Midian (album)
| Company type | Studio album |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 30 October 2000 |
| Founder | Cradle of Filth |
| Products | Extreme metal music |
Midian represents the fourth full-length release by the English extreme metal group Cradle of Filth, launched on 30 October 2000 via Music for Nations. This album marks the comeback of guitarist Paul Allender and introduces drummer Adrian Erlandsson (known from At the Gates and The Haunted) alongside keyboardist Martin Powell (previously with My Dying Bride and Anathema). Narration throughout the album is provided by Doug Bradley, famed for his role in Hellraiser.
Thematic inspiration
The concept behind Midian is inspired by Clive Barker's Cabal and its cinematic version, Nightbreed. Dani Filth revealed in an interview with Empire that the album loosely revolves around Midian—a legendary sanctuary for creatures considered monstrous. Several tracks include narration by Bradley, who is widely recognized for portraying Pinhead in Barker's Hellraiser series.
The album's title draws from the biblical Midianites, an Arab tribe descending from Abraham, historically connected to areas encompassing western Saudi Arabia, southern Jordan, southern Israel, and the Sinai Peninsula. Within Barker's narrative, Midian is portrayed as a concealed city located in Alberta, Canada, serving as a haven for monsters.
"Cthulhu Dawn" references horror author H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. The opening phrase of "Lord Abortion" ("Care for a little necrophilia?") is a direct quotation from Terry Gilliam's film Brazil, delivered here by Toni King, who is Dani Filth's former spouse.
Release
Issued on 30 October 2000 through Music for Nations, Midian attained position 63 on the UK Albums Chart. The cover artwork was crafted by J.K. Potter and was subsequently featured in his 2002 horror anthology titled Embrace the Mutation.
The single "Her Ghost in the Fog" was accompanied by a video directed by Alex Chandon, receiving substantial airplay on MTV2 and various rock-focused channels. Additionally, this track was included on the soundtrack of the film Ginger Snaps (2000) and later appeared in the video game Brütal Legend (2009).
A re-release of the album was handled by The End in 2012.
Critical reception
While NME labeled it as "one of the most ludicrous records you'll ever hear," their overall assessment was favorable. In 2020, Metal Hammer recognized it among the top 20 metal albums released in 2000.
Personnel
- Cradle of Filth
- Dani Filth – lead vocals
- Paul Allender – guitars
- Gian Pyres – guitars
- Robin Graves – bass
- Martin Powell – keyboards
- Adrian Erlandsson – drums
- Sarah Jezebel Deva – backing vocals
- Guest/session musicians
- Martin Walkyier – vocals on "For Those Who Died"
- Mika Lindberg – backing vocals
- Doug Bradley – narration on several tracks
- Toni King – voice featured on "Lord Abortion"
- Andy Nice – cello
- Production
- John Fryer – producer, engineer, mixing
- Doug Cook – engineer, mixing
- Jamie Morrison – assistant engineer
- Ray Staff – mastering
Charts
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Finnish Albums Chart | 11 |
| Heatseekers Albums (USA) | 21 | |
| German Albums Chart | 30 | |
| Dutch Chart | 41 | |
| Belgian Chart (Flanders) | 47 | |
| French Albums Chart | 50 | |
| Swedish Albums Chart | 57 | |
| UK Albums Chart | 63 |