Band:	Paradise Lost
Album:	Paradise Lost
Style:	Gothic metal
Release date:	February 28, 2005
A review by:	Jeff

01. Don't Belong
02. Close Your Eyes
03. Grey
04. Red Shift
05. Forever After
06. Sun Fading
07. Laws Of Cause
08. All You Leave Behind
09. Accept The Pain
10. Shine
11. Spirit
12. Over The Madness
13. Don't Belong [digipack bonus] [string dub mix]
14. Over The Madness [digipack bonus] [string dub mix]

I was expecting a return to the roots of the band since 1997 now. "One Second" was a great release but it was also the beginning of a big change in the musical orientation of Paradise Lost. It gave to me some good hopes for their future but also, I must be honest with that point, some fears. And if we got some good things during this long period, my fears was also righ and I'm sorry to say that, we got a lot of deceptions... Lately, the guys promised a return to a heavier music, something more in the spirit of Draconian Time, then evidently I was awaiting a lot their new album, "Paradise Lost". And if it's maybe not a return to the first loves of the band, I can confirm you that I'm not dreaming, definitely they did something... Maybe that we don't have a "Shades Of Got" but at least, we have something which really sound "Metal"? Yummy !!!

Paradise Lost is one of my favourite bands, this is one of these combos who gave me this passion for the Metal in the end of the 80's. Like all the old fans I think that I'm not the only one who was expecting something a bit more in the spirit of their first albums, where Gothic Metal, Death and Doom Metal was omnipresent in their songs. Don't expect a radical return to the roots of the band in this new Paradise Lost, like on all their last albums some electronics music are always present in the compositions, but however I can't deny that the band chose to return to something more "electric". You will see at the beginning of the album that our English guys even if they always use some machines and keyboards want also to put back the guitars in front of their music. The slow insistent and very dark "Don't Belong" which flirts with a "Forever Failure" or the magnificent depressive "Sun Fading" with its beautiful piano melody and very aggressive riffs are some of the numerous proofs of this come back to something which definitely sounds "more" Metal. I don't say that we have the best album of the band but for sure this is really different in comparison of the last three albums and at least (like each time with Paradise Lost), we have catchy songs and I'm really happy of it.
My only regret is this difference between the songs, some of its are really heavy some others sound a bit more "easy" and commercial like on "Symbol Of Life". All the ones who know the first single, "Forever After" will understand what I'm saying but believe me this song is not a reflection of the album, at the opposite if it is really catchy, this is not the better track of "Paradise Lost" hoo no. But don't worry however in general, we have a lot of really good songs and we only want that after all?
Even the artworkis also in the spirit of the "old" Paradise Lost, very beautiful, but sad, dark and depressive, a pure art masterpiece. The recording and mixing parts of the albums aren't "dark" at the opposite, that's a habit with Paradise Lost, we have a perfect and cleanly sound, something more than professional, that's nice.

Is Paradise Lost back? Hum, I don't know if we can say that, but for sure the band did a real effort I suppose for their old fans. "Paradise Lost" the album, is a great release, which definitely sounds more like the first band but this release is also for all the fans of all the different periods of the combo, and that's a good thing in my opinion. If you were a bit disappointed by the "electro/gothic" period of Paradise Lost, this time, they did something for you too. This is for me, one of their best albums since a lot of time? Check it by yourself my friends!!!