My guide to Paradise Lost

[Segue Myles]

As a massive Paradise Lost fan, I appreciate that as a gothic metal band, whose earliest albums dabbled in death, doom and thrash, and then later on Depeche Mode, they are not for everyone.

 

But for me they are one of the greatest bands of all time (and without them, the metal scene in Europe would be completely different without their influence). 

 

Here is my brief guide to their discography, for newbies.

[Segue Myles]

The doom era (1990-1992):

 

Lost Paradise (1990)

Gothic (1991)

Shades Of God (1992)

 

Best album: Gothic

 

The band started their career in 1990 with the strange, tuneless death/doom hybrid Lost Paradise. It has great moments, particularly the lead guitar work, but it's hard to hear the bands future potential as almost-stadium gothic metal stars. However, follow up Gothic is phenomenal. The band improved so quickly, and the songs drip with an arcane atmosphere that feels like coal dust, candlelit churches and intrusive thoughts all colliding at once. Its regarded by many as the bands finest work, and though it isn't as polished or as refined as later classics, it's beauty lies in its rawness. Just breathtakingly cold, harsh and unforgettable. Third album Shades Of God is an experimental effort that is not as immediate as either Gothic or follow up Icon, but contains many career best moments. They end this particular era clearly striving to explore new territories, and it's an impressive effort. The single As I Die was a hit, the music video helped the band a lot. 

 

Lost Paradise:

 

Gothic:

 

Shades Of God:

 

[Segue Myles]

"Europe's answer to Metallica" era (1993-1997):

 

Icon (1993)

Draconian Times (1995)

One Second (1997)

 

Best album: Draconian Times

 

The bands 1993 album, Icon, saw Paradise Lost finally come close to matching their American metal counterparts in terms of critical acclaim and, shockingly for a band that just four years previously sounded impenetrably harsh, they were popping up all over the charts in Europe. Icon is a terrific album, though the production doesn't quite match the quality of the songwriting. It's one of my absolute favourite albums though, and with Icon, the world of metal, and even the mainstream media, suspected if PL had what it takes to become metals next big thing. And then along came Draconian Times, a flawless, classy, stately album that's bursting with huge choruses, ambient textures and beautiful, gothic melodies, it was their highest charting album and a huge critical and commercial success. And Paradise Lost didn't sacrifice their brilliance either. However, One Second followed, and the band, who admitted they were tiring of metal, truly embraced a mainstream sound. More synths, simplistic songwriting, and chart ready singles were unleashed, and whilst it's still a fantastic album, it is overlong, and a step down from the two albums which preceded it. Fans were losing interest, which was a surprise after the highs of Draconian Times. Still, the band had their own ideas, and they followed their muse.

 

Icon:

 

Draconian Times:

 

 

One Second:

 

 

[Segue Myles]

The experimental era (1999-2002)

 

Host (1999)

Believe In Nothing (2001)

Symbol Of Life (2002)

 

Best album: Symbol Of Life

 

This might come as a shock, this is my favourite run of albums so far. After One Second saw the band largely distance themselves from metal, with mixed results, they fully immersed themselves in synth pop on 1999s Host, and whilst fans at the time ran away in droves, I love it. If One Second seemed to coyly flirt with the mainstream, Host fully embraces it, with the bonus of not losing any sense of atmosphere, melody, and ambition. It's not their finest album to date, but it's not the disaster it was initially assumed to be. Its now a firm fan favourite, it just took the fans a while to appreciate it. Follow up Believe In Nothing was another album that received a mixed reception. The band were close to imploding, and the record label insisted on the album having a more alt rock vibe. Paradise Lost lost control of the mixing process, and didn't have the final say. So, I get the band having issues with this album. However...I personally love this record. Whilst it's a far cry from Gothic, in reality, it's close to many of their contemporaries releases. Think Comalies. Think Razorblade Romance. It's commercial, but it's packed with brilliant songs, with Fader being the standout. For many fans, this is the nadir of the bands discography. But it's a personal favourite of mine. Up next is Symbol Of Life. The band returned to a heavier, darker sound, but the slickness stayed. Its got a goth club energy, the songs are fantastic and it's possibly the bands most experimental and musically ambitious album yet. Best of all, it won many older fans back. Whilst not a huge departure from Host and Believe In Nothing, Symbol Of Life differentiates itself by sounding confident, self assured and in love with itself. It also contains my favourite Paradise Lost song, Pray Nightfall. Its in my top five songs of all time, period. So yeah, this is the bands most maligned era overall. I think it's by far their most underrated, and also ambitious. Paradise Lost totally transformed themselves during this time, and it's worth noting that for all the shame this band faced from fans, elements of these three albums can be heard in everything that came later.

 

Host:

 

Believe In Nothing:

 

Symbol Of Life:

 

[Segue Myles]

The return to form era (2005-2012):

 

Paradise Lost (2005)
In Requiem (2007)
Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us (2009)
Tragic Idol (2012)

 

Best album: Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us 

 

2005's self titled album was a revelation: it managed to embrace the bands entire evolution post-Draconian Times, whilst also sounding that particular albums true successor. In short, if you struggled with the bands experimental albums, this could be the album to kick-start your interest again. The hooks are still massive, the songs all pack a metallic punch, and the production is flawless. Some career best moments here, I often consider this album the perfect Paradise Lost album. It manages to make sense of their entire discography thus far, and even elevate much of it. If, in 1999, Host made no sense being a Paradise Lost album, this album ensured that, in 2005, Host had as much right to be recognised as Icon. Its just a stunning album, one that suffered from lacklustre marketing from a label that seemed to have no faith in it. If Paradise Lost had returned to form, 2007's In Requiem pushed their sound even further back into heavy metal territory. Its never been my favourite, I find its a tasteful, beautiful album, but slightly one note. The third album here, Faith Divides Us, is one of my absolute favourite albums of all time. It's also my number one Paradise Lost album. The band received universal critical acclaim, the marketing was more confident, targeting older fans who had missed the bands earlier days. It was a success. It might not have seen the band enter the mainstream, but at this point, PL were not bothered. Follow up Tragic Idol is even heavier, and it was apparent that Paradise Lost were ready to explore doomier territory again.

