rescuing the other character, then making him her slave and ultimately disposing of him but grieving her loss. We did not want to create the story so that people could 'read' it in an obvious way though. The images are more ambiguous so that you, the viewers, can make your own sense out of it and find your own connections with the lyrics. The images seem more dark and disturbing by showing less — instead of more.

"We let your imagination 'fill the gaps' and imagine things that are not really there."

The follow-up to last year's "Damnation and a Day", "Nymphetamine" (roughly translated as the druggish beast-like addiction to beautiful, classical women) is scheduled for release on September 28 through Roadrunner Records. The album was produced by ANTHRAX guitarist Rob Caggiano, who has previously worked with the group during the mixing stage for "Damnation…". Mixing duties were handled by Colin Richardson (FEAR FACTORY, MACHINE HEAD, NAPALM DEATH). An MP3 of the album track "Gilded Cunt" can be downloaded at this location.