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Class 6(66)
Paradise Lost: Lost paradise
11/03/11 || Daemonomania
Introduction
Today I’m happy to treat y’all to an album credited with being a cornerstone, pioneer, got-there-early-and-laid-it-down type of deal in the death/doom genre. While Paradise Lost may have waxed gay in the years to follow, “Lost paradise” shows Harry Nick and the Potters in fine form. Evil, grinding hopelessness awaits. Enjoy!
Songwriting
7.5. Once you start throwing the term “classic” around, everyone expects a bunch of 8’s and 9’s for every single category. Well, I can’t say that the songwriting is much better than a 7.5, but that doesn’t make the album any less sweet. We’re dealing with a young band exploring a fresh style, so they’re bound to make some mistakes. But more often than not they achieve the vibe of mossy English dungeons, lunatics in satin vests shaking uncontrollably, a butcher’s shop filled with human entrails, and other such pish posh with aplomb. These songs sound like the UK cousin of Hypocrisy’s “Penetralia” or “Obsculum obscenum”. Dirges designed to drag down the human spirit.
To be more specific, the intro is a muffled, creepy affair that is easily skipped after one go-through. The rest of the tracks follow a formula of mid-paced DM mixed with doomier moments, breakdowns, and the rare inclusion of a keyboard or female vocal to add a bit of variety. Whenever your interest in this formula starts to wane, Paradise Lost drop a new riff that will bring you back into their gloomy game. Nice work from a bunch of kids who say they were just drunkenly fucking around in the studio.
On a side note, I can’t help but notice the last track has a much faster tempo, with a more primitive production job. Was it recorded at some prior date when the band was resting more on the death side of death/doom? Is it a live track? Could be. Got me.
Production
5/7.5. Confused? I did a SLASH in there. No, not the goofball from G ‘n R & The Super Bowl Sellout Extravaganza. A slash that denotes the production can be weak, or, with your input, it can be fucken decent. Here’s my imaginary conversation with you about how to get that done:
You (weakly, plaintively): What do I have to do to avoid the 5 production?
Daemo (in a manly, commanding tone): First you have to listen to the actual CD, not a compressed downloaded iTunes version. Next you have to adjust your equalizer to the max bass hollow rumble setting. Last but not least, punch yourself in the nuts.
You: Whyyyyyy?
Daemo: Cuz I says so, taintlicker! DO IT!
You (lying on the ground, crying): Oh it hurts! But you were right, the production is sooooo much better now!
Daemo: Damn straight.
Guitars
7. Solid guitar work, and certainly some riffs that could be considered foundational to the d/d/d establishment. Sloppiness is present, and the lead work ain’t setting fire unto the frets, but the job gets done. I dig the claustrophobic, suffocating atmosphere the riffs conjure and the guitar tone is about as nasty as can be. Provided you’ve followed my production instructions, of course. Dig that twisting, discordant riff in “Our saviour” big time.
Vocals
9.5. Fuck, could Nick (John) Holmes fucken growl. Which makes it all the more sad to hear he moved away from this style. Even that newer song of theirs (yes, I have only heard the one, on that Peaceville compilation) didn’t have growling quite this awesome. To bring up early Hypocrisy again, he calls to mind a slightly more on-point Masse. Deep, cavernous lows with that beautiful slow gargle up into the higher register that is, for me, the orgasm-giver of DM vocal action. Good enunciation. Powerful delivery. Raging boner. Hidden dragon.
Bass
7.5. Bass is quite essential on this album, as it really gives the proceedings a darker, dirtier feel. Is the Edmondson the new greatest bassist ever, who you need to study and emulate in order to win the respect of your peers? No. He isn’t doing anything terribly technical, but boosted by the production Eddy ends up with a much more dominant role than most DM would allow. Am I confusing prominence in the mix with quality? Maybe.
Drums
8. There were drums involved in the recording of “Lost paradise”. No doubt about it. Actually Archer hits his target (wow) by fleshing out a lot of the crawling sections, and he definitely tosses in fills aplenty elsewhere. Sounds like he’s having fun behind the kit, and given that this was a pretty new subgenre I shall give him credit for not playing it safe.
Lyrics
6. Certainly not the worst lyrics I’ve ever read, just a bit anonymous. Gotta love the line cast into a circle of preaching vomit! PL sure don’t think too much of ole Jeebus Christmas and his pops nor are they too cheerful about life in general. Or maybe I’m reading it all wrong. They might be really happy to get out of bed on a Sunday morning, put on their best satin vest, and head on over to the local church for hours of poofy English bible thumping.
Oh, and congrats on naming the intro “Intro”, entitling your Paradise Lost album “Lost paradise”, and having the songs “Paradise lost” AND “Lost paradise” on there. Creativity overload.
Cover
6. The Predator is a nazi? Damn, that sucks. I always admired that guy. Guess that explains why he went after the Native and African American dudes with such gusto, but let Austrian cracker Ahhnold get away. Dickhead.
Seriously, that is some enigmatically ugly artwork.
Logo
6.5. Haunted house font. I like the E and the webbing connecting letters, but overall nothing groundbreaking. Like most logos, it needs either the grim reaper or a musclebound arm holding a trident worked in somewhere.
Booklet
Don’t got it. Someday I will own a real copy. Then I will beg the Lord to re-draft this review just so I can write a three paragraph essay on the booklet alone. And he will say something incredibly insulting in Swedish. I might weep. Can’t wait!
Overall and ending rant
Don’t be scared away by the gothic tags these Parliamentarians now sport. For fans of ancient death metal played at a lethargic pace, roughly 35 minutes of pain and (you give me) pleasure abounds. Since that describes Daemo and a couple of you other fuckbags bouncing around on this site, I can only assume my review will cause the sales of “Lost paradise” to suddenly spike – resulting in a 21-year-old album amazingly unseating Justin “Fetus” Biebwhore and Lady “Madonna Ripoff” Gaahl Gaahl from the top of the charts worldwide. Yeah right. A solid addition to your collection regardless of whether or not the aforementioned phenomenon takes place. Doom on, ye crazy cunts.
- Information
- Released: 1990
- Label: Peaceville
- Website: Paradise Lost MySpace
- Band
- Nick Holmes: vocals
- Gregor Mackintosh: guitars
- Aaron Aedy: guitars
- Stephen Edmondson: bass
- Matthew Archer: drums
- Tracklist
- 01. Intro
- 02. Deadly Inner Sense
- 03. Paradise Lost
- 04. Our Saviour
- 05. Rotting Misery
- 06. Frozen Illusion
- 07. Breeding Fear
- 08. Lost Paradise
