Paradise Lost

The godfathers of Gothic Metal take a step towards their roots with this heavier offering. Back are the heavy, doom laden guitars and gruffer sounding vocals. Add to this re-founded heaviness the classy sounding keyboards and harmonies and what we have here is possibly the best Paradise Lost album yet! I've been a fan of the band from their Death Metal roots and through their mellower albums, and I can honestly say that they have NEVER disapointed. They are probably the most underated British band this decade and I sincerely hope they continue to release such quality material for many years to come!

Gr8 album gr8 tracks gr8 band what else can I say ....

great.

This was hailed as the 'proper' return to their metal roots after the commercial sheen of Symbol of Life. That can be seen as true to an extent but PL have wandered far from anything they have done since their debut. This is similar to Symbol but also with more bite, chanelling the bile of Draconian Times and the pure metal of Icon while not being anywhere as good as any. But it is also a contemporary PL record. It sounds different to anything prior, just contains more heaviness and a slightly more throaty vocal that hasn't been heard since Icon. But, as with most PL albums (with the possible exceptions of Icon and Draconian Times) it is no masterpiece simply because it is louder.'Don't Belong' is a solid opener, something they're getting better at doing. It is not really a patch on the exciting 'Isolate' from Symbol but is more downbeat and underplayed. But it's very good, just a little more melancholy. 'Close Your Eyes' is a bit of a filler track and is unfortunately placed as track 2. It's good but not really memorable enough to even include. 'Grey' and 'Red Shift' are both near perfect single-type tracks. Many may dislike the commercial nature of songs like these but they're hardly Jusin Bieber and they are usually the catchiest. 'Forever After' is much the same but to me is not as good as it feels slightly less powerful, although it has a nice bit of piano and a pacey chorus. 'Sun Fading' is ok but slightly drab in places.'Laws of Cause' I wanted to like. There's nothing wrong with it, it's perfectly balanced, more upbeat than the rest and quite catchy. But it always leaves me feeling there should be more to it. 'All You Leave Behind' is better, with a nice chorus and a good bit of PL doom. And 'Accept the Pain' is a great little almost-single. Not perfect but perfectly passable and worthy of future listens. 'Shine' is also great but in a more sombre way. It's thoughtful and slower and with walls of sound. 'Spirit' is also a nice little track that grows on you. And the closing track is the usual funereally morbid dirge lament that they do so well. And if you're in that kind of mood (and I'm sure you will be as you enjoy PL music) it is a fine ending - just not perfect.Another very good, but not classic album then. Which is no bad thing. They have made consistently good music since their second release and do not seem to be changing their formula to date. This is a PL album. It may sound tonally different to say Host, Icon, Gothic, or One Second but it consists of the same songwriting structures and sensibilities. And it is good. Very good.

Excellent

Many Thanks

Paradise Lost's self titled tenth studio album "Paradise Lost", with some of the heaviest work the band has ever done, it is an adrenaline charged.Recorded with duo Rhys Fulber and Greg Reely, and with drummer Jeff Singer taking place of Lee Morris, the album is more dynamic as ever.Heather Thompson of Tapping the Vein contributed Backing Vocals on first single "Forever After" and Album track "Over the Madness".Leah Randi performed the choir-esque Backing Vocals on "Forever After".Since "One Second" their sound had some missing thing. This album "Paradise Lost" is very consistent like "Don't Belong" track proves with strong proximity to "Draconian Times".With lyrics more directly to manage a matter as one should, it's just close your eyes and feel it.When I heard "Close Your Eyes" I felt that if "I Believe in Nothing" album was made by now, certainly would-be a better album.Nick Holmes voice is more sweet-sounding and melodics. Suddenly, conducts his tones to a shrill but articulated notes forming a chorus level that don't let the sound seems monotonous. Probably the most quality vocal works ever.Keyboars are more subtles and almost forgotten but not absents.Aaron Aedy guitars are better and rife with syncopated sounds making more powerfull bases for the melodies.Even the always perfect Greg Mackintosh seems more talented in his performances. At least in a technical effects.To attend by ear in a wild at heart spirit and this album will be long in leaving.

