Riff Police! Pull Over! #110: Cradle Of Filth Vs Nightwish!

In an interview with Kerrang! Magazine back in October 2006, Cradle Of Filth frontman Dani Filth said of “From The Cradle To Enslave“, the title track from the Suffolk Extreme Metallers 1999 EP “We have to play it at every gig. I’d like to erase it, so I wouldn’t have to play it again. After a while you just want to play something different. There’s something about the hook that just strikes a chord of fear down my spine”. It happens from time to time, a band writes a song they feel a little bit apathetic towards and the next thing they know, it’s a fan favourite from which they can not escape.

Fast forward just a matter of months from October 1999 to May in the year 2000 and “Wishmaster” from Finnish Symphonic Metallers Nightwish. Their third studio album took them on their first world tour, playing dates in South America, Mexico and Canada as well as a larger venue European headlining run. The lyrical darkness entwined in “Come Cover Me” is a match for Cradle Of Filth if you read into it, but it also has some stark similarities in the riff department. Two more contrasting bands you’re unlikely to find but this is as plain as day (or as dark as night)…