Paradise Lost

[pfillion]

Great song \m/

[mike099]

Another bump for a band that seems to go unnoticed around these parts.
New song from the forthcoming album;
https://youtu.be/QWqNcw-oIbU

Love that guitar tone!

[Polarbear]

Another bump for a band that seems to go unnoticed around these parts.
New song from the forthcoming album;
https://youtu.be/QWqNcw-oIbU

Love that guitar tone!

Song is great, and the production sounds really crisp! Can't wait for this

[pfillion]

The new album is very good, one of their best albums since Draconian Times in my opinion \m/

[pfillion]

New video

https://youtu.be/URJH3ZJzxB0

[gazinwales]

The new album is very good, one of their best albums since Draconian Times in my opinion \m/

Easily their best for a long long time, has everything about the band I love and that 'gothic' sound is finally back too.

[nick_z]

Paradise Lost part ways with drummer WALTTERI VÄYRYNEN:

https://twitter.com/OfficialPL/status/1567558314153721860?s=20&t=Qeo2Cm_EiDhA6KJAh32qqA

100% amicable, so no drama there.

Just kinda funny how many drummers PL have had  I mean, for a band that otherwise had NO line-up changes from their very beginnings...I guess other than their very first drummer (Matt Archer, who was a friend even before being a bandmate), it's pretty clear it's the four of them + whoever is available to sit on a drum stool at a given point in time 

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Interesting, the whole Peaceville Three has had member turnover/drama lately now. 

[gazinwales]

It always a Spinal Tap moment for me when Paradise Lost lose/change their drummer 

[nick_z]

It always a Spinal Tap moment for me when Paradise Lost lose/change their drummer 

Right?! 

My favorite always was Lee Morris, though. His drumming on Draconian Times is so, so good. I wonder what he's been up to after he left PL...?

[nick_z]

It had been teased a few weeks ago, today it's officially announced...

Paradise Lost Greg Mackintosh and Nick Holmes's new project - HOST.

Not surprisingly, from the press release, the sound will be along the lines of PL's album of the same name. While I'm not going to claim it's one of their best (it's not), it's a record I'm very fond of. They tried something different at the time which, at its core, was "Paradise Lost", despite sounding quite different. Needless to say, I'm excited about this. I miss the catchier elements of that era of PL, and if they are willing to revisit it in a project, I'm all for it.

Anyway, here's the video for Tomorrow's Sky:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pActIe_Ca0k

Basically, it sounds like you would expect  Not amazing, but very enjoyable and catchy. Works for me as a single!

[DoctorAction]

Like it. PL are one of those bands I keep meaning to get into.

[nick_z]

Like it. PL are one of those bands I keep meaning to get into.

I'd love to hear your thoughts if/when you do...They've always been one my favorite bands.

[WardySI]

One of my personal faves too!

Loved the direction they went during those albums from One Second through to the excellent Symbol Of Life which remains a fave alongside Draconian and the Self-Titled hell Obsidian and Medusa get a ton of spins too...

Anyway it's great to hear them getting stuck back into this side of the band again fantastic thanks for the heads up I had no idea until now Cheers

[NunoTenniscourt]

One of my personal faves too!

Loved the direction they went during those albums from One Second through to the excellent Symbol Of Life which remains a fave alongside Draconian and the Self-Titled hell Obsidian and Medusa get a ton of spins too...

Anyway it's great to hear them getting stuck back into this side of the band again fantastic thanks for the heads up I had no idea until now Cheers

Oddly enough, a lot of Paradise Lost fans I know hate the "Symbol of Life" album. I liked it a lot, myself. However, my favorite song of theirs will probably always be "Fear of Impending Hell".

[WardySI]

One of my personal faves too!

Loved the direction they went during those albums from One Second through to the excellent Symbol Of Life which remains a fave alongside Draconian and the Self-Titled hell Obsidian and Medusa get a ton of spins too...

Anyway it's great to hear them getting stuck back into this side of the band again fantastic thanks for the heads up I had no idea until now Cheers

Oddly enough, a lot of Paradise Lost fans I know hate the "Symbol of Life" album. I liked it a lot, myself. However, my favorite song of theirs will probably always be "Fear of Impending Hell".

I feel Tragic Idol gets overlooked too nowdays but there were some tasty songs and some killer bonus tracks too.  Fear Of Impending felt like it could've been lifted from their 2005 Self-Titled which like I said is another personal fave so was happy fer sure.  So Fear was an immediate standout as was the Title-Track which always makes my playlists and those bonus tracks I mentioned Ending Through Changes is epic as fuck absolutely should've made the regular playlist and the Spear Of Destiny cover Never Take Me Alive is essential.  I got the deluxe box CD set t-shirt and as I type realise haven't yet got the LP which I must rectify asap \m/

So far as Symbol goes I think the material for where they were at that time was simply spot on and hinted at a return to their heavier side (which most fans credit In Requiem for but personally felt their Self-Titled was the big step up & back and deserved that acolade).  The first couple Symbol tracks were welcome kicks to the head, Pray Nightfall is one of their finest songs period and Perfect Mask is just too addictive.  Not generally a fan of cover songs but everything these guys touch turns to gold, much like that Spear Of Destiny cover, Xavier and Small Town Boy are fantastic (some available on their Rarities album Tragic Illusion which was great but wish it had been a double and included all the covers etc)...

