Review Summary: Riding the wave and hitting the ground running
The elevation in quality between Darkly and Manticore served as the opening curve on a redemption arc I never saw coming. The keen sense of rejuvenation that seemed to exude from Manticore in all directions gave hope to longtime fans of the band, as theirs was an unceremonious tumble into the throes of overproduced, underwritten metal excesses. Hammer of the Witches is a worthy follow-up to this revitalised sound, and exhibits signs of evolution even as it gives the faithful what they desire. That is, atmospheric, gothic-fuelled metal with a savage bite and a theatrical underpinning; on this front, Hammer delivers in spades. Unfortunately, it also feels like a work-in-progress for the band; when it is on top form, it's a rollercoaster of sharp musicality and deliriously lurid subject matter. Yet, the gradual development from Manticore is still not as greatly pronounced as it would later be. It is undoubtedly a better collection of songs than its predecessor, but there is a feel of the band still pinning down exactly what aspects of their newer sound they should focus on. As a result, the emphasis is on honing the established framework of Manticore to its apex, whilst still delivering some fresh production and songwriting choices. Whilst not quite as daringly revolutionary to the outfit's trajectory as its precursor, it nonetheless cavorts with reckless abandon in its endeavour to imbue the new sound with as much delirium and knowing throwbacks to Cradle's heyday that it can muster. Though it is still not a display of peak performance, it has a prowess that portends of exceptional things to come.
Hammer picks up where Manticore left off, with CoF's signature sense of brutalising, cheesy metal expressed via a much more digestible songwriting style. Confidence radiates from the LP; a buoyancy and renewed vitality that signals confidence in their style after striking gold on their previous album. The pummelling opening riff on 'Yours Immortally' is a perfect example of this expressiveness, battering and satisfyingly beefy. The helter-skelter riffage later in this cut feels very reminiscent of Cruelty era releases, with the interplay between the female vocal and Filth yowling like he's caught his toe on a sofa leg perfectly balanced. The release features a wealth of callbacks to previous releases in a variety of subtle ways, and this lends the album a more enduring sense of connection to their robust discography than Manticore had to offer. Both 'Enshrined in Crematoria' and 'Deflowering the Maidenhead, Displeasuring the Goddess' are especially reflective of the Midian-Thornography era, with fluttering foreground riffs that are both melodic but play into the battering ram of CoF's modernised take. 'Deflowering' is also noteworthy for its huge sense of musical scale, as this combined with the melodic riffs feel like a marriage between the band's earliest albums, and the ones in the second phase of their career. More impressive still is the way these composite elements are enshrouded by the thunderous modern production of their post-Darkly sound, thus creating a touching point for all eras of the band's history. It's all at once joyous, nostalgic, and, in combining the elements, an entirely new beast. Orchestral touches are still pervasive and well-utilised, both in adding depth to the musicality and in filling interlude space, and their usage is appropriate and suitably unnerving. The gothic flourishes are far less pronounced this time around, however, and despite the album art and song titles, the album furthers Manticore's agenda of folkloric and fantastical rather than foreboding and bleak. Nonetheless, the symphonic aspects hardly feel misplaced, their inclusion necessitated by the grotesque nature of the subject matter and the grandiose nature of the songwriting.
The production is incredibly well-rounded, with all aspects of the record's sound feeling appropriately crispy and hard-hitting. The percussion especially benefits from this, with 'Enshrined' a notable example of this nuanced texturisation. The vocals have been given a more impactful glaze than on Manticore, and the effect is just as piercing but also occasionally quite animalistic. This provides a boost to the b-movie horror aspect of the sound, but allows the vocal the punch it requires to burst through the aggressive musical landscape. There are some interesting songwriting choices at play also, with 'Blackest Magick in Practice' notable for its considerably-more-than-tip-of-the-hat influence from traditional heavy metal. A huge but simplistic riff backends the track, and it feels startling novel and *gasp* even catchy. A successful experimentation no doubt, with superb use of strings and a compellingly schizophrenic structure, but the simple nature of the main portion of the track feels quite far removed from Cradle's usual sense of chaos. The cut does diversify, with fluttery riffing in the main verses and rapturous, breakneck bridge sections coming out to play further along, but in building the song around the main hook it feels like a Cradle take on a brand different to their own. The main hook would have benefitted from an additional flourish or deviation within its melody, just to lend a touch of extra verve to the main throughline, but despite this minor niggle, the track is great, and feels like an instance where it's possible to see CoF developing their style and experimenting with it simultaneously. Further along into Hammer, the title track is a deliriously atmospheric barrage of extremity and trilling melody that, unfortunately, doesn't feel as inspired as a title track ought to. It is serviceable enough, and its bass-led breakdown at the conclusion is delightful, but it does feel overlong and underdeveloped, and isn't as memorable as Cradle title tracks usually are. Conversely, final two tracks 'Onward Christian Soldiers' (unfortunately not a cover) and 'Misericord', are excellent, and capture all the best aspects of CoF's new vibe with gloriously overblown structures and gripping arrangements; a strong two-hitter to round out a satisfyingly vicious and entertaining record.
Hammer retrieves the torch from Manticore and holds it aloft with self-assured confidence and well-deserved self-satisfaction. It incorporates much-loved elements from the outfit's backcatalogue as far back as 'Principle', and utilises them in smart, respectful ways that both re-affirm the band's present sound, and lay claim to motifs they had previously peddled. The release feels rounded, cohesive; a well thought-out and exciting continuation of Manticore's rejiggered approach, but also a refinement of facets that worked and a tinkering with parts that didn't. It's not always fully successful in its endeavours, and the aspects that feature room for improvement stand out quite garishly since the majority of the album is so strong, but the band can be forgiven for a few brief lapses when, for all intents and purposes, they are still finding their balance on this newer footing. Even though some moments could be of a slightly higher quality, the release overall is great, and works as an entry point for new listeners due to its more accessible songwriting and novel dynamics, as well as being an impressive continuation for a band who have previously scaled the highest highs and plumbed the deepest depths. Hammer is an ascension, and a jubilant signifier of exciting things to come.
