01. As Horizons end
02. I remain
03. First Light
04. Frailty
05. Faith divides us - Death unites us
06. The Rise of Denial
07. Living with Scars
08. Last Regret
09. Universal Dream
10. In Truth

Nick Holmes - Vocals

Greg Mackintosh - Lead Guitar

Aaron Aedy - Rhythm and Acoustic Guitar

Steve Edmondson - Bass

session drummer: Peter Damin

in the current line up:

Adrian Erlandsson - drums

www.paradiselost.co.uk 

The Limited Edition Deluxe 2CD includes a special packaging (DVD-sized Mediabook with O-Card in a special leather look) and the brand new track "Cardinal Zero" as bonus on Disc 1 plus a separate bonus CD including the "Lost In Prague" tracks.

The album is going to be available as Limited Edition Gatefold LP, including the bonus track "Cardinal Zero", the orchestra mixes on a separate bonus 7" EP, the entire album on CD (in a blank sleeve), and an exclusive poster
Recorded at 

preview  by dalia "gryphon_spirit" di giacomo ___       

The virulence of modern decadence

I think that this new and 12th full length album of British legendary gothic metallers Paradise Lost should be considered and "judged" under two points of view: Under a strictly technical one the instrumentation reaches a clarity and a perfection (if perfection could ever exist) that are unique. The depth and precision of sound is adamantine, maybe even a bit too cold, anyway majestic. Recorded in Örebro, Sweden,  at Fascination Street Studios with producer  Jens Bogren (Katatonia, Opeth, Amon Amarth), "Faith divides us - Death unites us" is an album which brings a sincere atmosphere, where each note is sincere, where the mixing of each instrument is sincere yet extremely strong. You can ear in detail each instrumental line and in the same time you can  appreciate  the  natural unity of the band. This was a characteristic of artists like Pink Floyd, this is no thing that everyone in music is able to put on the table.  For the first time in their personal career,  Paradise Lost guitarists play 7-string guitars. Many times we can listen to clear acoustic- like passages, and admire the typical weeping and accompanying Mackintosh guitar .  Behind the skins we find  session drummer Peter Damin, now definitively  replaced by Adrian Erlandsson (Cradle Of Filth, At The Gates, The Haunted). Therefore it will be interesting to see the band live, not only in order to dive into the new material but also to experience Erlandsson's drumming.  Compliments to Nick's vocals, tenacious and captivating..

The album's artwork, created by Stefan Wibbeke, is based upon the Danse Macabre woodcut-series made by the German portraitist Hans Holbein the Younger (originally published in Lyons in 1538-Renaissance); in particular "The Abbott" woodcut. From the highest ranks to the lowest ones (beggar, peasant) each one is mortal. .

Good thing that in this album there are no covers but, unfortunately, under the point of view of composition some songs have disappointed me. Now that Paradise Lost are "back"  like the "oldest" die hard fans  wanted them,  there is still not enough material to fill our thirsty nostalgia for Icon and co.  When you walk old paths again, you should walk even better than ever done, and in this case too Paradise Lost have still not reached the height that once belonged to them. However few songs of this album are not only up to the task, they are fantastic. Moreover, in this album PL have added strong faster riffs, some old school touch  and even a certain taste of doom.  " Faith divides us - Death unites us" begins in a spectacular way, with The Song, in my opinion the best of the album:  As Horizons end brings very marked characteristics that make it unmistakable since from the first notes, it gives us that typical gloominess , that depression that goes straight down to the bones with a very good musical structure. Greg Mackintosh comments: "The whole point to this song was to capture a feeling of foreboding. Like when a thunderstorm is approaching. All the chord progressions are supposed to give an ominous sense of dread. The mid section lulls you into thinking that you're safe only to discover there is much bigger storm on the horizon." I think it's even more than this. In my opinion a truly masterpiece of sweet malevolence, supported by all excellent musical background you can imagine and desire from this band, solo included and fabulous staccatos. Ok, this track is followed then by I remain, one of the more modern and strongest PL songs ever. The influences are many but well mixed and contribute to the construction of a very good, faster, almost unexpected song, with great break downs, great melody and much strength combined with incredible softer melancholic passages. I remain is the virulence of the modern decadence. Frailty and Living with Scars  too bring powerful riffs but with mediocre results. Sadly we have to wait until  The Rise of Denial in order to find another song with whom we can fall in love. The faster compact riffs of Universal Dream, a song which is an ineffectual chimera,  remind me of  Once solemn, pity that Once solemn is another thing. Some notes copied from own previous productions are always a bad yet comprehensible thing  but the disconnection in which the song then develops itself ,  in spite of  some Old school feeling,  is even a worse attribute.

Anyway here a very fast "excursus" of what i personally thing about each song:

As Horizon ends - masterpiece. fantastic!

I remain - top

First light - another track that well brings the typical PL anguish.

Frailty - boring to "death", indeed

Faith divides us Death unites us -  it's an ambitious song full of desolation, not that bad after all.  it grows each time you listen to it

The Rise of Denial - yes! energetic with memorable passages.

Living with Scars - horrible

Last Regret - with a verse on the threshold of doom is a very melancholic with a nice acceleration and awesome bridge, marked by brilliant guitars.

Universal Dream - flop

In Truth - a modern metropolitan gothic song with a certain affinity with "Paradise Lost X", an album of ethereal beauty

"Faith divides us - Death divides us" is better than the too monochromatic and funereal "In Requiem" that was already considered the strongest album after Draconian Times. "Faith divides us - Death unites us" seems to me  an album of high cultural level, but , again, still not the album of which i dreamed of.  Perfectly played, but still far  from the paramount musical structure of the golden "Music for Nations eras". However As Horizons end is a gift that deserves thankfulness... 

rating: 8,7/10

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