Thornography Song & Title Descriptions  (2006)

Thornography
This title represents mankind's obsession with sin and self. The thorn combines images of that which troubled Christ, the 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 from attack.
An addiction to self punishment or something equally poisonous.
A mania. Twisted desires. Barbed dreams. A fetish.
An obsession with cruelty. Savage nature.
Paganism over Christianity.
The title can also represent a sexual attraction to religious iconography as in the case of the 'possessed' Lourdes nuns.
We like the title because to us it invokes images of a darker, sexier pre-Raphaelite scene wherein Sleeping Beauty's castle is won and she is awoken by a poisonous kiss.
A darker adult faerytale.

Dirge Inferno
Another end-of-world opus in the vein of 'Cthulhu Dawn' from Midian or 'Mother Of Abominations' from Nymphetamine, 'Dirge Inferno' being the pseudonym for the 'Great Beast' that arises and wages war during the book of Revelations. He is the epitome of the turmoil and chaos that engenders the world during these end times.
He characterizes mankind's warmongering nature and every attribute that is in conflict with stability and peace.
He is Armageddon made flesh.

Tonight In Flames
'Tonight In Flames' concerns itself with fiery religious fanaticism stoked up by the sudden death of a loved one. The idea behind the song is that even the most ardent supporter of peace can be drawn into violent conflict if their faith is shattered beyond repair.
The title reflects the onset of spiritual darkness that pervades and eventually clouds the mind through irrevocable grief and irretrievable loss.
Without sounding too political, one can draw a parallel with the current clime of terrorism, where normally peaceful religious groups are being incensed to hatred for what is supposedly being inflicted upon their fellow religious brethren.

Libertina Grimm
Libertine Grimm is another gothic character who is actually an amalgam of many different women. She is sexy, erudite and possessed of an extraordinary wit, but this is counterbalanced by an unhealthy appetite for self-destruction and flights of morbid fancy, brought on by deep dark secrets, terribly chic drugs and wild, sexual abandonment.
She is a gluttonous Miss Muffet, the fairy-tale girl who ate the big bad wolf, the beauty who slept with one eye on the coming talent.
Libertine Grimm is every goth girl's coven mistress.

The Byronic Man
This song pretty much does what it says on the tin. Based on the infamous poet and Libertine Lord Byron, the song is written from a first hand perspective that is not only historical but also self-analytical, musing on the individual's slide into decline and relishing fully in it's rich, unwholesome flavour.
Ville Valor from HIM was asked to contribute vocals to this song, firstly for the need for a good clean male vocal, but mainly for the necessity to portray the Byron character with someone who may well be tantamount to the modern day equivalent.

I Am The Thorn
The closest thing to a title track on the album concerns itself with a livid God, who has seen the multitude of religious wars and causes given over to his many
names and has sent his right hand, The Thorn, an avenging angel of death, to mete out a collective punishment, in a way to remind all of his total dominion. If the concept of an all-encompassing God is to be believed, then why should it not be also believed that his Will could turn grim and 'old testament' on the self-professed prophets who war in his name?
'I Am The Thorn' is a song about global retribution and the dire consequences that waging wars in the name of religion and territory engenders.

Cemetery And Sundown
In response to Cradle's recent lull in all matters of a vampyric nature, this track is akin to a revenant anthem; A song that unites the legions of the undead, urging them to forget the covenant with mortal kind, come forth out of the shadows where they feed like jettisoned animals and rekindle the passion to muster and master the night.... ruling over the humans as is their Draconian birthright.
This also feature's vocals from Sarah Jezebel Deva.


Lovesick For Mina
And following sweetly on in this vein....
Another song whose essence is undoubtedly in the title. Mina Harker is the intended bride of Bram Stoker's infamous Count Dracula. The lyrics in this case are
set in a time when Mina is irrevocably lost to him and he is pining for his immortal beloved. This song is a blend of Gothic Romance and balls-to-the-wall thrash.

The Foetus Of A New Day Kicking
From the long dark night of the soul comes a dawn that is twice as potent as it's diminished predecessor.
Using religious iconography as a theme once again and flirting with more modern tragedy, the lyricism in this song contends with not only the notion of betrayal, despair and spiritual death, but far more importantly, the resurrection of the broken individual.
The theme of coming back twice as strong (and with all suns blazing) resounds profusely throughout the melodic chorus.

Under Huntress Moon
This is a hymn to the beauty of the moon, as personified by the celestial huntress Diana. The lyrics in this song are very reminiscent of Cradle's earlier works where pagan imagery is jewelled with strong female characteristics, as is befitting of the eternal Goddess herself.
These lyrics have a very classical feel to them and it is only through their morbid cadence that the reader comes to understand the author's bewitched state of mind.