Author: Rok Klemše
Artist: Paradise Lost
Label: Century Media
Release: year_month
Length: 01:05:39
Rating: 4/5
In 1995, British doom metal veterans Paradise Lost released their landmark record Draconian Times, which blended doom metal and gothic elements more tightly than ever before. They’d already broken new ground with earlier albums, with their debut in death/doom waters and its successor Gothic, which, true to its name, made them the fathers of a new genre, gothic metal. Still, Draconian Times remains the most »popular« release in their discography to this day, and it’s also one of the best-selling doom/gothic metal albums of all time. That’s exactly why last year Paradise Lost marked the album’s anniversary with a short tour on which they played Draconian Times in full, and one of the shows was captured for posterity on a DVD and the live album Draconian Times MMXI.
Paradise Lost picked London’s Forum as the scene of the crime, and on that April night it was packed to the rafters. In a good hour, the band played Draconian Times from start to finish and then tacked on a selection of classics at the end. The DVD gives you 18 tracks to watch, while the album sadly carries only 14, with an added »downloadable« option for three more, which is a pretty lame bonus. Getting the DVD and CD package together is therefore a must for the true fan, while the live album alone will only satisfy the casual Paradise Lost listener. The British five-piece, joined on keyboards and backing vocals by Milly Evans (the band’s longtime guitar tech, who filled in on a European tour for guitarist Greg Mackintosh when he was away after the death of his father), got the proverbially reserved doom metal crowd on their feet from the first bars of the eerie piano intro to the classic Enchantment. The band and the crowd truly became one that night, with vocalist Nick Holmes keeping everyone in his grip with an excellent vocal performance and sarcastic quips, while the crystal-clear mix makes sure every single instrument comes through clearly alongside the roaring support of the audience. The powerful, lively sound of the album gives each instrument the room it needs, and Holmes’ vocals the warmth with which he easily hypnotizes the listener. Nick’s voice has lost some of its power, but that doesn’t mean his delivery isn’t mighty and convincing, and it’s a long way from the ragged Holmes voice we were used to years ago. In 2011, Paradise Lost managed to breathe new life into their classic album, which shows in the fantastic rendition of the epic material. The best moments of the album are the superbly played Hallowed Land, Forever Failure, controversial on release (heralded by a sample of Charles Manson’s last video interview: »I understand procedure, I understand war, I understand rules and regulations. I don’t understand sorry«), the adrenaline-fueled Once Solemn (during which Holmes, in his typical British-humor manner, calls on the crowd to mosh) and the outstanding Yearn For a Change. The closing Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us and Rise of Denial from the then-current album sound so convincing you’d think they’d been part of the Paradise Lost set for a decade.
Draconian Times MMXI is yet another proof of this British band’s greatness. I’d even dare say the live album sounds better than the original, and at the same time the outstanding performance of the band’s classic material proves that Draconian Times has stood the test of time. We know that only the greats manage that.
Line-up
Nick Holmes – vocals
Greg Mackintosh – guitar
Aaron Aedy – guitar
Steve Edmondson – bass
Adrian Erlandsson – drums
Milly Evans – keyboards, backing vocals
Production
Jens Bogren (mixing)
Tracklist
1. Enchantment
2. Hallowed Land
3. The 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
13. Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us
14. Rise of Denial
