Label - Century Media
Year Of Release - 2007
Paradise Lost fans are
generally divided into two groups. The fans who will not listen to anything
post Draconian Times and the fans who like the stylistic changes that happened
with the bands sound post Draconian.... I'm firmly in the latter camp. Hell, I
even thought Host was a great album. Still, after that album came the rather
insipid "Believe In Nothing" which did nothing for the band at least
in the eyes of long term fans who stuck with the band. The first hint of a
return to heavier climes came on 2002s Symbol Of Life while 2005s self titled
album was a significant change in style and seemed a return to their heavier
doom past while still having a fair amount of the melody and reliance on
electronics.
So, it's 2007 now and PL
have another album out. What are the fans in for with this, the 11th studio
album of the band?
In Requiem grabs you
straight away with "Never for the Damned." The song is classic mid
period PL and Gregor Mackintosh's guitars sound like its Draconian Times all
over again. That album is in fact the closest comparison to "In
Requiem." The band has shed almost all of the synth rock, Depeche Mode
influences in their sound and return to playing heavy metal. I've always been a
huge fan of Gregor Mackintosh's lead guitar playing and there are a number of
classic Paradise Lost lead guitar parts on this album. Stand out tracks include
the up tempo "Ash & Debris" and album closer, the moody
"Your Own Reality."
The core of the band,
vocalist Nick Holmes, lead guitarist Gregor Mackintosh, rhythm
guitarist Aaron
Aedy and bassist Stephen Edmondson have been together since the first
album
"Lost Paradise" and the band gel remarkably well. This is a polished,
quality album that should appeal to fans of PL both old and new. The
only real sore spot for me is the vocal performance of Nick Holmes.
Holmes' has over the years developed into a terrific singer and sounded
quite superb singing on the relatively lightweight "Symbol Of Life" and
"Paradise Lost" albums. However, on this, while still sounding great
when it comes to clean singing he sounds forced and maybe even a little
tired when it comes to the heavier sections of the songs. Still, it is
a minor quibble and overall Nick Holmes and the band are in fine
form.
"In Requiem"
though is one of those albums that will grow on you. It will sound better and
better with every listen and ultimately become an album that PL fans will grow
to love. However, the question is will the fans give this album a chance? Because
lets face it, no matter how great a fan of the band you are, PL hit their
creative peak with the triumvirate of "Gothic", "Shades of
Gods" and "Icon" and then the superb "Host" which
showed off a completely new face of the band. So if you're looking at In
Requiem from the overall perspective of this band's discography, then you know
you've heard these songs before. Yes, they have returned to heavier climes and
yes, I am very happy that the PL I grew up with is back.
In the final analyses,
"In Requiem" is a good album but PL, by going back to their heavy
roots seem to have regressed as a band and this new album really doesn’t add
anything new to the wonderfully rich and varied tapestry of their catalogue of
work.
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