Paradise Lost

I'd like to know where the Darker Thoughts video was filmed. The panorama at the start looks like the place where I used to live. (And seeing as Mr Holmes also lives/lived in the same valley, it's possible.)
 
Brigantium said:
I'd like to know where the Darker Thoughts video was filmed. The panorama at the start looks like the place where I used to live. (And seeing as Mr Holmes also lives/lived in the same valley, it's possible.)
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Darker Thoughts' video is so basic and yet amazing at the same time... BTW the lyrics strongly suggest the song is about a soldier with PTSD. Might be wrong but if it's not that's one hell of a coincidence.
 
Brigantium said:
It's a good one, isn't it? Instead of going entirely down one route they blend a bit of many of their distinct eras and influences.
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Yup... in that regard Obsidian is masterful. Unlike The Plague Within that lacked coherency from song to song (and IMO even quality in some of them) the new album blends Doom, Goth and even some Death Metal and some elements from the band's Pop-rock era... and everything has the same ambiance no matter what's the most prominent influence the song bears.
 
Just had a listen to Obsidian and I have to say that this was a pleasant experience. It sounds like a thought-through album, there is musical and lyrical coherence. Notable highlights for me include 'Fall from Grace', 'Ghosts', 'Forsaken', and 'Defiler'. I'm going right back and having another listen.
 
karljant said:
Darker Thoughts' video is so basic and yet amazing at the same time... BTW the lyrics strongly suggest the song is about a soldier with PTSD. Might be wrong but if it's not that's one hell of a coincidence.
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Thanks to an Instagram post by Nick Holmes, I've found out Darker Thoughts was in fact filmed at least in part on Ilkley Moor. I thought I knew that skyline at the start! I used to walk up very near to that spot on summer evenings. It's such perfect landscape for that song.
 
karljant said:
Yesterday, two and a half decades ago, I was celebrating my 19th anniversary while this masterpiece was being released.

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Together with Icon and Tragic Idol my favorite Paradise Lost albums. Didn't like The Plague and Medusa thath much. Don't know yet if I should get Obsidian.
 
MindRuler said:
Together with Icon and Tragic Idol my favorite Paradise Lost albums. Didn't like The Plague and Medusa thath much. Don't know yet if I should get Obsidian.
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Yes... those 3 records have really similar traits. DT and Icon are my second and third favorites from the band respectively. Tragic Idol comes a handful of places below but still one hell of an album. The Plague and Medusa are also on my lower echelon regarding PL's discography... I think in those 2 albums they are trying too much to make Death Doom albums just for the sake of it, trying to revive the Gothic album feeling and failing somewhat while doing so. It has some great tunes: Terminal, No Hope In Sight, Punishment Through Time, Beneath Broken Earth, Fearless Sky, Longest Winter, Blood And Chaos and Shrines. But that's it... If they made a single album out of these 8 tracks I would surely enjoy it much more. As for Obsidian you still have some elements of Plague and Medusa (two death doom tracks and some roaring vocals) but also a lot of that goth metal vibe from those 3 albums you like. I would recommend it.
 
This thread has inspired me to have a (re-)listen to their discography, I used to listen to Symbol of Life a lot back in the day but haven't kept up with them.
 
So I took notice of Metallica's S&M 2 tracklist the other day. Not expecting nothing special to be honest (quite the opposite). Think that the first S&M was also a bit meh. That reminded me of Paradise Lost's Symphony For The Lost and how it also came out to be (IMO) a bit of a disappointment. First it features only 8 songs with the orchestra (that is really low in the mix). Then I consider the track selection regarding those 8 tracks to be an absolute miss with the exception of a couple of songs. Paradise Lost and orchestral arrangements are like peanut butter and jelly (if you don't believe so just check the Lost In Prague Mixes in Faith Divides Us Death Unites Us). So it's about time PL get a proper orchestra collaboration done. Here's my take:
  1. Darker Thoughts
  2. Remembrance
  3. Fear Of Impending Hell
  4. No Hope In Sight
  5. The Devil Embraced
  6. Don't Belong
  7. So Much Is Lost
  8. Christendom
  9. The Enemy
  10. Forever Failure
  11. No Celebration
  12. Enchantment
  13. Dying Freedom
  14. Last Regret
  15. Faith Divides Us Death Unites Us
  16. One Second
  17. As I Die
_________________________________________
  1. Embers Fire
  2. Gothic
  3. Say Just Words
I think these songs would sound KILLER with a proper orchestration (some of them already went through the process and the result is amazing: FDUDUU, Last Regret, Forever Failure, Gothic and Don't Belong - also So Much Is Lost was lightly remixed in that fashion). What do you people think?
 
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PL are going to do a paying live stream gig on November 5 (Bonfire/Guy Fawkes Night - any significance?) tickets on sale tomorrow. They want to premiere stuff from Obsidian live. I'm quite keen to do this, depending on price. Not so sure about the VIP option with an extra song and a band interview, though. It's not quite as good value as the Unleash the Archers virtual gig, either, which I must have watched about four times.
 
No audience, we're in lockdown. Band distanced from each other standing in practice room in a circle with the drums behind them, crew there somewhere but you can't see them.

It's over now - I didn't pay for the VIP section but I wish I had. Ghosts from the new album works incredibly well live, can't wait to hear that proper live live. They crammed a lot of songs into one hour, and performance was flawless. Setlist was great selection from across their full career. pretty much all 'favourites'. Guitars, bass, drums and vocals all sounded on top form.

It wasn't an 'on stage' performance like Unleash the Archers' recent virtual gig, which I think was slightly better from a footage point of view, but a low key layout in a black practice room, all band members wearing black, and just a handful of white and red stage lights, is very Paradise Lost.
 
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