One would wonder why I am surprised, because isn’t it normal that these artists typically have side projects? Correct but what surprised me is that Gregor Mackintosh is a vocalist. I guess everyone is so used to see him playing a guitar; very strange to see him with a microphone in his hand. VallenFyre is formed by:

Gregor Makintosh (Paradise Lost) – Vocals
Hamish Glencross (My Dying Bride) – Lead and Rhythm guitars
Mully (From the pub down the road) – Rhythm guitars
Scoot (Guess from the same pub) – bass
Adrian Erlandsson (Paradise Lost & At the Gates) – Drums

With influences from Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride and At the Gates, Vallenfyre should produce some of the finest metal music. Obviously their music is heavy and dark. They fit somewhere between the very heaviest Celtic Frost and old school Swedish death metal. I haven’t stopped listening to the album yet and won’t stop for some time. It is one of the best metal records that most probably you’ll hear this year.

Vallenfyre was originally formed by Gregor Mackintosh himself. As he says “Spawned out of the death of my father in the end of 2009, so in early 2010 I kind of start to write things down to cope with the grieving process. That eventually turned into a few songs that I did. It just turned into something to like doing.” Later Gregor asked his friends to join in and a proper band was formed. Most of the lads know each other for a long time. Adrian Erlandsson, Vallenfyre drummer says “Music wise it got the slower elements that the early Paradise Lost had. It’s a lot heaver and this year playing wise they can’t be really compared to Paradise Lost. I guess why that’s why he (Gregor Mackintosh) is doing both Paradise Lost and Vallenfyre.” Below is a video (electronic press kit) of Vallenfyre’s new debut album; A Fragile King.

Playing I Remain; released on the 2009 Paradise Lost Album, Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us.

Playing Rise of Denial; released on the 2009 Paradise Lost Album, Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us.

Playing Pity the Sadness; released on the 1992 Paradise Lost Album, Shades of God.

Playing Enchantment; released on the 1995 Paradise Lost Album, Draconian times.

If you enjoyed the drumming (if you follow this blog you definitely did) and you still don’t own a Paradise Lost album, it’s about time you get some original copies. Below are the three albums mentioned above. Happy listening and keep rocking!

What does the album title “Faith Divides Us – Death Unites Us” mean?

To enter the chance of winning Paradise Lost’s latest album, send me an email with the subject “Paradise Lost Competition” and answer to the above question to bruce@muzikablog.com.  The competition is open till 1st May, 2010.  The first draw with the correct answer will be awarded the CD.

Check out what journalists have to say about this new gothic metal album from the below video, which features some footage from the album’s listening session at a coal mine factory in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.  All positive comments!

Looking forward to order the Limited edition 2CD digibook version of this album.

As they promised us, the song is heavier and darker than ever, thanks to their re-introduction of melodic guitars, and Nick’s vocals. Are Paradise Lost back better than ever before? I guess yes. Don’t expect Shades of God / Icon style again, that was a different era, but still they did a great job.

Nick Holmes comments on the song “This song is about someone who’s on a downward spiral. Working too hard and trying to claw back some positive spirit by participating in all the so called joyous occasions in life, socialising and networking but to no avail, the long days have crushed the soul till only disappointment and cynicism remains. This song was inspired by the thousands of dishevelled looking middle aged businessmen I see in airports each year.

This track has had a dozen face lifts since its inception and in true fashion, it was never intended to be the first track. Once it was mixed though it was hard to imagine any other song opening the album.”

Paradise Lost’s MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/paradiselostuk

Paradise Lost newest releases where always of a surprise, as with each album they presented a different unexpected musical style from the previous album.  This can be noticed from the distorted heavy guitars and growling From Lost Paradise, their first album to an electro pop sound like ‘Depeche Mode’ in their 8th album, Host.

I personally liked all their releases, although I was disappointed with their latest 2 albums, ‘Paradise Lost’ and ‘In requiem’.  They sound very similar to each other, and are quite flat toned.  Let’s hope for the better for the upcoming 13th album.

Paradise Lost’s vocalist Nick Holmes comments on the album’s title; “there is so much division in the world caused by obstructing religious belief” and “We are all made of the same flesh and bone, what makes one religions better than the other, and would any true god allow his creation to destroy itself?” – Well said Nick!

Looking forward for this 13th album, let’s hope that like all their first 8th albums, this release will bring along another surprise.

aiq4yucmgk

Many Paradise Lost and heavy metal / gothic doom fans starting doubting Paradise Lost ability as musicians. Rumors were that the band was switching to commercial music, where income and fame have a higher priority than the quality of music.  They switched from metal to electronic music, no more long hair, and they don’t look like scruffy metal dudes anymore.

Contrary to what many head bangers think, electronic music does not necessarily mean commercial music.  In all music genres, there is music, and commercial music. I can easily jot down a list of commercial heavy metal bands.

Paradise Lost members grow older, and their likings change over time. What they used to like in their teens, does not mean they will still like it now, when they are 30+. As PL themselves said, they just wrote the music they felt like writing during that particular stage in life, and that is how they could express themselves best.

Listening to One Second, it is easy to notice that they still wrote ‘slash your wrist’ lyrics, and still kept their ‘trademark’; dark atmosphere and sad music.  When compared to previous PL albums, it clearly shows that they matured in their music writing abilities.  They had the balls to move on and write the music they liked, instead of restricting themselves to what music labels told them to do. It was a very risky move, but a very good move. The world’s greatest bands produced the greatest music as a result of experimenting with different genres of music, without restricting themselves to a specific genre.

I’ve never heard of any other synthpop / gothic album which even comes close to One Second. If you like this genre of music, just give it a shot!  It is true that Paradise Lost moved away from the metal scene with this album, but that does not mean they are no longer the good old Paradise Lost!