METAL veterans Paradise Lost have 13 albums in their back catalogue spanning a career of more than 20 years in the business.
They are back with album number 14 this month and reporter JAMES BRINDLE caught up with frontman Nick Holmes ahead of its release and some muchanticipated live dates in the area.
METALmusicmay not be the flavour of themonth in themainstreammusic scene but then again was it ever? ‘Goth’music has always beenmore of an underground scene but one which sees themost loyal of fanbases.
That is how a band like Yorkshire’s Paradise Lost are still going strong after 20 years plus together and why they will probably still be doing it in another 20.
The band’s new outing Tragic Idol— their 14th studio record—sees the band again looking back to their roots as they continue to stick with the sound that has served themso well.
Vocalist Nick Holmes told theMail: “We’ve gone back to themetalmusic we listened to when we were teenagers. I find being amiddle-agedman I find that all themusic I liked as a teenager is still my favouritemusic.
“I can put on the first fewMetallica albums and I still love them. Thatmusic is what still influences us today.”
Recorded at the Chapel Studios in Lincolnshire, with vocals laid down at Fascination Street Studio’s in Orebro, Sweden, the joins are in a no way apparent on a record pieced together in two different countries.
Holmes said: “We’re really prepared by the time we get in there (the studio)— we demo songs to a high level.We could probably each record in different places and it would sound the same—I can recordmy vocals anywhere.
“The guys wanted to do it in England to be nearer to home. The pub was shut nearby which threw a spanner in the works for themthough!” Tragic Idol is a no-holds-barred album featuring sledgehammer guitar riffs and Holmes singing his guts out with his usual diversity and aggression.
The darkness of the band’s best moments is still there but there is room formoremelodicmoments which Holmes admits are his favourites on Tragic Idol.
He said: “I like (the song) Fear Of Impending Hell it’s amix of the heavier andmore chilled out,melancholic vibe. I like that sort of song.” The band set off next week on a mammoth tour across the UK and Europe giving fans a chance to see Paradise Lost in their natural environment.
Holmes said the band were excited if apprehensive about what lies ahead but looking forward to blasting out the new material they are so proud of.
