Cruelty and the Beast

Cruelty and the Beast
Studio album by Cradle of Filth
Released	5 May 1998
Recorded	DEP International Studios/Abattoir Studios, Birmingham, England, January–March 1998
Genre	Extreme metal
Length	58:47
Label	Music for Nations (Europe) Mayhem (US)
Producer	Jan Peter Genkel and Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth chronology
Dusk... and Her Embrace (1996) Cruelty and the Beast (1998) From the Cradle to Enslave (1999)
Singles from Cruelty and the Beast
"Twisted Nails of Faith" Released: 1998
Alternative covers
Celtic Cross edition
Alternative cover
Koch Records' 2001 two-disc edition

Cruelty and the Beast is the third studio album by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth, released on 5 May 1998 by Music for Nations. It is a concept album based on the legend of the Hungarian "blood countess" Elizabeth Báthory and features guest narration by actress Ingrid Pitt in-character as Báthory, a role she first played in the Hammer Horror film Countess Dracula in 1971.

The album, while positively received, was noted for its poor production by fans, critics and members of the band alike. A remixed and remastered edition, titled Cruelty and the Beast – Re-Mistressed, was released in November 2019.^[1]