Gitarist Stuart Anstis, die van 1995 tot 1999 bij Cradle Of Filth speelde, is op 48-jarige leeftijd overleden. Dit werd bekendgemaakt door een ander voormalig bandlid, Richard Shaw. Stuart was onder andere te horen op de albums “Dusk… And Her Embrace” uit 1996 en “Cruelty And The Beast” uit 1998.
Anstis verliet de band in 1999, waarna hij Bastardsun in 2003 oprichtte. Die band is echter twee jaar later alweer gestopt toen zanger David Wayne stierf bij een auto-ongeluk.
Update: Frontman Dani Filth heeft via de officiële kanalen van de band nu ook een bericht gedeeld over het overlijden van zijn voormalige bandlid:
It is with a deeply saddened heart that I have heard of the passing of my former guitarist Stuart Anstis at 48.
Stuart -despite our eventual differences- was an amazingly talented guitarist who brought a real sense of magick to everything he wrote in Cradle Of Filth.
For a long time he and I were bestest of friends living in a small village here in Suffolk and despite that relationship eventually changing, it did nothing to diminish the fan’s appreciation of his creative flair and talent right up to the present day.
Vempire’, “Dusk… and Her Embrace’ (though written mostly by former members, Stuart played all the guitars on this album), ‘Cruelty And The Beast’ and ‘From the Cradle To Enslave’ would have been completely different creatures if it were not for the depth of his astute and deliciously dark musicianship.
It truly is with a heavy sense of loss that we (and extreme music in general) bid farewell to Stuart.
May sombre flights of ravens wing you to your grave mate.
Rest In Phallustein.
Dani Filth, Midian, 2022 e.h.
