Paradise Lost is perhaps one of the most underappreciated bands in Heavy Metal of our time. A band with a history that dates back to the late 1980s, Paradise Lost are not only pioneers in the Death Doom Metal genre, but also led the way for what is called Gothic Metal. A title that is broad reaching, and admittedly Paradise Lost themselves are not even sure if they fit into the modern subtext of it, whatever you want to say about them, we can all agree that they are constantly evolving.
Making their way in 1990 with their debut album Lost Paradise, 1991’s Gothic saw a shift, as did 1992’s Shades of God, leading into significant changes with 1993’s Icon and 1995’s Draconian Times. Then, in a surprising change, 1997’s One Second saw the band push boundaries into more mainstream Rock with hits like “Say Just Words” as well as the album’s title track. From here, they completely submerged themselves into a Synthrock sound with the overlooked 1999 album Host, and then turned even more heads with the Alternative Rock leaning Believe in Nothing in 2001.
Yet again, the band shifted with 2002’s Symbol of Life, 2005’s self-titled, as well as 2007’s impressive In Requiem. This would not be the end, though, because they would then return to their roots later on with 2015’s more Death Doom Metal-laden The Plague Within, and some would say 2020’s Obsidian was the perfect hybrid of all eras of Paradise Lost. So, what does this all mean? It means that Paradise Lost is ever-evolving in the most fantastically way possible.
Constantly seeking to write quality songs with thoughtful context, interestingly enough, they have even revisited their past on numerous occasions with a remastered release of Host, along with a re-recorded, remastered take on Believe in Nothing in 2018, while more recently they celebrated Icon with a re-recorded edition in 2023 called Icon 30. This leads us to 2025, where Paradise Lost return with a shiny new studio album called Ascension.
Set for release on September 19, 2025, through Nuclear Blast Records, some might say it is long overdue, considering Obsidian came out over five years ago. However, you have to consider the busy nature of Paradise Lost’s key members, Nick Holmes and Gregor Macintosh. To name a few outside projects, Holmes continues to work with Bloodbath (who last released Survival of the Sickest in 2022), while he also has teamed with Macintosh in the very cool Darkwave-inspired HOST project (which released IX in 2023). This is not to mention that Mackintosh has also dabbled in the Death Metal-leaning Strigoi, who released the album Viscera in 2022, plus an EP called Bathed in a Black Sun in 2023.
Taking everything into consideration, you have to offer the gentlemen some leniency in the gap between new Paradise Lost material, and if anything, absence makes the heart grow fonder. With all of this in mind, Paradise Lost seem as invigorated as ever with the songs featured on Ascension. Complete with ten new tracks, their seventeenth studio album includes three early singles, such as “Silence Like The Grave,” “Serpent On The Cross,” and the most recent, “Tyrants Serenade.” All very much in the stratosphere of Paradise Lost’s universal, the guitars are dark, melodic, and as distinctive as ever. Also quite heavy at times, what really stands out is the subtle textures mixed into each track that add to a dready, yet vivid atmosphere. Speaking of which, there is simply no ignoring how effective the bell chimes and crow cawing at the start of “Salvation” is to take you into the thick of it all.
From here, you can expect a very even collection of songs that fit right in with Paradise Lost, like “Diluvium” (which features a Draconian Times era vibe). However, Ascension is not without surprises. Among these, you have “Lay A Wreath Upon The World,” which builds from an acoustic opening into something much larger, and the incredibly haunting “The Precipice,” which ebbs and flows flawlessly.
In the end, Paradise Lost has once again unified its past with the present. Not repeating themselves, these songs are authentically real. Melancholy, moody, and often extremely heavy, there is an excellent balance amid it all. Furthermore, not enough can be said about how Nick Holmes approaches the vocals, which are gruff and raw at points, smooth and clean at others, and even reach into different registers you might not have heard him go before. Well worth the wait, Cryptic Rock gives Paradise Lost’s Ascension 5 out of 5 stars.
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