Seems you're on baord so am probably preaching to the converted NunoT so sorry for the long reply 

[nick_z]

Wardy...Couldn't agree more on the self-titled. We might have talked about this already, here or in some other thread, but the s/t might well be my favorite of theirs after the holy trinity (for me  ) of Icon-Draconian Times-One Second. And it wasn't simply a retread of older stuff...imo on that album they managed to combine everything they had "learned" in way of catchy songwriting with a crunchier sound that still managed to be colorful and dynamic. Amazing album, really.

Symbol of Life is super-enjoyable too...I like to think of it as one of their most "club-friendly" albums, with heavy-sounding guitars combined with electro-gothic-sounding keyboards (I mean, Isolate...?). In terms of the more melancholic material, I LOVE No Celebration and the title-track.

As for the post-S/T albums...In Requiem and Faith Divides Us are both great records too. Getting progressively heavier, I guess, but still melodic enough. Tragic Idol is perhaps one step down, but I'm with you that Fear of Impending Hell, in particular, is one of the best songs of their more recent era. Then the (partial) return of "growling Nick Holmes"...neither The Plague Within nor Medusa are among my favorite PL albums, I have to say, but they are by no means bad. It's just that this going further back to their roots is not quite what I was looking for, and the material generally doesn't sound as inspired...

Obsidian, on the other hand, I liked a ton. It has a bit of a "greatest hits" feel, as the band revisits various facets of their sound, but the songs are generally very, very strong. Again, I just wish Holmes stuck to his melodic-and-occasionally-Hetfield-like vocals instead of growling. I'm not against harsher vocals per se, but his are not my favorite. Plus, I actually don't think the music calls for it. 

What a great band, though. Among my absolute favorites.

[WardySI]

Nice!

Sounds like I'm a little more invested with their last lot where Nick has brought back his growls but do still agree I would've preferred he kept those to a minimum and prefer he just sing.  The material however is what brings it up for me, one of the very few bands of which I can tolerate the growls (Amorphis is another) as the material and cleans are just too good not to enjoy.

And we agree on the Trinity being Icon Draconian and One Second. I never took much to their first few but Icon was an entirely different beast right and what followed was class.

That said I would definitely put their Self-titled right there with Draconian Times for my personal favourite.  That album was just another thing altogether fer my ears.  There's an ever so slight Enchantment vibe to Don't Belong which is a good thing and at the time its lyrics spoke volumes.  I cannot speak highly enough about their Self-titled and ever so quietly complain to myself whenever it fails to get the recognition it deserves LOL.

Sidenote, have always been amazed just how many of their opening songs are not only album highlights but personal faves as well.  I'm not sure of many other bands can boast such a volume of classic album openers...

Embers Fire
Enchantment
One Second
Isolate
Don't Belong
No Hope In Sight
Darker Thoughts

Most of those would be Top10 candidates for any list of  my own PL faves...

Anyway yep, Paradise Lost are a personal favourite of mine and have been since Draconian Times dropped which I remember buying just for the cover art 

Also remember the jaw drop when I first heard Enchantment

[nick_z]

Absolutely yes to PL openers!

I would add Gothic (the song) too, certainly a classic...

[WardySI]

Oops, I tend to forget those early albums these days but you're absolutely correct, add Gothic to that list 

[nick_z]

New single from the side-project Host:

Hiding From Tomorrow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgTfc1Ju2X0

Not bad...I think I prefer it to the first song they released. It has more interesting dynamics going on. The first single was catchy, but there wasn't a whole lot happening 

[gazinwales]

Yeah the new Host song is terrible, nowhere the brilliance of the first single.
The is one sounds too much like PL, an average b-side at best.

[WardySI]

Nah far from terrible IMO although can appreciate maybe a little disappointing as second single sure.  I think it's still good just lacks the thump and head nods the first song had like nick said just not as catchy.

Still super keen for this one regardless 🤘

[nick_z]

Third single from the Host project:

"My Only Escape"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oio1Vg4e-2Y

Kinda cool...

[nick_z]

Host's album is out today...and it's precisely what you would expect  Very much a revisit of the sound they had explored (as Paradise Lost) with that album. Nothing that will change the course of music history, but it's such a pleasure to hear Holmes and Mackintosh in that context again.

You can tell there's more awareness and confidence in their interpretation of that synth-y, gothic (and Depeche Mode-adjacent) approach...although I don't think this is as good as Paradise Lost's Host. Regardless, it's a super-enjoyable listen.

[gazinwales]

Heard the Host album yesterday via stream, was impressed enough to buy into town today to pick up the CD.
Shop had already sold out of vinyl and CD were just about gone, strangely both staff working didn't know much about it (specialist metal record store)

[WardySI]

Love the sound and throwback but tbh it's a tad slower than I anticipated?

Will be buying it but need more time to unpack and digest it before can pick it apart 

[gazinwales]

From PL official FB page;
Icon, our fourth album was released in 1993 and for it’s 30th anniversary, we’re re-recording it and doing an extra special vinyl release.
That’s all we can share for now, but watch this space for more information and a few special announcements very soon!

Not sure why this is being done, as they are on a hiding to nothing.
No way can it top the original, maybe bring something new, and with the modern metal production, mix and mastering it's can't possibly be sonically better?
Maybe they don't have the rights to remaster/remix the original, or the master tapes could have been destroyed or lost.
Either way this is a very puzzling decision.

[WardySI]

Agreed.

Icon is one of my faves from Paradise Lost but I have zero interest in any re-recordings from them or any band for that matter. 

Would prefer they reissue the album to 180 and/or a Remaster for CD or something but no, won't be purchasing this.

[Pappy]

I'm ok with the re-recording. I prefer Nick's vocals now compared to the early 90's so it'll be nice to have a version of Icon with today's voice. As long as a new record isn't too far away.