Definitely the best metal album you've never heard

Review Score: (10/10)
Before hearing "Icon" and reading bad reviews on Paradise Lost's older material ("Gothic" being the target of most of the slander), I chose to not give anything old of theirs a chance and stuck to "One Second" and "Draconian Times," assuming those to be the best albums by this band.

I've never been so wrong in my life.

"Icon," at first listen, didn't especially grab me in any way. The catchiness of some of the simpler tracks on "Draconian Times" caught my attention more immediately at first, but there was something about "Icon" I couldn't quite figure out at first. Sometimes music does that though...the truly good stuff doesn't quite grow on the seasoned listener until a few thorough listens.

But after about the 4th listen to this remarkable work of darkness, I was hooked. "Embers Fire" is so deathly subtle yet so incredibly well-written it eluded me at first. The haunting cello intro will echo in your mind for days upon nights as you stare at your ceiling while lying in bed, and the melodies of the groove-laden guitars are sure to become immortal with true fans of metal. The lyrics are dark, mostly concerning dishonesty, revenge, and hatred. My personal favorite song on the album is probably "Shallow Seasons," with Nick Holmes bellowing like a seriously angry demon: "Anger compels the force of weakness or fear, but I promise no forgiveness for the rest of my years." When you hear him roar this out, you probably won't doubt him.

This album is an absolute masterpiece. Since I 'discovered' it about 5 or 6 months ago, it's been in my car CD player for about 80% of the time I drive. While "Draconian Times" and "One Second" are still very good albums, (I particularly like the experimental style on the latter, though some metalheads would probably burn me at the stake for saying that), "Icon" is just a landmark achievement in the world of dark music. This is music for the depressed, for the sick, for the weak, for the strong, and for anyone who desires a musical experience they're not likely to forget.

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