Artist: PARADISE LOST
Album: PARADISE LOST (CD)

Release date: 2005
Media type: CD

A Halifax Heavy Metal band, replete with Gothic overtones and a trademark "bleak" outlook on life, that has gradually diverted into more mainstream territory to increasing commercial success. PARADISE LOST started life as a Death Metal act and, since their inception in 1988, the group have gained a huge reputation in Europe, where all of their albums have sold strongly.

The band's first gig was secured by their debut demo given to Bradford's Frog and Toad pub. Proceeds from their second demo were used to finance their first two European gigs in Holland. Having debuted with 'Lost Paradise' on Peaceville Records in 1990, 1991's 'Gothic' album (also on Peaceville Records) secured the band chart placings across Europe, in particular Germany, before switching labels to Music For Nations.

With a new deal PARADISE LOST released the 'Shades Of God' album in 1992. Produced by Simon Effemy and including keyboards from Robert John Godfrey of THE ENID, it was a record which was to pull the band out of the underground and into the realms of commercial success.

In 1993 undertook their first tour of America supporting MORBID ANGEL and KREATOR. In May 1994 the group appeared at the AEROSMITH headlined 'Rock Am Ring' festival in Germany to over 80'000 people. By mid 1994 PARADISE LOST were outselling METALLICA in Germany, surely helped by the popularity of the 'Harmony Breaks' video, which secured a number 19 position in the national German video charts.

Having released the 'Icon' album that year by the end of 1994 PARADISE LOST were already working on the follow-up, although they would part company with drummer Matt Archer. By Christmas, ex-MARSHALL LAW and LIFE man Lee Morris found himself on the drum stool.

The group performed British warm up dates in early 1995 under the guize of THE PAINLESS and would tour hard promoting the new record 'Draconian Times' putting in a headlining appearance at the Dynamo Festival in Holland for good measure.

PARADISE LOST would re-emerge in 1997 with a newly shorn look and a quite different new album in 'One Second' that, despite notwitstanding any drop in heaviness, drew heavily on more diverse artists in the Gothic mould. Ironically, the album turned out to be the band's groundbreaking release.

Subsequent touring found the band concentrating on the European market, but British dates were slotted in during January 1998.

PARADISE LOST returned with the John Fryer produced 'Believe In Nothing' album in February of 2001. Japanese versions of the album, issued on the Toshiba EMI label, came complete with no less than three extra tracks namely 'Sway', 'Gone' and 'Waiting For God'.

The band would tour Germany in March, where once more the band had achirved a high chart placing, co-headlining with Gothic veterans SISTERS OF MERCY. The same year noted German Gothic Rock act LOVE LIKE BLOOD covered 'True Belief' for their covers album 'Chronology Of A Love Affair'. In band downtime Lee Morris hooked up with his former MARSHALL LAW comrade vocalist Andy Pyke, EXCALIBUR and HARDWARE guitarist Paul Solynskyj and ex SLAMMER guitarist Milo Zavenic, touting a METALLICA tribute band DAMAGE INC. for a tour of Holland.

PARADISE LOST announced the signature of a new label contract with the G.U.N. label in May of 2002, setting to work on a new record, provisionally entitled 'Deus' (subsequently switched to 'Symbol Of Life'), with producer Rhys Fulber. Early reports revealed the band had demoed cover versions of BRONSKI BEAT's Small Town Boy' (one in a long line of Gothic bands to have covered this track) and DEAD CAN DANCE's 'Xavier'. The 'Symbol Of Life' album garnered another hit in Germany for the band, capitalised on by headline dates throughout Europe in February of 2003. Scandinavian dates had the band packaged with WITHIN TEMPTATION and LITHIUM. PARADISE LOST also announced North American tour dates for January 2003, billed as the '4 Absent Friends Tour', allied with OPETH and TAPPING THE VEIN. UK shows in March saw the continuation of the alliance with TAPPING THE VEIN, also adding KILLING MIRANDA to the bill.

Following a run of September European headline shows the band united with AMORPHIS lost for Scandinavian dates in October. Closing a nine year tenure, PARADISE LOST parted ways with drummer Lee Morris in March of 2004, the ex-member soon getting back into the studio to session for MARSHALL LAW. The band would enter the recording studio with producer Rhys Fulber in April and announce the addition of the BLAZE and KILL II THIS credited Jeff Singer as their new sticksman the following month. Backing vocals came courtesy of TAPPING THE VEIN singer Heather Thompson.

As PARADISE LOST geared up toward a new album launch, simply billed 'Paradise Lost' and issued via G.U.N. Records in February 2005, live activity commenced in December 2004 with a string of European and Scandinavian shows. However, the band was forced to withdraw from Spain's 'Atarfe Vega Rock' festival when Gregor Mackintosh was hospitalised with a burst appendix. Live dates in Europe saw the band gaining the valuable support slot to JUDAS PRIEST in April, but the band withdrew from these due to concerns over Mackintosh's health. Subsequent headline European gigs saw Israeli act ORPHANED LAND as support. Ex-drummer Lee Morris joined the ranks of AOR outfit TEN in September 2005. A notable gig on 17th September saw PARADISE LOST headlining a festival in the Ukrainian capitol of Kiev's Maidan Nezalezhnosti city square, performed without Greg Mackintosh, who was recuperating in England after recently undergoing surgery. Mackintosh also missed the final dates in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Bucharest and Sofia to have a second operation.

TRACKLIST:

01. Don't Belong
02. Close Your Eyes
03. Grey
04. Redshift
05. Forever After
06. Sun Fading
07. Laws Of Cause
08. All You Leave Behind
09. Accept The Pain
10. Shine
11. Spirit
12. Over The Madness

LINE UP:

Nick Holmes (vocals)
Gregor Mackintosh (guitar)
Aaron Aedy (guitar)
Stephan Edmondson (bass)
Jeff Singer (drums)