KILL FEED 076: Donny Burbage from CRADLE OF FILTH Will Game to His Grave

Symphonic gothic metal institution Cradle of Filth has always been just as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the ears. For the past 34 years, the band’s extravagant costuming, provocative cover art and infamous merch designs (you know which one we’re talking about) have remained a fixture of the extreme metal landscape. Though a repellant for some, its those elements that have become the doorway for its fanbase to seek out their now 14 long players in their massive discography. The latest addition to that list, 2025’s The Screaming of the Valkyries, is the first album credit for accomplished guitarist Donny Burbage. While Burbage slides easily into the leather and corpsepaint that makes up the Cradle of Filth office attire, what awaits Decibel’s co-nerds is decidedly opposite: a trucker hat with a patch reading “Y’all”, a wide smile and an earnest ask of where to find the best cheesesteak in Philadelphia.

The difference is truthfully not unexpected. Despite currently ripping riffs in the house of Filth, Burbage spent over a decade in melodic quartet Æther Realm, rooted in Burbage’s home base of North Carolina. His previous role was no doubt heavy, but fueled by a more high fantasy flavor with ties to his lifelong interest: the gaming industry. After all, it was the presence of video games in the full-time musician’s life that directly helped put him on the path towards his career and, more importantly, the neon-filled Kill Feed arcade. As the band settles in for a winter hibernation, Burbage joins the Decibel party to discuss Castlevania’s influence on Cradle of Filth, his Magic: The Gathering budget and his spiciest Final Fantasy take. We hope you see what he has to say.

The Screaming of the Valkyries is available now and can be purchased here.
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The post KILL FEED 076: Donny Burbage from CRADLE OF FILTH Will Game to His Grave appeared first on Decibel Magazine.