Paradise Lost - The Plague Within (2015)

The guys in Paradise Lost did it again. Just when old timer fans enjoyed their semi "back-to-root" album, Tragic Idol (2012), the band changed their steer once again. Their 14th studio album called The Plague Within is yet another album that going to plague the fans-base with like it or hate it debate. The good news is, this new album still contained faint trace of their root from Draconian Times era. The reality is, majority of the materials is new sounds.

The first noticeable thing is the changes of vocals. Right from "No Hope In Sight", Nick Holmes has decided to put in heavier growl. Yes, as you heard it everywhere else, the vocals now is deathmetal-like. The song and ambiance itself can be said remained Paradise Lost in their '90s era, and some quite close to actually. "Terminal" is something of their catchy tunes. Stormy drums since the start. Once again it is the growl vocals that need to get adjusted by old timers. "An Eternity Of Lies" is where lies more new stuff. This one comes with almost equal division between growling and clean vocals. Something fits more correctly in their post-Draconian Times stuff. On their most dooming moment in the album, comes "Beneath Broken Earth" where the beat is doom slow. "Sacrifice The Flame" itself in turn, most mellow one, with cello sound and tragic sounding sings. The other surprise is in "Cry Out", they changed guitar distortion sounds too, to accommodate a more 'bluesy' riff in doom-death metal environment. There are still few bunch of songs where the band do their latest invention doom metal in the rest of album.

The Plague Within didn't sounds like the exact continuation from Tragic Idol. Where their previous seems like the resurrection of Paradise Lost classic era, The Plague Within is one more about creativity power. Once again die hard fans need to appreciated range of new ideas fit into their beloved Paradise Lost's doom metal. Objectively, there is enough old time stuff to celebrated, as in the first two songs. The rest is potential explored stuff, with bigger musical context.

Metal Harem class: ********* eight stars out of ten

Buy it Here - Amazon

Paradise Lost - The Plague Within (2015)

1. No Hope In Sight
2. Terminal
3. An Eternity Of Lies
4. Punishment Through Time
5. Beneath Broken Earth
6. Sacrifice The Flame
7. Victim Of The Past
8. Flesh From Bone
9. Cry Out
10. Return To The Sun
11. Fear Of Silence (bonus track, Deluxe Box format)
12. Never Look Away (bonus track, Deluxe Box format)
13. Victim Of The Past (orchestra version) (bonus track)

Paradise Lost members:
Gregor Mackintosh - guitars
Aaron Aedy - guitars
Stephen Edmondson - bass
Nick Holmes - vocals
Adrian Erlandsson - drums

Black Sabbath - 13 (2013)

Forty five years, that's how long Black Sabbath being existed on this planet, if we count from year 1968. With this number, listener to their first album supposedly age 20, is now around 65+. So, what's the music Black Sabbath going to offer to the late adult listeners? They were not going into Deep Purple transformation with all new sounds, but instead just do the same music Black Sabbath did forty years ago. In the plan to not let old fans disappoint but try to experiment with newer music as well. Yes, Black Sabbath new 2013 album, "13" will easy to place among their '70 catalog. The music still menacing doom-ish, riffs are still upfront as leading accompaniment, then Ozzy is back. 13 answered old fans' called for new album and also cleverly put in modern sounds to it.

End of the Beginning is the opening song, slow tempo, doom metal feel with Ozzy topping the music with his characteristic voices. A long building up verses leads to section 2 riff and headbanging can start at this point. A strong opening for such a long waiting time of new Black Sabbath song. The single, God Is Dead? is a good hit, melodic doom ballad if we need to describe the song. Running at almost nine minutes the song sure repeated enough to get the choruses sink in our head. Loner is catchy riff with '70s with opening line, "He just a loner....", that describe rebellion, leather jeans and pubescent spirits. Interesting is a ballad Zeitgeist, with acoustic guitar, basses and percussion, hypnotizing us with Ozzy higher pitch singing. Come next to Age of Reason which is again Black Sabbatian tone back to our nostalgic '70 times. Helping drummer Brad Wilk, comes with valuable composition as this is a very drum orientated piece. Live Forever back to straight forward style, Iommi's guitar tone are in comfortable hi technology distortion, now if you imagine this song's riff done in Iommi's '70 tones.... Damaged Soul is a prove this album gone a good time of song writing, as this song no.8 still offer interesting song writing, without the feel of just a filler to completed a comeback album. Damaged Soul has a nice groove and singing line that also memorable, completed with bluesy solos. We are closed with one more heavy doom song in Dear Father.

