Genre - Heavy Metal / Gothic / Doom Metal
Track listing:
01 - No Hope In Sight
02 - Terminal
03 - An Eternity Of Lies
04 - Punishment Through Time
05 - Beneath Broken Earth
06 - Sacrifice The Flame
07 - Victim Of The Past
08 - Flesh From Bone
09 - Cry Out
10 - Return To The Sun
11 - Fear Of Silence
12 - Never Look Away
13 - Victim Of the Past (Orchestral Version)
Paradise Lost return with their fourteenth album, ‘The Plague Within,’ an album that once again see's the UK doom merchants embracing their roots, and whilst not exactly breaking new ground, reaffirming their distinction as probably the greatest British doom merchants since the mighty Black Sabbath.
Produced by Jaime Gomez Arellano (who recorded Ghost’s first one and Cathedral’s last one) the album runs the atmospheric gamut from meaty death ‘n’ roll (“Cry Out”) to soulful doom liturgies (“Return to the Sun”) and even Down-style chug (“Punishment Through Time”), as guitarists Gregor Mackintosh and Aaron Aedy unfurl catchy riffs in every direction.
The journey to 'The Plague Within' began with 'Faith Divides Us – Death Unites Us' and 'Tragic Idol', both of which revelled in glorious melancholy, and showed the band swinging back into the direction of the roots, that journey is now complete with 'The Plague Within'. The albums heavy, Nick growls as much as he sings (and sounds in great form by the way!), and the guitars are doom laded, even reminiscent of the doom master himself, Tony Iommi, at times.
The Plague within is the best album from Paradise Lost since the 1990's, and on this evidence they still have a hell of a lot to offer.
Very, Very Highly Recommended
Rating - 10/10
