CRADLE OF FILTH / Vempire (or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein) (1996)

Is it V Empire or Vempire?  Fuck knows, but it sits nicely between the raw aggression of The Principle of Evil Made Flesh (1994) and the technical polish of Dusk... and Her Embrace (1996), and thus will likely appeal to fans of both eras.
Dani's 'cat with balls trapped in cat flap' screech is perfectly contrasted by the deeper, ghoulish narration that elevates the level of cheesy but effectively dramatic theatrics at opportune moments.
It's the first appearance of Sarah Jezebel Diva, who provides some spoken word and additional backing atmosphere.

Songs of Note: Queen of Winter, Throned; Nocturnal Supremacy

4 whispering forests out of 5

CRADLE OF FILTH / The Principle of Evil Made Flesh (1994)

The first CoF album took the Black Metal sound and warped it into something British. They gave it more rhythm, used cheap sounding symphonic keyboards and upped the occult references. They turned it from a nihilistic, cold wind into a theatrical, symphonic hybrid of new and old. People hated it. Black Metal that wasn't from Scandinavia, with marketable lyrics and gothic visuals was frowned upon. It only served to highlight the prejudices of the genre at the time.
The band tapped into the British love of Gothic Romantic writings and applied that to the lyrics, replacing the usual 'Satan Rules, bleh!' stuff. They were laughed at.
In retrospect, The Principle of Evil is the CoF album that I return to most.

Songs of Note: The Black Goddess Rises; The Principle of Evil Made Flesh

4 midnight movie screenings at the cemetery out of 5