There is no reason not to like this album. '13', not only offer a strong memorable moments in almost every song, Black Sabbath also capture back their trademark very easily. With Black Sabbath's alternate universe with Ronnie James Dio now came to the end, we only can hope the legacy continue with Ozzy. This is what exactly happening in '13'. The production under Rick Rubin is a good job. The quartet's sounds engineered in clear way, we can listen Geezer Butler moving finger under the layer of guitar distortion. Of course it's impossible to beat their old catalog by this released, but for a long waited album, 13 can do more than just acceptable.

Metal Harem class: ********* nine stars out of ten

Black Sabbath - 13 (2013)
buy it here at Amazon

1. End of the Beginning (8:07)
2. God Is Dead? (8:54)
3. Loner (5:06)
4. Zeitgeist (4:28)
5. Age of Reason (7:02)
6. Live Forever (4:49)
8. Damaged Soul (7:43)
9. Dear Father (7:06)
bonus:
Methademic 5:57
Peace of Mind 3:40
Pariah  5:34
Naïveté in Black 3:50

Tony Iommi – guitar
Ozzy Osbourne – lead vocals, harmonica on "Damaged Soul"
Geezer Butler – bass guitar
Session members
Brad Wilk – drums
Production
Rick Rubin – production

Black Sabbath newest 2013 album, 13 Review

Dark Tranquility - Construct (2013)

Not really a Dark Tranquility listener here, but I found the album a good one with a blend of doom-ish feel into good death metal vocals. Construct is the new Dark Tranquility album, bringing this as the band's album number ten. They are called as Gothenburg metal also but quite versatile in doing the music it's between thin line to defined. For Broken Words is a nice opener, bringing us to darker mood for today. Works of instrumentation to company the vocals are done in creative ways. This is better in the second song, The Science of Noise, now comes with 'faster' beat. The running riffs can keep the interest alive and put curiosity to what happen in the next song's sections. Uniformity is more complex. The background piano motives and vocal's style changing make this a good gothic-doom-death metal tracks. The Silence in Between also has a good Paradise Lost feel intro. Not a bad song to call this the hit of the album.  Aphathetic finally comes with strong riffs and fastest drum works. Endtime Hearts is interesting tracks with slighly bits of industrial sounds. The album ended with overlong instrumentation None Becoming, that close the chapter with dark mood.

Best cuts for me are The Science of Noise and The Silence in Between. Love the guitar overdrive / distortion sounds that versatile bringing the doom feel. Singer pulled his growl and clean voices with good shape. Atmospheric background string layered provided by keyboardist Martin Brändström also gives Dark Tranquility their unique sounds. Enjoyable album with a smooth blend in between doom and death metal style.

Metal Harem class: ******** eight stars out of ten

Dark Tranquility - Construct (2013)
Buy it Here at Amazon

1. "For Broken Words" 4:34
2. "The Science of Noise" 3:50
3. "Uniformity" 5:31
4. "The Silence in Between" 3:32
5. "Apathetic" 3:29
6. "What Only You Know" 4:01
7. "Endtime Hearts" 3:59
8. "State of Trust" 4:06
9. "Weight of the End" 4:56
10. "None Becoming" 4:31

 US bonus tracks
11. "Immemorial" 5:06
12. "Photon Dreams" 2:04

Personnel
Mikael Stanne – vocals
Martin Henriksson – bass guitar, rhythm guitar
Niklas Sundin – lead guitar, album artwork
Anders Jivarp – drums
Martin Brändström – keyboards

Dark Tranquility Construct album review

My Dying Bride - The Manuscript EP 2013

UK Doom metal throws in several songs for us in their latest EP. My Dying Bride is more than welcome to present several new, or unused ideas, in this new EP called The Manuscript. The songs are not much deviated from last year released A Map of Our Failures.

First song of The Manuscript is strong. This song is a nice introduction to the genre altogether. Doom singing is perfect, all instrumentals do their best, due to the slow pace of the song, the instruments are needed to fill in the space correctly. And that exactly what make the genre interesting. Guitar melody keep playing, the drum fills are note to note in our ear, and the addition of violin fill is just clear. Vår Gud Över Er or translated Our God Over Your (Sweden), comes with contrast. Aaron rendered this song with harsh death metal vocal. Duo guitars guided the song with melodies, making this yet another enjoyable doom metal song. A Pale Shroud Of Longing is like want to bring you to the lowest point in your life. The extended instrumentation in the beginning  from guitar's melody, violin theme, acoustic guitars are all enjoyable. Only Tears To Replace Her With starts with narration, oh wait are they inspired by our dearest Metallica's Lulu? Perhaps the least interesting song on this four tracker, but then the song is focus on lyrics and make some sense to continue.

