Paul Allender
| Paul Allender | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Paul Allender |
| Born |
17 November 1970 Colchester, England |
| Genres | Extreme metal |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, Songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1992-present |
| Associated acts | Cradle of Filth, The Blood Divine, Primary Slave, White Empress |
| Website | White Empress |
| Notable instruments | |
| PRS Allender Signature Model | |
Paul Allender (born 17 November 1970) is a lead guitarist best known for his work with the British extreme metal band Cradle of Filth. He quit the band for the second time in April 2014.
Early life
At the age of six years, Paul's father introduced him to martial arts, which led to a way of life for him and the home which he grew up in. He received his first guitar at the age of fourteen, and played in staggered periods until he was nineteen years old, because his martial arts training was always his first priority.
Cradle of Filth
He joined the band as the guitarist late 1991, and stayed until late 1994 when he left Cradle of Filth to join The Blood Divine and to spend more time with his son. In 1998 Paul Allender started another band called Primary Slave. In 2000, just before Primary Slave signed a recording contract, he rejoined Cradle of Filth after receiving a call from Dani Filth, along with drummer Adrian Erlandsson and keyboardist Martin Powell on the band's album, Midian.
While performing on stage with Cradle of Filth at Bloodstock Open Air in August 2009, a member of the audience used a slingshot to fire a gobstopper at the stage which narrowly missed Dani Filth, but hit Allender on his spine in his lower back. He was then sent to the hospital which caused the performance to end early.
As of April 2014 Paul Allender has once again left Cradle of Filth.[1]
Playing style
Paul Allender is recognised for his unique right-handed technique and is currently endorsed by PRS Guitars, RotoSound and Blackstar amplification.
"To tell you the truth... I don't jam. I've always played what actually I see in my head. Therefore, when I play, I don't use any specific scales or anything in order or that's musically correct or anything... I’ve always concentrated on mixing lead-oriented riffs, but in like a rhythmic sense. That's the way I've always been because I've never really been interested in doing ultra-fast lead work. I've always mixed the two up. Just concentrating on the 16th notes and stuff on the right hand, making sure it all sinks in. It's the guitar and it's the way we dress onstage, it's all part of this troupe, this uniformed-like togetherness... It just comes out dark as fuck".[2]
Graphic art
Allender also has an art side project known as "Vomitorium: The Dark Art Of Cindy Frey And Paul Allender". He also produced the artwork for New Project's debut album Ultraviolent Light.
White Empress
In 2013, Allender was involved with the formation of a new project named "White Empress". The new improved White Empress can be viewed here.
https://www.facebook.com/erahorrificusfilms/posts/1788097148069736
Paul spent a year experimenting and trying to find something that hasn't been done before. He decided to take all the singing out of White Empress and replaced it all with narration. The band now has the style of a horror audiobook with cinematic film.
His horror film company Era Horrificus Films shot Revenant for White Empress and will continue to shoot the next full length throughout 2017 for the new White Empress album.
References
- ↑ "Paul Allender from Cradle of Filth \m/... - Bruce Sagutcheway - Facebook". Retrieved 6 March 2016.
- ↑ "Paul Allender Of Cradle Of Filth: Developing The Style". Retrieved 6 March 2016.