# Thornography

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***Thornography*** is the seventh [studio album](/source/Studio_album) by the English [extreme metal](/source/Extreme_metal) band [Cradle of Filth](/source/Cradle_of_Filth). It was released on 17 October 2006, by record label [Roadrunner](/source/Roadrunner_Records). It was produced by former [Anthrax](/source/Anthrax_(American_band)) guitarist [Rob Caggiano](/source/Rob_Caggiano), [engineered](/source/Audio_engineering) by Dan Turner and mixed by [Andy Sneap](/source/Andy_Sneap), and once again features narration by [Doug Bradley](/source/Doug_Bradley) (as with *[Midian](/source/Midian_(album))* and *[Nymphetamine](/source/Nymphetamine)*). It is Cradle of Filth's second album as a five-piece, as keyboardist [Martin Powell](/source/Martin_Powell) left the band in 2005. This would also be the band's final album to feature drummer [Adrian Erlandsson](/source/Adrian_Erlandsson), and the only full-length to feature guitarist [Charles Hedger](/source/Charles_Hedger).

## Content

### Album title

[Dani Filth](/source/Dani_Filth) explained the album's title in 2006:

This title represents mankind's obsession with sin and self. The [thorn](/source/Spine_(botany)) combines images of that which troubled Christ, the [Crown of Thorns](/source/Crown_of_Thorns), thus intimating man's seeming desire to hurt God and also of the protecting thorn and the need to enclose a secret place or the [soul](/source/Soul) from attack. An [addiction](/source/Behavioral_addiction) to [self-punishment](/source/Self-punishment) or something equally poisonous. A [mania](/source/Mania). Twisted desires. Barbed dreams. A [fetish](/source/Sexual_fetishism). An obsession with cruelty. Savage nature. [Paganism](/source/Paganism) over Christianity. The title can also represent a sexual attraction to religious [iconography](/source/Iconography) as in the case of the "possessed" [Loudun nuns](/source/Loudun_possessions). I like the title because to me it invokes images of a darker, sexier [pre-Raphaelite](/source/Pre-Raphaelite) scene wherein [Sleeping Beauty](/source/Sleeping_Beauty)'s castle is won and she is awoken by a poisonous kiss. A darker, more adult fairytale.[1]

### Album cover

In news posted on the official Cradle of Filth website in mid-May 2006, it was revealed that the planned artwork for *Thornography* had been vetoed by [Roadrunner Records](/source/Roadrunner_Records). A replacement was soon forthcoming, although numerous CD booklets had already been printed with the original image. Filth stated in an interview with *[Metal Hammer](/source/Metal_Hammer)* that the controversy was over the nakedness of the female figure's legs on the original cover: "When we put the original next to the new version, it was *so* slightly changed... The nymph's skirt was a little longer. It was like a game of spot the difference".[citation needed] [Charles Hedger](/source/Charles_Hedger) told Gothtronic.com that the new cover "is practically the same... A lot of Americans are really religious and Roadrunner were basically saying that [Wal-Mart](/source/Wal-Mart) was not going to take Cradle albums with that on the cover. But Wal-Mart never takes Cradle albums anyhow, so it doesn't make any difference."[2]

### Musical style

[Paul Allender](/source/Paul_Allender) told *[Terrorizer](/source/Terrorizer_(magazine))* magazine:

There are quite a few guitar solos on this album. To be honest, I've never really classed myself as a lead player as such, but this is the first time I've sat down and seriously practiced lead work. I've been so involved in actually writing new material and coming up with song structures that I haven't had time to practice all the frilly things that go on top of it. Up 'till now, there hasn't really been much room for guitar solos as such. The riffs we write, they're not riffs that are meant to be soloed on top of. They're melodic within themselves. But I'm a great believer that less is definitely more. I love listening to all the [shreddy](/source/Shred_guitar), widdly stuff, but I have no interest in playing it. This new album is quite guitar-orientated. The last album was, but this is definitely more melodic. Dare I say it, there are quite a lot of typical [Maiden](/source/Iron_Maiden)-esque harmonies in there.[1]

