PARADISE LOST

PARADISE LOST
DRACONIAN TIMES (1995)
320 KBPS

Paradise Lost has recorded some very good albums, but "Draconian Times" is the pinnacle of their career up to this point. It is unique and brilliant at the same time, and something any true lover of dark or heavy music should appreciate.
The driving force of the music lies in the guitar work. "Draconian Times" boasts some of the most beautiful and well-written melodies in heavy music,courtesy of main songwriter/lead guitarist Greg Mackintosh, and brought out by a weeping, massive guitar sound that pours over the ears like torrents of rain. Back up guitarist Aaron Aedy plays well enough to carry almost every one of these songs, but Mackintosh overlays the rythmn riffs with his own lead touches, creating an often incredible alchemy. The two play very well together and the chemistry in the guitars raises the level of every song.
New drummer Lee Morris is a marked improvement over their previous drummer, Matt Archer. On their earlier albums, the drum work was at best a minor detraction, at worst a plodding nightmare. Morris makes his presence felt immediately, giving the rest of the music the support it needs and competent enough percussion work to make good songs great. At the very least, he allows the band to do more with its music. Even the bass of Stephen Edmondson, a heretofore anonymous aspect of the music, shines at different points.
Vocalist/lyricist Nick Holmes was in his earlier days an unremarkable growler at best. He showed some versatility on "Icon", the album chronologically before "D.T." and realizes that promise here. His voice, although not the greatest in the heavy music genre, rings with anguish and anger, injecting the sorrowful music with a pain that resonates in the mind of the listener. He is at times defiant, and other times despairing, and in a way, his flawed voice gives the music a humanity that makes it more accessible. This is the band's third work with Simon Efemey as producer, and is the best sounding album of the three. The strengths and emotion in their music is fleshed out nicely.
There are some small complaints i have. At times, the band pushes the envelope a little too far and crosses the line into an almost comical melodrama ("Shadowkings", "Shades of God"--inexplicably bearing the same name as an earlier album, and even "The Last Time" lays on a bit of cheese.) but the key word there is "almost". Even those songs are listenable and often downright enjoyable. Overall an excellent and sadly overlooked master work from a great band.

.

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