Artist: PARADISE LOST
Album: HOST (CD)

Release date: 1999
Media type: CD

Now a significant force in Europe, even enjoying headline festival positions, PARADISE LOST took a step up to a major label by contracting with EMI Electrola in Germany for their next musical chapter, 'Host'. The record, produced by Simon Lyon, was delivered in May 1999. Both visually and musically PARADISE LOST, plunging headlong into electro-rock, had now completely shed any vestiges of their extreme metal past. 'Host' performed well across the continent, peaking at number 4 in Germany, but only managed a humble 61 in the UK.

PARADISE LOST returned with the John Fryer produced 'Believe In Nothing' album, rectifying the sparse guitar quota of 'Host' somewhat, 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 Jeff Singer, a man holding credits across the Manchester area with acts ranging from MARQUESA, VERRA CRUZ, RED SHIFT, CHINA BEACH, KILL II THIS, CITY OF GOD, BLAZE and KILL II THIS, 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, supported by DARK PRINCESS, St. Petersburg, Bucharest and Sofia to have a second operation.

Whilst in pre-production with producer Rhys Fulber during August the band announced signature to Century Media Records. PARADISE LOST co-headlined alongside OPETH in the UK during November 2006.

TRACKLIST:

1. So Much Is Lost
2. Nothing Sacred
3. In All Honesty
4. Harbour
5. Ordinary Days
6. It's Too Late
7. Permanent Solution
8. Behind The Grey
9. Wreck
10. Made The Same
11. Deep
12. Year Of Summer
13. Host

LINE-UP:

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