Halifax’s harbingers of Doom, Paradise Lost’s latest album, Obsidian, was released right at the start of the lockdown and it’s only now, two years later, that they are finally able to tour in it’s support. Just in time for them commencing work on its follow up.
After an immensely impressive hour-long slot by Portugal’s Moonspell which included “Night Eternal”, “Hermitage”, the title track from their latest release; “Alma Mater” from their 1995 debut album Wolfheart and a stunning “Full Moon Madness” the enthusiastic crowd were well up for an evening of doom and misery from Goth Metal innovators, Paradise Lost.
With no fewer than 16 studio albums to choose from Paradise Lost wasted no time delivering the classics with “Widow” from their Icon release opening the show before coming right up to date with “Fall From Grace” from their latest album.
Having four original members that first formed the band almost 35 years ago is something of a rarity these days and with drummer, Waltteri Vayrynen with them for 7 years they certainly form one tight unit as lead singer Nick Holmes cheekily introduced him as one Fin amongst four Yorkshire puddings!!
It’s dark, moody and melancholic as Nick Holmes veered from guttural growls to a rich, deep baritone while the granite heavy riffs from Greg Mackintosh and Aaron Aedy gave plenty of crunch and bite.
One of the major strengths of Paradise Lost is that they drew in a multitude of influences and created their own style which has now been copied the world over and they have never stood still musically moving from the slow, hypnotic Doom of “Beneath Broken Earth” to the dark Depeche Mode-esq Electronica of “So Much Is Lost” and “One Second” keeping the set fresh and varied.
At times the music is achingly beautiful and in “Darker Thoughts” and “Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us” the smooth tones of Holmes and the soaring melodic melodies from Mackintosh are striking.
Of course, the big up-tempo numbers have the crowd bouncing with “The Last Time” making a welcome return to the set but it was is “Say Just Words” which really raised the temperature and quite how this didn’t give them a hit on par with The Cult’s “She Sells Sanctuary” is an unfathomable mystery. It’s an absolute banger.
With an intense “Ghosts” closing a four-song encore, this was one night of misery that raised the spirits and banished the ghosts of Covid for good.
Review and Photos By Mick Burgess
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