Well, maybe only blind people still don't know what i love Paradise Lost band and their music
Not for fuckin promo, but for pleasure i would open this discussion. Maybe, it will be monologue
Their songs is pretty damn different and interesting, but everyone need many time to get into them.
As i told before my fave Paradise Lost albums are
- Shades Of God
- Host
- Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us

First track what heard of them was As I Die Videoclip on VHS.I was 5 years old , haha
Then, in 2003 i heard their Mouth song from shitty and commercial "Believe In Nothing" album. 3-4 good songs on this record. Other are really crap. It was hard times for a band - producers try to make them like a Back Street Boys "boys band" - but band disagree with them at the end and they make desicion to save a freedom of songwriting and let songs for singles choose their managers\producers\something like that.

The only one single they choose bн their own it Forever Failure (1995).

Anyway, 1999-2001 period was hard time for a band: Nick's father is died and so on. They try to return heavy sound, but it was worthless album. I think, you remember, what they bring to people electro rock\ synthpop album "HOST" and lot's of fans run away from them after it. I can understand why, but i love this album now. And respect what band can take risks and would to sound like they want to sound.

In 2005 i buy mp3 disc of Paradise Lost albums and - shame for me but - i thought what their albums like Gothic or Icon (their CLASSICAL albums) are shit and love to listen some One Second (1997) songs, some Symbol Of Life(2002), and their "The Best Of" 2CD compilation Reflection - mix of singles and old songs like Eternal of True belief.

But after weeks something has changed in me and i start to love their older stuff. I start to understand their albums one by one. It wasn't easy to me to like their Draconian Times album (what really great) because Nick's vocals reminds to me Hetfield (metallica) voice in some song. But after reissue i change my point of view.

I remember, like when i was in school their In Requem was released. It inspired me alot! This surprisingly good music, sound between their past and new albums. The only minus of this album is production. Quality of recording is cool but vocals sounds to me forced: too much samples I still like this album but i find mixed feelings about this album.

But their next Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us is amazing for me, and really strong release. Natural sound, no forced vocals, cool drums sound, extreme music with 7-th strings guitars plus Nick sings like never before(perfect clear\harsh vocals). Musically it got trash metal elements, doom metal songs, and gothic metal songs. Universal Dream sounds like new Pity The Sadness(1992), and In Truth like Rotting Misery (1991). This album sounds great on live show!

My fave songs of Paradise Lost:

I Remain(2009)
The Glorious End(2012)
Pray Nightfall(2002)
Shine(2005)
Embraced(1992)
Shallow Seasons(1993)
Gothic(1991)
Host(1999)
World Pretending(2001)
Ash & Debris (2007)
One Second(1997)
Jaded(1995)
Deadly Inner Sense(1991)
but, of course all too many.
Thats all what i want to say about them. When Tragic Idol will released on April i will post here more.

P.S.

Specially for Sinmara. Adrian Erlandsson performing I Remain (drum cam from show)



I hoping you will like this one, maybe it interesting to you because you want to be drummer

P.S.2

Paradise Lost - Living With Scars (2009)

Although I take no time to read all of his lengthy posts I have to doft my cap to TI's enthusiasm.

Tragic, most people here don't like P.L after the mid 90's, and some of them don't like anything they put out after 'Shades Of God'.

Don't waste your time starting threads about P.L unless it's about a new album. that is my friendly advice to you.

I heard the first album, Tragic. And I liked it a lot.

thank you, Stat_Rad, and others! You don't have to reading my story
Have a nice night. See ya.

^^^no problem.

and 'I Remain' is probably one of my fav P.L songs too!

'host' is a really underrated song.

Nah, first 5 are good. Rubbish after that.

Actually, it starts going down hill as soon as you turn the tape over to side B on Draconian, puts the brakes on briefly for Yearn For Change, then back down hill again. I listened to Draconian today, and side one is really good. Then you get to the last 6 and it's just the same clean intro into pedestrian ploddy verse into painful non-chorus, repeat, decent melodic solo of the same style and in the same key as the last one, back in for one final "chorus" that Nick is clearly struggling with song again and again.

(well, 5 of the last 6, Yearn... follows the same formula but has a bit more oomph, life and quality to it)

EDIT: This is harsh and exaggerated, but I'm leaving it up here, cos it's got more than a hint of truth to it. Pick any of those last 6 out on their own and their actually decent songs, tbf...

Shades of God was the first proper metal album I bought when I was 14. I had the choice between Christian Death and Paradise Lost. Goth or Metal

I still like to listen to it, sweet memories of trying to understand what he was singing (my English wasn't good back then).

Top album! Didn't like anything they brought out after that though.

^^where are you from originally Sinmara?

Austria. Moved to England 9 years ago

Oh, yeah! Shades Of God is still amazing



Ten fave songs what i has posted here - they 5 fists songs for me, i don't underrate Host - it's just as variant of short playlist. Stat_Rad, what do you expecting from Paradise Lost new album? Any ideas?

The best "true" Paradise Lost albums:

1. Draconian Times
2. Icon
3. Shades of God
4. Gothic
5. Lost Paradise


The best "false" Paradise Lost albums:

1. Host
2. One Second
3. Symbol of Life
4. Paradise Lost
5. In Requiem
6. Believe in Nothing
7. Faith Divides Us... Death Unites Us


Difficult to amalgamate those two lists, though. I'll have to think about that. And I don't think the new one will be much good, but I'm willing to be surprised.

Intersting opinion. As for me, i think nothing wrong with PL for years. Worthless album - Believe In Nothing, you know why.
Don't know, why you dont like "Faith Divides Us... Death Unites Us". I like "Symbol of Life" (Xavier, Self Obsessed, Pray Nightfall, Two Words) and "One Second" (One Second, The Sufferer, Another Day) very much too. Also, didn't catch why steev dont like side B of Draconian Times: Hands of Reason or Jaded - one of the best PL songs ever (from the old period)

Draconian Times
One Second
Icon
Shades of God
Gothic

I either haven't heard or dislike the rest.

I got into them when they did Draconian, and I still love that album. I also really like One Second. I have copies of albums before and after, but they get played less often than those two, and I can't name tracks off them, but they are all pretty good I think.

Seen them live about three times too, and they were always pretty good.

When did we start not rehashing old topics? I thought that's what we did.

Slayer anyone?!?

I like some Slayer songs from each their album. Got some fave tracks in my playlist on comp.


which years it was?

I was on their lives 2 times: 2007 and 2009, both amazing but different and in 2009 Nick sings better, because in 2007 he was sick on show

Fave live songs (from this 2 shows):

- Over The Madness
- Ash And Debris
- As Horisons End
- Requiem (with Jeff Singer on drums)
- Erased

I saw them in 1995, on the Draconian tour, with Cathedral supporting. I saw them tour One Second, and I saw them last year. I think that's all.

First time was my favourite, as I was only 15 and absolutely loved Draconian at the time, and it was one of the first gigs I went to.