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Paradise Lost > Paradise Lost
Releasedate: 21-02-2005
Tracklist:
01. Don't Belong
02. Close your Eyes
03. Grey
04. Redshift
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
Bonustracks on Limited Edition:
13. Don't Belong (String Dub Mix)
14. Over The Madness (String Dub Mix)
-15. Forever After Video
Credits:
Nick Holmes - vocals Greg Mackintosh - Lead Guitar Aaron Aedy - Rhythm and Acoustic Guitar Steve Edmonson - Bass. Lyrics by Nick Holmes. Music by Greg Mackintosh. Produced by Rhys Fulber for nettwerk Management. Recorded and mixed by Greg Reely. Drums by Jeff Singer. Keyboards by Greg Mackintosh, Chris Elliot and Rhys Fulber. String Arrangements by Chris Elliot. Additional backing vocals on "Forever After" and "Over The Madness" by Heather Thompson, Tapping The Vein, courtesy of Nuclear Blast Records. Female choir on "Forever After" by Leah Randi. Assistant Engineers: Ewan Davies and Will Bartle for Chapel Studios. Recorded by Paradise Lost at Chapel Studios, Lincolnshire and Hollypark Lane, Los Angeles, June-July 2004. Mixed at The Green Jacket, Richmond, BC, Canada. Mastered by Greg Reely at The Green Jacket, Richmond, BC, Canada. Artwork by Seth Siro Anton, www.seth-design.com Protography by Sam Scott-Hunter.
Review
Preceeding this review was a battle I had to fight against myself. Cause it took me numerous times to get into this album, and the day I decided that this is Rhys' first really bad album production ever, I finally gave it the listen where I began to finally like it. A weird story that hasnt got much to do with the disc itself but one that made me rethink my relationship to music in general.
This is Paradise Lost's 10th and self-titled album. Announced as a summary of all the previous PL albums this is just as difficult to like for me as their last longplayer "Symbol of Life". Both were executively produced by Rhys Fulber and mixed by Greg Reely (among other names known in the Mindphaser camp).
Let me begin to review the album itself by mentioning that the Limited Digipack has a complex just as excellent artwork that can be folded out to a cross and has all lyrics etc. I further HIGHLY recommend the 2 bonustracks to fans of Rhys' work (read more later).
Musically we have almost Symbol Of Life Part2 here: PL remain PL but have changed their drummers (read my SOL review and you'll see that this is good). PL keep writing good and bad songs. Rhys keeps adding amazing soundscapes to what the band itself comes up with and spices sounds up with interesting FX. And after all, the author and reviewer concludes that the value of both albums is pretty much the same.
Don't Belong
A little up and down piano, strings, vocals. Different approach for a PL song, very operatic while including the trademarks and so a very good example for the albums content. A bit too catchy maybe, but this is a track I hated first and dig now.
Close Your Eyes
The best 'all the way guitar' track on the album. Scratchy verse, beautiful chorus. A few choirs in the back remind me of Rhys' presence but this is rather straight guitar metal on a cool midtempo track.
Grey
This was supposed to be the first single but Forever After was taken instead. Not soo sure what to think of this one, Nick sings very high in the verses and doesnt get an award for it, the chorus is too cheesy too. In the end I dig this more than Forever After.
Redshift
One of the best tracks. Piano intro, single tone guitars in verse, heavy chorus. It might not be amazing to see that most PL songs are soo formulaic, but it IS amazing if the formula is filled with healthy ingredients and - works. Nice track.
Forever After
First Single, soo catchy that it pisses me off. Indeed, its a very cliche-drown chorus, a -to me- annoying kind of pop-song catchyness makes this song more single-relevant but less cool than it should be. A Piano-theme based track, vocals with and without FX, prolly works on dancefloors. Not bad, not my favourite, just the typical single. 'Female backing choir' by Leah Randi!
Sun Fading
Too slow and too negative melodies for my taste, typical goth: powerless and sad. Just like 'No Celebration' from the SOL record I wonder what people find fascinating about such songs.
Laws Of Cause
My Favourite. The single guitar tones in the beginning are dope with their glass clear sound and echoes. So is the main riff, just freakin awesome. And the verses have acoustic guitars. All wonderful. Plus a doom-shredder bridge: Metal. Perfect!
All You Leave Behind
Based on a repetive piano line, nothing special, mediocre song.
Accept The Pain
Uptempo, standard, not very dramatic.
Shine
Another slower song. Happier mood, I dig it. Better than the last two.
Spirit
Great guitars and composition , this one stuck in my head for days. The verse has some grinding... grinding? yup, METAL. Very nice spherical chorus. All in all a very cool heavy and punchy song where every new songpart surprises me - not very formulaic!
Over The Madness
Doom-laden slow track, slow and beautiful. The guitar solo at 3.00 min is in the bands own opinion the best solo ever. Nice indeed. A last highlight.
Bonustracks: Dont Belong & Over The Madness (String Dub Mixes)
VERY nice ambient versions with dubbed vocal bits, no drums, no guitars. So what is left then? Strings basically, piano, basically all that Rhys has done. Glass clear view on these elements and totally different. Very recommended to Fulber fans, not metal at all, pure classical music.
Reviewed by Henrik aka 21stCJ
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Last updated 2005-08-14 03:59:08 by: unknown user.
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