The Manuscript is good. Strong songs , well three songs, is enough to bring back several life to the band. Fans will accept this without pressures, it's all relax listening and the songs are damn acceptable. If My Dying Bride just keep writing music as these ones, they surely will continue their claw over the genre. Little EP need to keep for Doom / Gothic fans.

Metal Harem class: ******** eight stars out of ten

My Dying Bride - The Manuscript EP 2013
buy it HERE

01. The Manuscript
02. Vår Gud Över Er
03. A Pale Shroud Of Longing
04. Only Tears To Replace Her With

Line-up
Aaron Stainthorpe - vocals
Shaun MacGowan - keyboards, violin
Andrew Craighan - guitars
Hamish Hamilton Glencross - guitars
Lena Abé - bass

My Dying Bride the Manuscript album review



R.I.P. Jeff Hanemann 

Nightfall Cassiopeia 2013

If you haven’t meet a Gothic Metal band that able to upfront their “metal” part more than anything to its “gothic” counterpart, you need to listen to Nightfall. They kind of melodic blending into dark, doomish gothic growling. They are Greek compatriot, long established since 1991 by founding member Efthimis Karadimas . With that long history, Nightfall crossed fate with several Greek talents such as Bob Katsionis as we known in Firewind today. As you can see from my writing, I am not familiar with the band and therefore rely my review on this sole album only.  For our 2013 late new year gift, Nightfall released Cassiopeia. Notes to this release also included the addition of guitarist Constantine into their line up, Constantine is current guitarist for Mystic Prophecy as well.

In the opener called Phaethon, we quickly introduced to a straightforward and minimalist gothic licks that leading us into a sudden changes of key for the opening verse. For the following song that almost identical twin as Phaethon is Oberon and Titania. The band also put in front Oberon and Titania as their representative showcase track of Cassiopeia. It is a riff leading song, with enough groove to let the melody stay in your mind for a while. The same receipt repeated in other tracks, notable is The Reptile Gods, and Hyperion which all based their opening to the thematic riff. We also get the power metal’s minor and galloping tempo in Stellar Parallax and Hubris. The other approach is the classic Gothic melodic lick as the leading tune, practised in The Nightwatch and Akhenaton, the 8th Pharaoh of the 18 Dynasty. That’s true Cassiopeia rich in mythological references as their lyrical theme, suitable to the music very much.

In the microphone duty is vocalist Efthimis Karadimas, our fifty minutes long companion that comes with a  low and dark doom-ish voice. The whole album demonstrated a solid chemistry between the duo guitarist Evan Hensley and Constantine, both take turn in converting minimalist licks into powerful harmony. That’s to say, the overall listening experience from Cassiopeia is enjoyable. This Gothic / Doom metal genre tends to gone monotonous in my experience, but Cassiopeia really gives enough tricks to cast away that repetitive feature and make the album an interesting darkened melodic metal journey. If you are into the genre, this should be enough to be called an excellent album.

Metalharem class: ******** eight stars out of ten

Nightfall – Cassiopeia 2013
Buy it here

01. Phaethon
02. Oberon & Titania
03. Colonize Cultures
04. The Nightwatch
05. Stellar Parallax
06. Hubris
07. The Reptile Gods
08. Hyperion
09. Akhenaton, The 9th Pharaoh Of The 18th Dynasty
10. The Sand Reckoner
11. Astropolis

NIGHTFALL is:
Efthimis Karadimas - Vocals
Evan Hensley - Guitar
Constantine - Guitar
Stathis Ridis - Bass
Stathis Kassios - Keyboards
Jörg Uken - Drums

My Dying Bride - A Map to All Our Failures (2012)

When came to a good doom metal stuff, I just enjoy the relaxation and atmosphere the genre best done. My Dying Bride with A Map to All Our Failures is the album capable of doing that. From the first guitar notes, listener asked to carefully follow the flow, defined the atmospheric effect and synchronize the mind and body with the music. Lots of big words for describe the mood of AMtAOF.

You can spend eight minutes of stillness in track like Abandones as Christ, or adjust the heartbeat right to more dynamic song called Kneel Till Doomsday. The Poorest Waltz exploit the despair mood in their good song melody. Killer guitar riff that able to rise curiosity to listener to find out more, that is what's going on in this album. We also treated with acoustic violin line, something best in A Map to All Our Failures. Then we also have doom day sound effect in Hail Odysseus, a song that just beginning the climax with intense guitar riff and drumming.

