Paradise Lost

Host

a brave step and an excellent record

Review Score:

(8/10)
I don't think any Paradise Lost fan was expecting this one. Their previous album, "One Second", traded in their guitar-driven sound for one more steeped in electronic gloom-- with mixed results. There was a backlash among fans and the most popular songs were those few that still incorporated plenty of riffs. So it comes as a complete surprise that "Host" cuts the guitars out almost completely, severing the ties with their earlier style. The results are astounding-- Paradise Lost can write dark music in any form, and they can do it well.
The band tapped Steve Lyon as producer, an excellent choice. Lyon's work with dark wave Depeche Mode offshoot Recoil and the Cure demonstrated an uncanny ability to create moods using massive "walls" of sound. The result is an aural drowning experience for the listener, but one that is immersive without being overbearing. Keyboards and other machines are used to generate foggy and desolate sounds, mixing beautifully with the music. Strings add an organic element to the songs, keeping them from collapsing under the weight of electronic waves. Guitars occasionally show up, but only with supporting roles in the more angry songs on the album.
Singer/lyricist Nick Holmes improved here over his first attempt at "clear" singing in "One Second". On that album his unsteady new style is at times a detriment to the songs. Here he holds his own, turning in impressive performances on such songs as "So Much is Lost" and "Ordinary Days". On the downside, drummer Lee Morris has a diminished role, playing second fiddle to a couple of programmed drum machines, and rythmn guitarist Aaron Aedy is almost completely out of the picture. It's a shame, but it certainly doesn't hurt the album. Lead guitarist/songwriter Greg Mackintosh does an excellent job writing dark music using a different technical formula. "So Much is Lost" and "Behind the Grey" grab the listener immediately with their intense despair. Others take awhile to make an impression. On my first listen through, I didn't catch on to "Wreck", but now I think it's one of the better songs on the album-- its plodding gloom has much more to it than may first grab the attention and is one of the more emotionally touching songs on "Host". Mackintosh also offers some excellent uptempo numbers in "Ordinary Days" and "Year of Summer". These in particular stand out as examples of PL music that is not only well done without the old guitar reliance, but can sustain a fast pace without sacrificing the moody despair of the music.
There are a couple of low moments-- "In All Honesty" doesn't rise above its ironically preachy and annoying character, and the title track "Host" is a sodden bore, but these are buoyed by the rest of the album, making "Host" stand as a triumph for Paradise Lost.

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