In music, as with any field involving creativity
and expression, there are innovators and there are
those who follow. UK based goth/doom act PARADISE
LOST is most definitely the former of the two. In
the early 90’s the band nearly single handedly
gave birth to what was to become an entirely new genre
– gothic metal. Before there were bands like
HIM and LACUNA COIL there was PARADISE LOST who invigorated
the metal scene with their hitherto unheard combination
of doom/death metal and gothic rock. With beginnings
that leaned more heavily towards death metal (i.e.
– “Lost Paradise”, “Gothic”,
“Shades of God”) they progressed throughout
the 90’s into an atmospheric metal act, mostly
dropping the guttural vocals and incorporating a great
deal of electronica in their later albums (i.e. –
“Icon”, “Draconian Times”,
“One Second”). This diversion from doom/death
to goth alienated a good number of fans who were partial
to their original work, but it also fostered the evolution
of the genre. Now with the release of “In Requiem”,
the band’s 11th studio album, PARADISE LOST
have returned from whence they came, and proven that
they’re still just as potent and dynamic as
they ever were.
While admittedly not a complete return to their doom-death
days of yore, “In Requiem” is still significantly
heavier and more metallic than what we’ve heard
from them in recent years. Just give a listen to the
track entitled “Requiem” and you’ll
be treated to some seriously intense doom very reminiscent
of 1992’s “Shades of God”, from
the gritty Hetfieldesque vocals of Nick Holmes to
the beefy guitar riffs of Aaron Aedy which hammer
away with a persistent staccato of doom metal weight.
Sure there’s a great deal of melody, and the
keyboard playing of lead guitarist/keyboardist Gregor
Mackintosh is quite prominent in the mix, but the
ponderous and epic heft of doom metal is equally evident
as well. I’d have to say the album strikes a
pretty even balance between “Shades of God”
and “One Second”.
A heady combination of goth metal and doom, “In
Requiem” is a splendor to behold, which fans
of MY DYING BRIDE, TYPE O NEGATIVE, ANATHEMA and LACRIMAS
PROFUNDERE will be thrilled with.
Bottom Line: A triumphant return for a band who never
really went away to begin with, “In Requiem”
is a perfect way for PARADISE LOST to reintroduce
themselves to the world.
Key Tracks: “Never For the Damned”; “The
Enemy”; “Requiem”
Reviewed by Farron Watson
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