An album that must be listened to (Draconian Times - Paradise Lost)

Member Name: dangaroo

Product:	Draconian Times - Paradise Lost
Date:	07/08/09 (10 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent mixture of melody and classic riffs

Disadvantages: None

Paradise Lost despite being from the UK are in fact far better known across the rest of the continent, with a particularly strong following in Germany, Poland and Greece. The metal band have gone through various phases of their career and these days are quite electronic influenced, their initial period was death metal and good death metal at that.

Draconian Times was part of the middle period - the gothic metal days. This is undoubtedly the most accesible period for many listeners and if any of their albums was to draw listeners who usually listen to other types of music then this was the one.

In some ways it's their best work, a gloomy yet strangely enjoyable sound that can be likened to a heavier Joy Division or a less kitschier Sisters of Mercy, Depeche Mode with some serious balls and yet at the same time there's so much else going on with burst of punkiness and riffs worthy of Metallica or Pantera at their finest.

Each song engrains itself into your brain, so that even without listening to it for long periods, the minute you hear it again you are extremely involved. The music is extremely melodic yet knows how to kick in with some power at just the right time. Likewise Nick Holmes manages to filter the anger in his voice not through growls or grunts but instead through what would be classed as very authoritative singing, it's nice but it really makes you pay attention to the lyrics.

A classic metal album that could easily be enjoyed by people who like punk and new wave.

1 Enchantment
2 Hallowed Land
3 Last Time
4 Forever Failure
5 Once Solemn
6 Shadowkings
7 Elusive Cure
8 Yearn For Change
9 Shades Of God
10 Hands Of Reason
11 I See Your Face
12 Jaded

Summary: Paradise Lost's best work