## Recording

Three [cover versions](/source/Cover_versions) were recorded during the album's sessions, namely [Samhain](/source/Samhain_(band))'s "Halloween II", [Shakespears Sister](/source/Shakespears_Sister)'s "[Stay](/source/Stay_(Shakespears_Sister_song))", and [Heaven 17](/source/Heaven_17)'s "[Temptation](/source/Temptation_(Heaven_17_song))". "Halloween II" (renamed "HW2") was released on the *[Underworld: Evolution](/source/Underworld:_Evolution)* soundtrack. It is included as a bonus track on the Japanese release of the album. "Temptation" is part of *Thornography*'s finalised track listing, and features vocals by [Harry](/source/Dirty_Harry_(musician)). Harry also stars in the promo video for the track, which was released a week before the album as a [digital single](/source/Digital_single). "Stay" surfaced in early 2008 on the *Harder, Darker, Faster* re-release (see below). A [press release](/source/Press_release) by [Liv Kristine](/source/Liv_Kristine)[1] announced that "Stay" would be Kristine's second guest vocal spot with the band (following "Nymphetamine"). [Paul Allender](/source/Paul_Allender) later confirmed however that the duet never actually took place, although versions *were* recorded with both Harry and [Sarah Jezebel Deva](/source/Sarah_Jezebel_Deva).[3] The latter is the version included on the re-release.

Early reports during the album's production process mentioned a track called "The Flora of Nightfall, The Fauna of War".[4] It is unknown which track this was the working title for, although the words appear as a lyric in "Cemetery and Sundown".

## Release

*Thornography* was released on 17 October 2006. It debuted at number 66 on the [Billboard Top 200](/source/Billboard_Top_200) chart,[5] selling nearly 13,000 copies.[6] It reached number 46 in the [UK Albums Chart](/source/UK_Albums_Chart).[7]

### *Harder, Darker, Faster: Thornography Deluxe*

*Harder, Darker, Faster: Thornography Deluxe* was released on 4 February 2008. This version is a CD-DVD package, with the original album in standard stereo format on CD and DVD and the following additional bonus tracks on the DVD only: "Murder in the Thirst", "The Snake-Eyed and the Venomous", "Halloween II" (a cover of the song by [Samhain](/source/Samhain_(band)) which had previously appeared on the soundtrack to the film *[Underworld: Evolution](/source/Underworld:_Evolution)*), "Courting Baphomet", "[Stay](/source/Stay_(Shakespears_Sister_song))" (a cover of the song by [Shakespears Sister](/source/Shakespears_Sister)) and "Devil to the Metal". Original plans to include "Mater Lachrymarum", a song from the soundtrack to the 2007 [Dario Argento](/source/Dario_Argento) film *[The Mother of Tears](/source/The_Mother_of_Tears)* that Dani contributed to, were scrapped due to rights issues.[citation needed]

## Critical reception

Critical response to *Thornography* has been generally favourable. *[Metal Hammer](/source/Metal_Hammer)* called it "undoubtedly their heaviest and most guitar-dominated record in many years", though commenting that the band's cover of [Heaven 17](/source/Heaven_17)'s "[Temptation](/source/Temptation_(Heaven_17_song))" is "ridiculous" and "best avoided".[8] *[Terrorizer](/source/Terrorizer_(magazine))* called the album "sharp, slick, elegant, focused, catchy, accessible heavy [gothic metal](/source/Gothic_metal), with the dark romantic schtick still present, but reined in and more explicitly parodic".[9] [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic) commented on the album's comparatively more mainstream style: "...by the sound of *Thornography*, CoF are aiming at playing an arena near you sometime in the near future."[10] [PopMatters](/source/PopMatters) wrote: "*Thornography*, all things taken into consideration, is one of most solid additions in Cradle of Filth's history".[11]

*[Kerrang!](/source/Kerrang!)*, on the other hand, commented: "The black magic for which they're usually so dependable is in short supply... If there was a word to sum *Thornography* up, it would be 'incomplete'..."[12]

## Personnel

### Cradle of Filth

- [Dani Filth](/source/Dani_Filth) – lead vocals
- [Paul Allender](/source/Paul_Allender) – guitars
- [Charles Hedger](/source/Charles_Hedger) – guitars
- [Dave Pybus](/source/Dave_Pybus) – bass, backing vocals on "Halloween II"
- [Adrian Erlandsson](/source/Adrian_Erlandsson) – drums
- [Sarah Jezebel Deva](/source/Sarah_Jezebel_Deva) – backing vocals, co-lead vocals on "Stay"