Guitar tone are sounds great, literally singlehand build up the mood. Then the singer Aaron Stainthorpe is able to emotionally connect the song with listener. It's a comeback album in term of sounds more '90s UK doom metal compare to My Dying Bride done in previous two albums. It's a good album to catch up Paradise Lost this year in that sense.

Metalharem class: ******** eight stars out of ten

My Dying Bride - A Map to All Our Failures (2012)

buy it here at Amazon

1. Kneel Till Doomsday 07:52
2. The Poorest Waltz 05:08
3. A Tapestry Scorned 08:00
4. Like a Perpetual Funeral 08:32
5. A Map of All Our Failures 07:52
6. Hail Odysseus 08:54
7. Within the Presence of Absence 08:50
8. Abandoned as Christ 08:36

Andrew Craighan ,Guitars

Aaron Stainthorpe ,Vocals

Hamish Hamilton Glencross, Guitars

Lena Abé, Bass

Shaun Macgowan, Keyboards, Violin

Shaun Taylor-Steels, Drums, Percussion

Paradise Lost Tragic Idol 2012

When hearing Paradise Lost, what actually we expected from them? Are we keep their nostalgic Gothic and Shades of God, the doom metal era as our benchmark? Or the Draconian Times and Icon era? My cup of tea is the later. Twenty years ago, Icon and Draconian Times were the album that stood very high above their era that these twin album still give me a very strong Gothic feeling right until now. So, when Paradise Lost announced their 2012 album Tragic Idol, these two memorable albums feeling are what I expected the most. Let not discuss their 'lost' era, in between Draconian Time until now.

Tragic Idol is an interesting album with mixed feeling. This album is so demanding that I feel extreme need to write a detail review here. So before we started I will concluded it first that Tragic Idol is so far their best offering that return to their respective two eras we identified before.

Solitary One, the opening song, started with interesting lick we immediately welcome to Paradise Lost music. The one sentence per vocal line is a hundred percent return and trade mark of Paradise Lost, or Nick Holmes vocal. The feeling is immediately in Icon era. What we got as compromise here is the howling backing vocals and the ping pong keyboard accentuation, we should understand this as Paradise Lost need of new sound.

 Crucify is one of interesting point here. After the doom intro, suddenly we un-expected have the 'catchy' riff with a brief of heavy metal grooving here. It's heavy and blistering guitar solos decorated all the way.

Fear of Impending Hell, the intro, the acoustic and clean vocal followed, this song quite successful bring us back to the nostalgic Icon era. Something with Honesty in Death.

Theories from Another World, is by far their most complexes, or should I say, complicated composition. It is a double pedal drum with thrash metal riff. Doom metal vocal but with a vocal line a bit utilizing death metal scale. Maybe one of most unexpected Paradise Lost song here.

In This We Dwell, is another surprise, Paradise Lost gone a bit with power metal scale riff and galloping chops. 

To The Darkness is another awesome intro and song. It return to Gothic feel, dark and heavier. This then break in Tragic Idol and Worth Fighting For, which are classic return to their sound.  The Glorious End, despite its blitz guitar lick intro, it is another doom feel song that perfectly close the album.

So, is this an album more about the past than about creating new sound? Dunno, but Paradise Lost has success in rising nostalgic in every track. All the songs are cleverly composed. The only thing made them "new" I think is the drumming part, all the rest pretty much return to their classic sound. I would say this is another surprising above performance by the veteran band in this 2012 year. Completely a must have album for Paradise Lost admirers.

Metal Harem class: ******** 8 stars out of 10

Paradise Lost - Tragic Idol 2012

buy the album here at Amazon

01. Solitary One
02. Crucify
03. Fear Of Impending Hell
04. Honesty In Death
05. Theories From Another World
06. In This We Dwell
07. To The Darkness
08. Tragic Idol
09. Worth Fighting For
10. The Glorious End

Bonus tracks (Limited Edition)
01. Ending Through Changes
02. Never Take Me Alive (Spear Of Destiny cover version)

Line-up

Nick Holmes - vocals
Greg Mackintosh - lead guitar
Aaron Aedy - rhythm guitar
Steve Edmondson - bass guitar
Adrian Erlandsson - drums

Paradise Lost artistic cover art for Tragic Idol - graphic design by Valnoir.