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Paradise Lost - The Plague Within review




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Reviewer:
8.7

656 users:
8.43
Band: Paradise Lost
Album: The Plague Within
Release date: May 2015


01. No Hope In Sight
02. Terminal
03. An Eternity Of Lies
04. Punishment Through Time
05. Beneath Broken Earth
06. Sacrifice The Flame
07. Victim Of The Past
08. Flesh From Bone
09. Cry Out
10. Return To The Sun
11. Fear Of Silence [bonus]
12. Never Look Away [bonus]
13. Victim Of The Past [orchestral version]

You know an album is good when you can experience a moment of ?wow" in almost every song. You know an album is great when you experience this even after multiple listens. Paradise Lost managed to craft such an album (once again) and named it The Plague Within. You all know this band, they play in the highest league of doom and gothic metal and the only question remaining from year to year is if they can take the cake in their genre. In fact, they're like one of those big football (European here) teams where it's only about which of the first few places they will be in by the end of the season.

Starting off with one of the best tracks on the album, The Plague Within will take you on a 50 minute journey, and after some seconds, the direction is already clear. For creating a doomy gloomy atmosphere, the beginning of the opener "No Hope In Sight" is surely one of the best ways an album of this style can start with. Throughout the record heavy riffs together with minor key melodies form the foundation, while bass and drums give the dragging rhythms and bring some fresh air from time to time at faster parts. Vocals are top notch in both clean and harsh form, while harsh means old-school death metal style.

I tried to figure out one best and one worst thing. The best one surely has to be the guitars here, with a tone that most bands are yearning for in vain. Powerful mid's and clear high's stand out in this British-old-school sound. The mix is also great and gives enough room for all guitars and the bass. However, what stands out even more for me personally is the guitar playing with lots of feel and passion in it. During some melodies it feels like I can see the expression on the guitarist's face while he's playing it right before my eyes.

Now, when it comes to a worst point I could hardly find something. In fact, the only thing I would have done differently was picking the song "Cry Out" as a bonus track rather than having it on the regular album. Don't get me wrong, it's a good song like all the others, but it doesn't really fit the overall mood and makes more sense to me when listened separately. But yeah, that's not such a big a deal actually.

Altogether Paradise Lost delivered an excellent album once more and it still doesn't become boring with them. If I were to choose my favorites on The Plague Within, that'd be "Beneath Broken Earth", "Sacrifice The Flame" and "No Hope In Sight". Probably "Victim Of The Past", too. Damn, that's a tough choice. However, I think everyone should have their own opinion about that, but what most of us can agree on is that we have here a contender for the album of the year.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 10
Songwriting: 9
Originality: 7
Production: 9

Written by Windrider | 04.09.2015




Comments

Comments: 10   Visited by: 371 users
04.09.2015 - 18:46
Neoxx07

For me, their best since gothic. dont like the latter albums, just the first two and this one.
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04.09.2015 - 19:20
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
I agree and agree opening song is strongest, IMO they need put in a middle, it somehow makes album weaker even cant it be in so strong album?
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Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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04.09.2015 - 20:12
Rating: 8
Daniell
_爱情_
This album is the biggest positive surprise of the year for me. 20 years after "Draconian Times" Paradise Lost managed to amaze me again. A fantastic album, which I keep coming back to on a regular basis.
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04.09.2015 - 20:14
Rating: 8
Risto
Wandering Midget
Yeah, this is a solid and surprising record. I actually like "Cry Out" quite a bit, adds to the variety.
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04.09.2015 - 22:43
Rating: 9
woodsmoke666

Quickly becoming my favourite paradise lost album. I agree with reviewer about cry out, not a bad song but bonus track never look away would have sounded more in place. Closer return to the sun is a classic!
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tokoloshe
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05.09.2015 - 00:57
Maco
Pvt Funderground
I like the album, not enough to say ,,wow", but still enjoyable.
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Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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05.09.2015 - 09:44
Rating: 8
Ace Frawley
The Spaceman
Agree with others that this is the surprise album of the year. Definite contender for album of the year. The song "Cry Out" sounds like Death and Roll and adds a bit of variety. I love it. Keep coming back to this album and feel like there is no weak track.
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The sun shines over The Fool...
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07.09.2015 - 22:35
Frombelow

Never thought I would say these words ever again, but finaly: Paradise Lost are back! Love the album, this is the Paradise Lost I love!
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10.09.2015 - 07:19
DJ Cosimoto

Paradise lost have been found again. . Hallelujah brothers!
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14.01.2016 - 16:11
nikarg

I'm between this one and Tribulation's "Children of the night" for album of the year. No hope in sight is definitely song of the year.
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