### Session/guest musicians

- [Doug Bradley](/source/Doug_Bradley) – narration on tracks 3 and 10
- [Ville Valo](/source/Ville_Valo) – vocals on "The Byronic Man"
- [Dirty Harry](/source/Dirty_Harry_(musician)) – vocals on "Temptation"
- [Martin Walkyier](/source/Martin_Walkyier) – backing vocals on "The Snake-Eyed and the Venomous"
- [Mark Newby-Robson](/source/Mark_Newby-Robson) – keyboards on original edition, "Courting Baphomet" and "Devil to the Metal"
- Christopher Jon – additional keyboards on original edition and "The Snake-Eyed and the Venomous"
- Chris Rehn – producer, composition and performance of track 1, orchestral arrangements on "Stay", backing vocals on track 1
- Tommy Rehn – producer and additional arrangements of track 1, orchestral arrangements on "Stay", backing vocals on track 1
- Veronica Rehn – vocals on track 1
- Tony Konberg, Hanna Tornqvist, Linnea Kibe – backing vocals on track 1
- [Rob Caggiano](/source/Rob_Caggiano) – drums on "Stay", backing vocals on "Halloween II"
- Aric Prentice, Keith Halliday, Charlie Jenkins, Moira Johnson, Ruth Nixon, Chris Mitchell, Rachel Line, William Harrison, Sophie Allen, Laela Adamson – choir vocals
- Laura Reid – cello

### Production

- Rob Caggiano – producer
- Dan Turner – engineer
- [Andy Sneap](/source/Andy_Sneap) – mixing and mastering at Backstage Studios, Derbyshire
- Daniel Presley – arrangement of orchestral passages, composition and arrangement of "Murder in the Thirst"

## Charts

Year Chart Position align="center"; rowspan="14"|2006 Finnish Albums Chart 16[13] Austrian Albums Chart 20[14] German Albums Chart 27[15] New Zealand Albums Chart 28[16] Australian Albums Chart 35[17] Swedish Albums Chart 37[18] UK Albums Chart 46[7] GfK Dutch Chart 48[19] French Albums Chart 48[20] Canadian Albums Chart 50[21] Ultratop Belgian Chart (Flanders) 58[22] Billboard 200 (USA) 66[5] Swiss Albums Chart 71[23] Oricon Japanese Albums Chart 104[24]

## References

1. ["Cradle of Filth: 'Thornography' Cover 'Banned' In The U.S."](http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/cradle-of-filth-thornography-cover-banned-in-the-u-s/). *[Blabbermouth.net](/source/Blabbermouth.net)*. [Roadrunner Records](/source/Roadrunner_Records). 20 May 2006. Retrieved 27 April 2014.

1. ["Gothtronic | Music | Interviews"](http://www.gothtronic.com/?page=23&change_lang=2&interviews=941). *gothtronic.com*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20081227021220/http://www.gothtronic.com/?page=23&change_lang=2&interviews=941) 27 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 September 2012.

1. ["Interview with Paul Allender"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121011035353/http://www.cradleoffilth.nl/interviews.htm). *cradleoffilth.nl*. 23 September 2010. Archived from [the original](http://www.cradleoffilth.nl/interviews.htm) on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2012.

1. ["Cradle of Filth | musica.musdie.ru"](http://musica.mustdie.ru/en/band/cradle_of_filth/). *musica.mustdie.ru*. 1 September 2005. Retrieved 31 August 2012.

1. "Thornography (Harder, Darker, Faster – Deluxe Edition/MVI DVD/+CD – Cradle of Filth | Billboard.com". *[billboard.com](/source/Billboard_(magazine))*. Retrieved 1 September 2012.

1. ["Cradle of Filth's 'Godspeed' Cracks U.S. Top 50"](http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/cradle-of-filth-s-godspeed-cracks-u-s-top/). *[Blabbermouth.net](/source/Blabbermouth.net)*. [Roadrunner Records](/source/Roadrunner_Records). 5 November 2008. Retrieved 2014-04-28.

1. ["Artist Chart History - Cradle of Filth"](http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/cradle%20of%20filth/). [Official Charts Company](/source/Official_Charts_Company). Retrieved 26 April 2014.

