Ex-Cradle of Filth Guitarist Stuart Anstis Has Died at 48

Former Cradle of Filth guitarist Stuart Anstis, who played on the band's Dusk and Her Embrace and Cruelty and the Beast albums, died at age 48 on Aug. 21.

The news was confirmed by his wife Antoinette, who shared a message on the musician's Facebook page:

Rest in Peace, you were too beautiful for this world me Lover.

Nothing will ever be the same again, Love Always and ever your Antoinette

Until we meet again…

No other details surrounding Anstis' death have been made public at this time.

He first joined the gothic black metal band in 1995, one year after Cradle of Filth's debut album, The Principle of Evil Made Flesh, was released and in the wake of the departures of guitarists Paul Ryan and Paul Allender, the latter of whom rejoined from 2000 through 2014.

Though his stint in the group only lasted from 1995 through 1999, Anstis left a significant mark on the band, especially when it comes to the supremely popular Cruelty and the Beast, an album that further defined the Cradle of Filth style and yielded the enduring classic track "Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids."

After splitting with Cradle of Filth, Anstis formed Bastardsun, which featured former Metal Church singer David Wayne amongst its ranks before Wayne's untimely death in 2005 resulted in a disbandment.

Founder Dani Filth, in a tribute post on social media, called Anstis an "amazingly talented guitarist who brought a real sense of magick to everything he wrote in Cradle of Filth." He reminisced about their early days as "bestest of friends living in a small village here in Suffolk" and again praised his musicianship and its significance to fans. "It truly is with a heavy sense of loss that we (and extreme music in general) bid farewell to Stuart," Filth continued.

Read the full post below.

On Instagram, Richard Shaw, who served as a guitarist in Cradle of Filth from 2014 until earlier this year, paid his respects to Anstis by sharing a photo along with a message that reads, "Rest in peace, Stuart. It was an honour performing your music. Thoughts are with his friends and family at this difficult time."

Loudwire also sends our condolences to the Anstis family and all who were close with the late musician.