Paradise Lost Paradise Lost
Abacus Recordings ABACD0020 November 29th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
Preface:
Normally I dont do this, but I have a history with Paradise Lost that I must explain. Way back in January 2004, I saw Opeth headline The Agora Ballroom in a wintry Cleveland, Ohio, and the most prominent opening band was none other than Paradise Lost. While the former were supporting Deliverance even though Damnation had already been released the latter were supporting Symbol of Life. Sounds good, right? Well, kind of. Ill cut the shit and get right to the crux: Paradise Lost had a forty-five minute set-change/sound-check and werent even the headliners. In fact, their preparation time matched their performance time. Of course, with the crowd being antsy for Opeth, people got pissed off. That was my first impression of them.
Now, fast-forward to December 2005. Its been almost two full years since Ive interacted with PL in any capacity. At any rate, I receive a package in the mail from Abacus Recordings, which I expect to be a copy of Ion Dissonances Solace I had requested some weeks earlier. It is not Solace. It is not even an Ion Dissonance album. It is Paradise Lost. It is a Paradise Lost record. Goddamn it.
One might think Im predisposed to give this a bad score, but thats simply not the case. Enough with the anecdotes, though. On to the review!
Review:
Groups dont survive for seventeen years without changing their sound, and the same can be said for U.K.-based rockers Paradise Lost. Gone are the shades of death/doom found on their early and mid 90s releases, and Paradise Lost attempts to further what Symbol of Life did with gothic rock. It is possible for this style of music to sway me, but this record doesnt do a very good job of it.
The math is right, though. These fifty-five minutes are split into fourteen tracks, so you know youre getting a sizeable length. The main problem, however, is that much of Self-Titled is bland. In spite of the spotless production, keen synthesizers, and presentable vocalizations, the material failed to pique my interest in just about every respect. Momentary respite does arrive in the form of All You Leave Behind, Accept the Pain, and Shine, because Paradise Lost parallel Katatonia as far as song structure and overriding sound are concerned. Accept the Pain is uncannily similar, really, due to the observation that it begins with a hypnotizing guitar part, and then is joined later by melancholic driving riffs, which are buttressed occasionally by poignant leads. The approach was arguably perfected on Viva Emptiness, even though Im sure it appeared much earlier.
All in all, Paradise Lost isnt a terrible album. It wont make you queasy, nor will it induce vomiting, seizures, or other afflictions. Nevertheless, Im inclined to believe that Paradise Lost havent unleashed anything noteworthy since Draconian Times in 1995. And, to hit the nail once again, this is yet another extraneous addition to their ever-expanding discography. Ignoring that Ion Dissonance were supposed to grace my mailbox instead, these blokes still werent able to conjure redemptive qualities. For more lucrative results from Abacus, indulge in Swarm of the Lotuss The Sirens of Silence, and the other one Ive mentioned about fifty times in this review.
6/10
Official Paradise Lost Website
Official Abacus Recordings Website
Abacus Recordings ABACD0020 November 29th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
Preface:
Normally I dont do this, but I have a history with Paradise Lost that I must explain. Way back in January 2004, I saw Opeth headline The Agora Ballroom in a wintry Cleveland, Ohio, and the most prominent opening band was none other than Paradise Lost. While the former were supporting Deliverance even though Damnation had already been released the latter were supporting Symbol of Life. Sounds good, right? Well, kind of. Ill cut the shit and get right to the crux: Paradise Lost had a forty-five minute set-change/sound-check and werent even the headliners. In fact, their preparation time matched their performance time. Of course, with the crowd being antsy for Opeth, people got pissed off. That was my first impression of them.
Now, fast-forward to December 2005. Its been almost two full years since Ive interacted with PL in any capacity. At any rate, I receive a package in the mail from Abacus Recordings, which I expect to be a copy of Ion Dissonances Solace I had requested some weeks earlier. It is not Solace. It is not even an Ion Dissonance album. It is Paradise Lost. It is a Paradise Lost record. Goddamn it.
One might think Im predisposed to give this a bad score, but thats simply not the case. Enough with the anecdotes, though. On to the review!
Review:
Groups dont survive for seventeen years without changing their sound, and the same can be said for U.K.-based rockers Paradise Lost. Gone are the shades of death/doom found on their early and mid 90s releases, and Paradise Lost attempts to further what Symbol of Life did with gothic rock. It is possible for this style of music to sway me, but this record doesnt do a very good job of it.
The math is right, though. These fifty-five minutes are split into fourteen tracks, so you know youre getting a sizeable length. The main problem, however, is that much of Self-Titled is bland. In spite of the spotless production, keen synthesizers, and presentable vocalizations, the material failed to pique my interest in just about every respect. Momentary respite does arrive in the form of All You Leave Behind, Accept the Pain, and Shine, because Paradise Lost parallel Katatonia as far as song structure and overriding sound are concerned. Accept the Pain is uncannily similar, really, due to the observation that it begins with a hypnotizing guitar part, and then is joined later by melancholic driving riffs, which are buttressed occasionally by poignant leads. The approach was arguably perfected on Viva Emptiness, even though Im sure it appeared much earlier.
All in all, Paradise Lost isnt a terrible album. It wont make you queasy, nor will it induce vomiting, seizures, or other afflictions. Nevertheless, Im inclined to believe that Paradise Lost havent unleashed anything noteworthy since Draconian Times in 1995. And, to hit the nail once again, this is yet another extraneous addition to their ever-expanding discography. Ignoring that Ion Dissonance were supposed to grace my mailbox instead, these blokes still werent able to conjure redemptive qualities. For more lucrative results from Abacus, indulge in Swarm of the Lotuss The Sirens of Silence, and the other one Ive mentioned about fifty times in this review.
6/10
Official Paradise Lost Website
Official Abacus Recordings Website