1. Ling, Dave (November 2006). "[*Metal Hammer* review]". *[Metal Hammer](/source/Metal_Hammer)*. '***(159)***

1. Chantler, Chris (November 2006). "[*Terrorizer* article]". *[Terrorizer](/source/Terrorizer_(magazine))*. '***(150)***

1. Jurek, Thom. ["Thornography (Harder, Darker, Faster – Deluxe Edition/MVI DVD/+CD) – Cradle of Filth : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic"](http://www.allmusic.com/album/thornography-harder-darker-faster-deluxe-edition-mvi-dvd-cd-mw0000583373). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. Retrieved 31 August 2012.

1. Blackie, Andrew (5 November 2006). ["Cradle of Filth: Thornography < PopMatters"](http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/cradle-of-filth-thornography). *[PopMatters](/source/PopMatters)*. Retrieved 31 August 2012.

1. Ruskell, Nick (21 October 2006). *[Kerrang!](/source/Kerrang!)*. '***(1130)***

1. ["Cradle of Filth - Thornography (album)"](http://finnishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Cradle+Of+Filth&titel=Thornography&cat=a). *Finnishcharts.com*. [Media Control Charts](/source/Media_Control_Charts). Retrieved 27 April 2014.

1. ["Cradle of Filth - Thornography (album)"](http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Cradle+Of+Filth&titel=Thornography&cat=a) (in German). *Austriancharts.at*. [Media Control Charts](/source/Media_Control_Charts). Retrieved 27 April 2014.

1. ["Album – Cradle of Filth, Thornography"](https://archive.today/20140707100029/http://www.officialcharts.de/album.asp?artist=Cradle+Of+Filth&title=Thornography&country=de) (in German). *Charts.de*. [Media Control Charts](/source/Media_Control_Charts). Archived from [the original](http://www.officialcharts.de/album.asp?artist=Cradle+Of+Filth&title=Thornography&country=de) on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2014.

1. ["Cradle of Filth - Thornography (album)"](https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Cradle+Of+Filth&titel=Thornography&cat=a). *charts.nz*. [Media Control Charts](/source/Media_Control_Charts). Retrieved 27 April 2014.

1. ["Cradle of Filth - Thornography (album)"](http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Cradle+Of+Filth&titel=Thornography&cat=a). *Australian-charts.com*. [Media Control Charts](/source/Media_Control_Charts). Retrieved 27 April 2014.

1. ["Cradle of Filth - Thornography (album)"](http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Cradle+Of+Filth&titel=Thornography&cat=a). *Swedishcharts.com*. [Media Control Charts](/source/Media_Control_Charts). Retrieved 27 April 2014.

1. ["Cradle of Filth - Thornography (album)"](http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Cradle+Of+Filth&titel=Thornography&cat=a) (in Dutch). *[GfK](/source/GfK) Dutch Charts*. [Media Control Charts](/source/Media_Control_Charts). Retrieved 27 April 2014.

1. ["Cradle of Filth - Thornography (album)"](http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Cradle+Of+Filth&titel=Thornography&cat=a) (in French). *Lescharts.com*. [Media Control Charts](/source/Media_Control_Charts). Retrieved 27 April 2014.

1. ["Cradle of Filth: 'Thornography' Enters Canadian Chart at No. 50"](http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=61103). *[Blabbermouth.net](/source/Blabbermouth.net)*. 27 October 2006. Retrieved 5 September 2012.

1. ["Cradle of Filth - Thornography"](http://www.ultratop.be/nl/album/ab6f/Cradle-Of-Filth-Thornography) (in Dutch). *[Ultratop](/source/Ultratop)*. [Media Control Charts](/source/Media_Control_Charts). Retrieved 27 April 2014.

1. ["Cradle of Filth - Thornography"](http://hitparade.ch/album/Cradle-Of-Filth/Thornography-43887) (in German). *Hitparade.ch*. [Media Control Charts](/source/Media_Control_Charts). Retrieved 27 April 2014.

1. ["ja:クレイドル・オブ・フィルスのアルバム売り上げランキング"](http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/63402/ranking/cd_album/) (in Japanese). [Oricon](/source/Oricon). Retrieved 26 April 2014.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Thornography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thornography) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thornography?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.