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Cradle of Filth isn't a band I've ever been much into, but I do keep an eye on their new stuff as, on occasion, I've found some things to like. The previous album didn't grab me, but Existence is Futile really hits the spot. It's still that grandiose, over-the-top vampiric/gothic black metal kind of hybrid, but I find it's much less gimmicky than many of their previous albums. There's that symphonic vibe here and there as well as powerful choirs, but this time around I find the whole thing is much more tasteful than in the past, more focused and, more importantly, unlike before I didn't come across any "cringe-worthy" moments. Even Dani Filth's vocals, which were often more like something I had to live with when listening to a song I like, are better here—again, it's all about not going too over the top and using a more controlled approach. In the end, Existence is Futile has all the theatrics one has come to expect from the band, but they've finally gotten to a point where they can do all this without sounding annoying throughout the entire album. Glad I gave this one a shot.