What we have here is, to be blunt; Paradise Lost's only truly boring record. Many hated the post Draconian Times electronics, and subsequent mainstream bating, but taken for what they were; some qualified success was had on that run. However, this eponymous release seems caught between embracing the gothic metal crunch of yore and the electronic pop structure, much courted from 99 onwards, and it's a rather ineffectual compromise. Heavy riffs, though gilded with experience, are forced to fit into the "here's the anthemic bit" easy listening song structures stopping the hum along quality from the last record, without adding power. Though not terrible, maybe it's even "good", but honestly by track three I keep forgetting there's record on; seriously.

Thanks!

Paradise Lost no tienen que demostrar nada. toquen el estilo que toquen encabezarán el mismo. Este disco muestra excelentes composiciones en lo que sería su vuelta a las raices metaleras

This self titled disc is a great prerequisite to there new release"Faith Divides Us/Death Unites Us". If your a big fan of ParadiseLost, check out these releases:Draconian Times,In Requiem, andIcon. Have fun!!!!!!

ニック・ホルムズ(vo)　グレッグ・マッキントッシュ(g)　アーロン・アーディ(g)　スティーヴ・エドモンドソン(b)英国出身ゴシックメタル・バンド。自身のバンド名を冠した、起死回生の10作目。2005年作。問題作となった「Host」やそれ以降の2枚のアルバムも決して嫌いではないのだが、このアルバムはこれらのアルバムより明らかに抜きん出ている。非常に強力なアルバムである。「Draconian times」の再来と見るファンも多いが、個人的にはそれ以上の出来だと思う。ずっしりとした重量感でありながら決して重苦しくなることがない、この絶妙なバランス感覚。メロディも印象的なものが多く、ここぞというときに決めてくる。ニックのヴォーカルは穏やかな澄声と攻撃的な濁声を見事に使い分けており、楽曲の、そしてアルバム全体の雰囲気を実に効果的に彩っている。単なる原点回帰ではない。これまでに出したすべての作品の要素を総括しており、ゴシックメタルのオリジネイターとしての風格と勢いを感じさせる素晴らしいアルバムである。

Ich behaupte in meinem jugendlichen Leichtsinn mal einfach, das die Briten PARADISE LOST noch nie sooo wertvoll waren, wie heute. Denn das neue selbstbetitelte Album ist einfach ein wunderschönes Stück Musik geworden. Ein Album, indem man nach langer Zeit endlich mal wieder alle Stärken bündeln und in absolut einmalige METAL-Songs packen konnte. Dabei hat es natürlich nicht mehr viel mit den ursprünglichen PARADISE LOST zu tun, die Mitte der 90er Jahre mit „Icon" und „Draconian Times" zwei bahnbrechende Klassiker veröffentlichten und damit zur unangefochtenen Spitze der Szene zählten. Aber die Vorzeichen sind (fast) wieder dieselben. Man hat seine Schwächephase, welche in den eher belanglosen bzw. experimentellen Alben „One second" und „Host" gipfelten, endlich überwunden. Wobei sich gar nicht viel am Sound geändert hat. Die Band klingt auf „Paradise Lost" wie eine perfekte Mischung aus dem „Black"-Album von METALLICA und DEPECHE MODE. Oder wie, als wenn DIE KRUPPS „Icon" komplett neu gemixt hätten...Die Riffs knallen ordentlich ins Gebälk und haben endlich wieder diesen unverwechselbaren Charme, den die Combo lange vermissen ließ. Songs wie „World below" , „Laws of cause" und „Forever after" vereinen sozusagen die modernen mit den traditionellen Spielarten des Heavy Metal. Die EBM-Elemente sind etwas in den Hintergrund getreten, aber trotzdem allgegenwärtig. Sie fügen sich perfekt ins Gesamtkunstwerk ein. Manche wird es vielleicht stören, ich finde es schlichtweg überragend. Zudem hat man mit „Sun fading" , „Grey" und „Redshift" (wie geil ist das eigentlich?) drei lupenreine Hits am Start, die einen gleichfalls wild headbangend als auch tief berührt zurücklassen. Über die gesangliche Leistung von Nick Holmes konnte man sich ja noch nie beklagen. Aber auf „Paradise lost" liefert er sein persönliches Meisterstück ab.Die Fans der alten Stunde werden sich enttäuscht abwenden, sollten PARADISE LOST aber trotzdem eine Chance geben. Denn dieses Album ist es einfach wert. Wunderschön, einmalig und extravagant. Wertvoll halt ! Aber das sagte ich ja schon...