 

Paradise Lost:

 

In Requiem:

 

Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us:

 

Tragic Idol: 

 

Edited February 29 by Segue Myles

[Segue Myles]

The return to Doom era (2015-2020):

 

The Plague Within (2015)

Medusa (2017)

Obsidian (2020)

 

Finest album: Obsidian 

 

The Plague Within brought back growls. It also brought back Doom, and it is HEAVY. The band were not just great again in the eyes of many, but they were EXCITING again! Just beautiful, dark, ugly, and transformative: Paradise Lost managed to embrace their roots again without sounding reductive. Again, much like their 2005 self titled effort, TPW she the band shift again into heavier waters without for one second turning a blind eye to their years and years of bold experimentation. Follow up Medusa was even doomier, gloomier and heavier. It was also their least melodic effort since 1992's Shades Of God. However, what it lacks in immediate anthems it makes up for with powerful, muscular prowess. This is once again a beautiful metal album, but it's ambient and not afraid to alienate fans of their more commercial era. This was a more mixed reception from critics and fans, it was well reviewed, but for some, it lacked a little of the tunefulness that had defined Paradise Lost at this point for decades. I wasn't an immediate fan, but I sure do appreciate it now. Their most recent album, Obsidian, feels like a further evolution of the band. Much like Draconian Times and the self-titled, this record feels like a culmination of all that came before in the most triumphant way possible. It was a hit with fans and critics, just unfortunately it came out during the Covid lockdowns, and it seems a lack of touring hurt its chances of endearing itself further to older fans. Still, every time I see fans rank Paradise Losts albums, it's wonderful to see Obsidian ceack more and more top fives. Is it the finest moment of the bands entire career? Honestly? Yes, it's very likely.

 

The Plague Within:

 

Medusa:

 

Obsidian:

 

[Nova Carmina]

This is very informative and helpful, it's piqued my curiosity, and I may have to check some of the non-growling stuff.

 

Can't help being a little disappointed this isn't an annotation of Milton's great poem, however. 

[custom55]

I love this cover. 

 

 

 

[Union 5-3992]

Awesome thread idea. I hope some others post guides to their favorite bands as well.

 

I'm a fan of The Plague Within and Draconian Times. Based on your guide, I imagine I should give Medusa and Obsidian a shot. Though I feel like after that, I should go in order from the beginning.

Edited March 1 by Union 5-3992

[Segue Myles]

2 hours ago, Union 5-3992 said:

Awesome thread idea. I hope some others post guides to their favorite bands as well.

 

I'm a fan of The Plague Within and Draconian Times. Based on your guide, I imagine I should give Medusa and Obsidian a shot. Though I feel like after that, I should go in order from the beginning.

Obsidian is fantastic. It almost acts like a career best of.

 

I think you could love the run from self-titled onwards. The self titled for many fans is the picking up point after DT, of the middle albums aren't your jam.

 

I may try other bands in this format. If nothing else, it passes time for me!

[Segue Myles]

3 hours ago, custom55 said:

I love this cover. 

 

 

 

Yes same! I love One Second, I sounded very critical of it. I am not, it's just it is a surprising shift after such a successful breakthrough album in Draconian Times

[bluefox4000]

2 minutes ago, Segue Myles said:

Obsidian is fantastic. It almost acts like a career best of.

 

I think you could love the run from self-titled onwards. The self titled for many fans is the picking up point after DT, of the middle albums aren't your jam.

 

I may try other bands in this format. If nothing else, it passes time for me!

 

 

i'm not a huge fan of  this band but i did enjoy reading this.

 

Mick

[Segue Myles]

12 hours ago, Nova Carmina said:

This is very informative and helpful, it's piqued my curiosity, and I may have to check some of the non-growling stuff.

 

Can't help being a little disappointed this isn't an annotation of Milton's great poem, however. 

Honestly, if you're curious and want an easy start, the 2005 self titled is fantastic!

[bluefox4000]

ok so i'm familiar with this band.  i've heard mostly every album album except from the very early and more recent ones.

 

 

i've gone back and started at the self titled.  What a great album to re-esrablish a band.  It's consistant enough for older  but it's coommercial enough for new fans.

 

One tiny note going through this bands history.  The drum seat may has well had a an ejector seat on it.

 

It's like recently........"ok one or two albums......get da fukk out

 

i wouldn't want that job.

 

i mean until Medusa.  BUT......new on the icon re-record.

 

i'm Nitpicking but it does make tons of albums have different feel.

 

Mick

 

 

Edited March 3 by bluefox4000

[Nova Carmina]

On 3/1/2024 at 10:34 AM, Segue Myles said:

Honestly, if you're curious and want an easy start, the 2005 self titled is fantastic!

 

Do they perhaps have a live album that captures the range of the possible well? 

[Segue Myles]

1 hour ago, Nova Carmina said:

 

Do they perhaps have a live album that captures the range of the possible well? 

The Anatomy Of Melancholy is a good one. Another one is Live At The Mill.